Breeders’ Cup 2024: Saturday contenders under the radar

You can usually count on a longshot (or two, or three) to visit the winner’s circle during the Breeders’ Cup. That could certainly be the case in 2024 at Del Mar.

Large and competitive fields abound across two days and 14 races. The nine Saturday races in particular appear ripe for upset winners.

With this in mind, let’s highlight four double-digit longshots eligible to outrun their odds on Breeders’ Cup Saturday:

Race 4: Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1)

#8 Soul of an Angel (12-1) has spent most of 2024 racing around two turns, most notably finishing a head behind champion Idiomatic when second in a slow-paced renewal of the Molly Pitcher (G3). But the five-year-old mare is superior racing around one turn.

Case in point? Soul of an Angel’s two starts around one turn this year have yielded two decisive wins. In the one-mile Ruffian (G2), she trounced multiple Grade 1 winner and 2023 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) runner-up Randomized by 4 3/4 lengths. And in the seven-furlong Princess Rooney (G3) last time out, Soul of an Angel surged from dead last to beat the red-hot Beth’s Dream by 3 1/4 lengths.

Soul of an Angel is sticking to seven furlongs for the Filly & Mare Sprint and looms as a major win threat from off the pace.

Race 8: Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1)

#12 Arthur’s Ride (15-1) was shaping up as the possible Classic favorite after wiring a fast-paced edition of the 1 1/8-mile Whitney (G1) at Saratoga by 2 1/4 lengths, earning a 107 Brisnet Speed rating. That followed a blowout allowance score at Saratoga in which Arthur’s Ride won by 12 3/4 lengths and completed 1 1/4 miles in a fast 2:00.99, earning a 106 Brisnet Speed rating.

Four weeks after the Whitney, Arthur’s Ride regressed in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga, fading to finish fifth as the favorite. But that wasn’t the first time Arthur’s Ride has unexpectedly misfired — during the spring, he finished ninth as the favorite in a Churchill Downs allowance.

Arthur’s Ride has been freshened since the Jockey Club Gold Cup and is meeting a Classic field without many tried-and-true pacesetters. If he’s able to shake loose up front, Arthur’s Ride is a danger to rebound in a big way and potentially wire the Classic.

Race 9: Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1)

#5 Didia (12-1) ran below her best in the John C. Mabee (G2) two months ago, finishing fourth by two lengths while favored at 7-10. But her previous form was excellent. She got a tricky trip when finishing fourth by 1 1/4 lengths against a strong field in the Diana (G1), and during the spring, she conquered the New York (G1) by 1 1/2 lengths over a group that included Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf favorite #4 War Like Goddess (5-2).

Didia has tactical speed but is something of a grinder who has done her best work over 1 3/16 miles and 1 1/4 miles. Stretching out over 1 3/8 miles in a largely paceless edition of the Filly & Mare Turf should hand Didia a perfect setup. She can track expected pacesetter #2 Full Count Felicia (12-1) in second place and get first run turning for home, opening the door for a top-three finish (or maybe even a win) at double-digit odds.

Race 11: Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1)

#8 More Than Looks (20-1) could have a tough time catching the formidable European raiders in the Mile, but he was beaten only two lengths when sixth in this race last year and has clearly improved in 2024.

More Than Looks has started twice this year. He was short of peak fitness when ending a long layoff in the Fourstardave H. (G1) but nevertheless closed well to finish second by 3 1/2 lengths against Carl Spackler. Those two met again in the Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland last month, when More Than Looks blazed his final quarter-mile in :22.75 to gain 4 1/4 lengths through the final furlong and finish second by one length.

With one more step forward, a top-three Breeders’ Cup finish isn’t out of the question for More Than Looks.

Good luck!