How to bet the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

The final race of the two-day Breeders' Cup extravaganza hosted by Del Mar this weekend pits a full field of 14 in Saturday’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Wagers

• $20 win and place #12 Mufasa ($40)
• 50-cent trifecta 12,14 with 1,7,8,9,11,12,14 with 1,7,8,9,11,12,14 ($30)

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Analysis

The challenging handicapping puzzle boasts a field with numerous early types, and I expect some of the deeper closing contenders in the field to have a major say in the outcome of the event. 

The Ignacio Correas-trained #12 Mufasa (12-1) has been forwardly placed in his last two starts, which resulted in an allowance victory at Colonial as well as a clear score in the Vosburgh S. (G3), but the five-year-old will not be as close in the early stages of the two-turn tilt on Saturday.

Mufasa is a nifty 10-for-13 lifetime and 4-for-4 at the distance, and the top pick doesn’t need the lead in order to win. I expect the dark bay to be somewhere near midpack on the back side before picking off the horses in front of him through the stretch. Tyler Gaffalione picks up the live mount. 

#14 Skippylongstocking (4-1) also has been up close in many of his races in his lifetime, but from the outside draw, I envision the $3 million earner to be farther back early on, and that will be to his benefit.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, the five-year-old son of Exaggerator finished a very good second in the Woodward S. (G2) at 1 1/8 miles in his latest appearance and will appreciate the cutback in the distance against this crew. Kentucky-bred bay entices Irad Ortiz Jr. to take the reins, which is always a good thing. 

I’ll use multiple additional runners for the lower rungs of my exotics. 2023 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) star #1 Saudi Crown (5-1), the hard-trying #7 Tumbarumba (30-1), Grade 2 winner #8 Post Time (12-1), H. Allen Jerkens S. (G1) victor #9 Domestic Product (7-2), and Cherie DeVaux’s #11 Cagliostro (30-1) each has a measure of appeal to me in the ultra-competitive contest.