2024 Breeders' Cup contenders worth considering at a price

Breeders' Cup Saturday in 2023 was unusual in the 40-year history of the event: a virtual beatdown for bettors looking for longer-priced winners. Of the nine Breeders' Cup races on the card, seven were won by the post-time favorite. Another winner, Master of The Seas in the Mile (G1), wasn't far off from being number eight.

It's not exactly a trend that inspires the creation of content endorsing horses to watch at a price, but I'm not the only one assuming, and hoping, the events of 12 months ago was a one-off.

Here, then, are a few horses to keep an eye on Nov. 2.

Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)

The three-year-olds Fierceness and City of Troy are all the rage, and with good reason. That's due in part to the older dirt male division this season being fairly weak, with no standout.

He's not necessarily going to be my top selection by the time the Classic is run, but if you had to take a stand against the big two, you'd have to at least consider Arthur's Ride. His two winning performances at Saratoga over the summer, in an allowance and in the Whitney (G1), were among the fastest turned in by any older male this term, and certainly compare favorably to Fierceness' wins in the Florida Derby (G1) and Travers (G1) from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective.

True, Arthur's Ride threw in the towel early in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). It's not the kind of prep you wanted to see, obviously, but that running line is going inflate his Classic price considerably. Also, trainer Bill Mott is no stranger to winning this race, having done so with Cigar (1995) and Drosselmeyer (2011).

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1)

The 1000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket in May was one of the key races of the European flat season, one that included such top-level talents as Porta Fortuna, Ramatuelle, Fallen Angel, and Tamfana.

Quietly seventh in that 16-filly field was Cinderella's Dream, who came to summer in the U.S. and subsequently won the Belmont Oaks (G1) and Saratoga Oaks (G1). You can question the quality of competition she defeated in both those races (restricted to three-year-olds), but the bottom line is this filly is 6-for-7 and still has room to improve stepping up both in class and trip to 1 3/8 miles for the first time.

Frankly, this isn't the strongest renewal of the Filly & Mare Turf we've seen in recent years. Cinderella's Dream might surprise for connections who know how to win at this fixture in bundles.

Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)

Devoted viewers of TwinSpires' Racing Roundtable will know that I've been rather high on Mullikin going into this six-furlong dash. Undefeated in four starts this season, he's looked the "now horse" in the division when taking the John A. Nerud (G2) and Forego (G1) in eye-catching fashion.

Though ostensibly a seven-furlong specialist, he's won over six, and the fact he is capable of stretching his speed farther suggests he might still have more in the tank in the event of a fast and/or contested pace. His price will take a hit following the recent defection of The Chosen Vron, but I'd be slightly surprised if he were the actual favorite in a race that lacks a true standout.