How to wager on Breeders' Cup Friday at Santa Anita Park

Anyone who is viewing the ten-race Breeders' Cup Friday card as simply a bankroll builder for Saturday's day of racing is likely missing out on some opportunity to have a truly transcendent day at the races because this is a well balanced card with a chance to leverage strong opinions against races that could produce big profits. In other words, a typical Breeders' Cup day except whereas the two-day format sometimes dulled that vibe, it's very much in play over the next 30 hours at Santa Anita Park.

From a multi-race wagering standpoint, there is a Pick 5 in race 1, a Pick 6 with carryover in race 4, Pick 4s in races 3, 6, & 7, and rolling Pick 3s and doubles in every race.

Race 6 kicks off the Breeders' Cup with the Juvenile Turf and is a part of the early and all-Breeders' Cup Pick 4s. The other three Breeders' Cup races--Dirt Mile, Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Distaff--are a part of the all-Breeders' Cup and late Pick 4s. Earlier this week, I discussed my poor ROI in big events, and my approach to improving that, and there is plenty of opportunity to put that into practice this weekend.

As fun as it is to play the Breeders' Cup races, my strongest feel on the card is in race 5 where I think Vai is a standout off her first two wins, and the added furlong shouldn't be a big issue for a daughter of a son of Tapit out of a Doneraile Court mare. I will bet Vai across the board at 2-to-1 or better and single her in the Pick 5 and lean on her on most of my Pick 4s.

Two of the four Breeders' Cup races are for two-year-olds on the turf, and I cautioned about falling into the "these races are wide open trap", but...

But just because the roulette wheel comes up black 8 spins in a row doesn't mean red is any more due than it was when black's run started. Each event is an independent event, and so it goes with this Breeders' Cup where I'm five deep in the Juvenile Turf "A" column and six deep in the Juvenile Fillies Turf "A" column. I'll go deeper on some tickets with Vai but will resist the temptation to go any deeper than my As in the last half of the card. You're just betting against yourself in races where everyone else is goind deep too.

Here are my all-Breeders' Cup Pick 4 plays:

4, 6, 8, 9, 12 with 1, 3, 4, 8, 9 with 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 14 with 1 ($75)

4, 6, 8, 9, 12 with 3, 4, 8 with 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 14 with 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 ($270)