Three-year-old horses get the majority of the attention throughout the year due to their eligibility to run in Triple Crown races, but the Breeders' Cup Classic allows for familiar faces from previous marquee races to return for another run toward glory. The 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic is open to horses ages 3 and older, and this year's field is filled with numerous Triple Crown runners from the past. The Breeders' Cup Classic 2023 also has a prominent international flair with two horses in the 12-horse 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic from Japan.
The Breeders' Cup Classic 2023 will run from Santa Anita Park in California with a post time of 6:40 p.m. ET on Saturday. Arabian Knight is the 3-1 favorite to win in the latest 2023 Breeders' Cup odds. White Abarrio and Ushba Tesoro, a Japanese horse with 10 wins over 30 starts, follow at 4-1 odds to win the Breeders' Cup Classic 2023. With so much to consider while making your 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic picks, a little expert help can go a long way.
Due to the nature of older entries in the Breeders' Cup Classic than in the Kentucky Derby, the fall races can serve as an encore or another opportunity to show off for Kentucky Derby winners – even in a different year. Six different horses have won the Breeders' Cup Classic after once winning the Kentucky Derby. One of those winners was American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown and then the Breeders' Cup Classic all in 2015. The Breeders' Cup Classic was the final race for American Pharoah, one of the most decorated horses of all time who finished with nine wins in 11 career starts. No horses in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic field have won a previous Kentucky Derby.
Given all the history, there's a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Breeders' Cup Classic like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic picks possible.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling nailed Flightline's win at the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2022. This is the same expert who nailed the winner, trifecta and superfecta in the 2023 Preakness Stakes. Demling also enters the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic having nailed the winner of the Belmont Stakes four of the last six years, including an exacta in 2022 with Mo Donegal and Nest.
Additionally, he has hit 10 of the last 15 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but five times in the last 15 tries. Anyone who has followed him is up huge. Now, he's sharing all of his 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic bets here.
Top 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic expert picks
Here's a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine's Jody Demling:
Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $35.73 at the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic with Flightline and Olympiad.
Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $83.26 at the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic with Flightline, Olympiad and Taiba.
Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned $691.60 at the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic with Flightline, Olympiad, Taiba and Rich Strike.
While Demling has no quibbles with the favorite status of Arabian Knight (3-1), he is also holding tickets with Ushba Tesoro (4-1) and is using a longshot in his exotics who could spice up the payouts. You can see his picks here.
How to make 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Breeders' Cup Classic 2023. He's sharing his horse racing picks over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling's picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic.
2023 Breeders' Cup Classic odds, lineup
| Prg # | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arcangelo | SCR | |
| 2 | Zandon | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | White Abarrio | 4-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | Missed The Cut | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Derma Sotogake | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Saudi Crown | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 7 | Clapton | 20-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Ushba Tesoro | 4-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 9 | Senor Buscador | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 10 | Dreamlike | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 11 | Bright Future | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 12 | Arabian Knight | 3-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 13 | Proxy | 12-1 | SEE PICKS |
