The 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic takes place on Saturday from Del Mar Racetrack. Historically, starting on the outside of the 14-horse 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic field could hinder a horse's chance at victory. In fact, only 1.2% of winners started from post No. 13, while 3% of winners ran from post No. 14. Newgate (20-1) is running from post No. 13, while post No. 14 features Next, one of only four 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic horses with 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic odds better than 10-1.
City of Troy is the 5-2 Breeders' Cup Classic favorite, followed by Fierceness (3-1) and Forever Young (6-1). Is Next worth including in 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic bets despite his unfavorable starting position? The 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic post time is 5:41 p.m. ET. You'll want to see what SportsLine's Jody Demling has to say before entering any 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic picks or horse racing predictions of your own, considering his spectacular track record.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic having nailed the Derby-Oaks double 11 of the last 16 years. He also predicted the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last seven years and called 10 of the last 20 Preakness winners, including 2023 when he hit the winner, exacta, trifecta and superfecta as well as the trifecta in 2024. He also nailed Flightline's win in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, with the Breeders' Cup Classic 2024 approaching, Demling is sharing his picks and predictions over at SportsLine. Go here to see them.
Top 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic predictions
One of Demling's surprising 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic picks: He is fading three-time Grade 1 winner Fierceness (3-1), one of the top 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic favorites who recently won the Travers Stakes. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, Fierceness has five wins in eight career starts and went off as the favorite in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, his biggest start to date.
However, Fierceness hopped at the start and didn't handle running three-wide well before finishing a distant 15th. He's since followed that up with wins in the Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes, but hasn't faced the level of competition he'll face on Saturday since his disappointing run at Churchill Downs. He'll look to go to the front early, but that is easier said than done against a talented 14-horse field. See which horses to pick here.
Another surprise: Demling is high on Ushba Tesoro, even though he's a hefty underdog at 12-1. The 7-year-old Japanese horse has a significant age and experience advantage over the majority of his competition in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic lineup. He won six straight international races without dropping a competition for over 12 months from October 2022 to November 2023. This will be his second Breeders' Cup Classic after finishing fifth last year.
Ushba Tesoro has three Grade 1 victories over six career entries, including winning the 2023 Dubai World Cup. He finished second in the Dubai World Cup in March 2024, but his experience in marquee races could play to his advantage on Saturday. At 12-1 odds, Demling expects Ushba Tesoro to have an opportunity to win another stakes victory and sees strong value in him at these odds. See which horses to pick here.
How to make 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic picks, bets
Demling just locked in his picks for City of Troy, Sierra Leone and every horse in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic lineup. He is also high on a massive double-digit underdog who "has a big chance to spring the upset." Demling is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic leaderboard, over at SportsLine.
Who wins the Breeders' Cup Classic 2024, and which longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Demling's picks for the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic, all from the expert who nailed the 2022 winner, and find out.
2024 Breeders' Cup Classic horses, odds
| Horse | Odds | Picks |
| City of Troy | 5-2 | SEE PICKS |
| Fierceness | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Forever Young | 6-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Next | 8-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Sierra Leone | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Ushba Tesoro | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Arthur's Ride | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Derma Sotogake | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Highland Falls | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Newgate | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Mixto | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Senor Buscador | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Pyrenees | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| Tapit Trice | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
