People have such an immense passion for horse racing, especially in the highly anticipated Breeders’ Cup, that they are eager to spend their hard-earned cash to participate in the sport and attend live races rather than watch them from their homes.
This year, the world-famous Breeders’ Cup will be held on November 4 and 5 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky. With a total of $28 million up for grabs in 14 races, some of the top horse racing in the United States will compete against Irish and British horses that have travelled to win the highest purses in the sport.
In addition to this, here are six reasons you shouldn’t miss this year’s Breeders’ Cup 2022.
The best horses will be there
Unbeaten in its career, John Sadler’s Flightline is the leading candidate in this race. The four-year-old colt kicked up 2022 with a victory of six lengths in the Met Mile. He then went on to win the Pacific Classic by a remarkable 19 and a quarter lengths at Del Mar. Flightline has been dominating sportsbooks’ best bets, including the TVG picks for Breeders Cup.
Despite a massive expectation that Flightline would win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he will face several interesting possible competitors. Bob Baffert’s Taiba defeated Cyberknife, Zandon, and Skippy Longstocking by three lengths in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, suggesting he has the strongest potential to defeat Flightline.
Epicenter, an efficient runner, is also in the race and could be a potent threat. The Steve Asmussen-trained colt easily won the Travers Stakes, defeating a field that included future Triple Crown winners by a margin of five and a quarter lengths.
Triple Crown winners are well represented, with 2022 Kentucky Derby victor Rich Strike expected to compete after a promising showing in the Lukas Classic. Hot Rod Charlie, the winner of the Lukas Classic, is also likely to compete, hoping to improve on his fourth-place placing in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
It’s returning to Keeneland
In 2022, Keeneland will host the event again after it was held at the exciting Del Mar in November 2018. This will be the third running of the race in Lexington and the second time in three years that the sport’s top names have competed at Keeneland.
Authentic won the Classic by two and a quarter lengths in an exciting finish the last time the race was held at Keeneland in 2020. Tarnawa took home the Turf title, while Knicks Go triumphed in the Dirt Mile.
European runners are on track
The race is expected to draw the best runners worldwide, especially in Europe, which produces the best horse races. In 2021, Charlie Appleby’s Yibir won the Turf, continuing a recent trend of victories for horses trained in Europe.
After a commanding victory in the G2 Princess of Wales’ Stakes, last year’s winner will return to defend his title. Adayar, winner of the Epsom Derby in 2021, and Hurricane Lane, winner of the St. Leger a year ago, are two more possible Godolphin contenders.
The return to his own country should help Mishriff, one of the world’s best sprinters, recover from his second-place finish in the G1 Juddmonte International. Desert Crown, the winner of this year’s Epsom Derby, could be the best European prospect for the Classic. Perhaps the most fascinating European contender is Vadeni for Jean Claude-Rouget.
He had raced nearly exclusively in France this season, except for the G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, when he finished third behind Mishriff and Native Trail.
It’s a purple event!
The Breeders’ Cup has returned to Lexington, and the city is preparing to spread out the purple carpet for its international visitors.
To celebrate Breeders’ Cup Week and the Breeders’ Cup Festival, downtown Lexington will light up in purple, joining the University of Kentucky campus structures. Check out the specially lit Historic Courthouse on Main Street and the purple City Center Building during Breeders’ Cup Week.
Betting is available across different sportsbooks
You can bet on the Breeders’ Cup in various ways today. If you cannot leave your home or do not wish to travel, online betting sites offer an alternative. Many sportsbooks focus on horse racing events and provide the same betting options found at any betting booth. It’s easy to place a wager without going anywhere or waiting in a long queue at a booth.
It’s widely broadcasted
Here is the answer if you want to know how to watch the Breeders’ Cup online without leaving your seat. The 2022 Breeders’ Cup will be broadcast live on NBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app, with pre-race, in-race, and post-race coverage and analysis. The Breeders’ Cup Classic and much of Saturday’s coverage will be aired on Peacock.
The final word
The 2022 event will feature 14 races and $28 million in pay-outs across a two-day program, marking a significant expansion in size and scope from the original event in 1992. The Breeders’ Cup has several public events, most free to attend. We’re getting close to the big day. It may be worth it to make plans now to experience this fantastic affair.
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