John Ford | September 5, 2022 | Updated on: December 4th, 2023
The Breeders’ Cup Turf is a 1.5-mile turf race held at the World Championships in North America every year. It launched with the event in 1984. With a $6 million purse up for grabs, it is one of the most popular events during the Breeders’ Cup weekend.
Horses, jockeys, and trainers come from all over to compete in this prestigious event. So, competition is fierce, but the payouts are very rewarding. If you would like to find out more about how to bet on the Breeders’ Cup Turf, keep reading.
Bet on the Breeders’ Cup Here
Breeders’ Cup Turf Betting Guide Links
- Bet on the Breeders’ Cup Here
- How to Bet on the Breeders’ Cup Turf
- Turf Betting Tips
- Odds on the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf
How to Bet on the Breeders’ Cup Turf
All horse racing betting lines are pretty standard. Sure, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships has a few unique lines. But this has more to do with parlays on several events at the series. If you want to find out more about those, we suggest you go to our main Breeders’ Cup guide.
However, here are all the standard bets you will find on the Breeders’ Cup Turf and most other horse races at both brick-and-mortar and online sports betting sites:
Standard Bets
- Win – this is a bet on a horse to win a race.
- Place –a bet on a horse to place in the top two. It increases your odds of winning the bet but for a smaller payout.
- Show – this is a bet on a horse to get a podium finish. Your odds of winning the bet are higher than in a place bet, but your payout drops again.
Exotic Bets
- Quinella – this is a bet on two horses to finish in the top two. Either order is acceptable.
- Exacta – this is a bet on two horses to finish in the top two in the exact order you predicted. (Pun intended.)
- Trifecta – this is a bet on three horses to finish in the top three in the order you predicted. Expect a big payout if you get this one right.
- Boxed Bets – this isn’t a singular bet, but rather a situation where you place multiple exactas and trifectas on the same race in the hopes that one bet wins. Be careful of spending too much on these bets!
Mostly, online sportsbooks will only list the odds for a win bet. If you are interested in prices for other bets, especially exactas and trifectas, you will need to contact the betting site’s customer service team.
Turf Betting Tips
Here are some betting tips you should keep in mind when betting on the Breeders’ Cup Turf. None of them ensure that you will. But, hopefully, they will help you make better wagers:
Watch Out for the European Horses
One important thing you need to learn about horse racing early on in your betting career is that horses from different regions perform better on different surfaces.
North American horses are more likely to do well on dirt surfaces, whereas European horses are better on turf or grass surfaces.
Thus, many European horses have won the Turf before. Although these horses have come from many different countries, a fair share have come from Ireland. So, if there is a real Irish stand out, we recommend that you consider your bet carefully.
Repeat Winners (Horses) Aren’t Common
Only two horses have won the Turf twice and that was High Chaparral (2002 and 2003) and Conduit (2008 and 2009). So, don’t expect to see last year’s winner putting in a good showing in the next race by default.
However, some jockeys and trainers have a number of repeat wins. Italian jockey Frankie Dettori currently holds the record of most wins with a total of five. His last win came in 2018. Irishman Aidan O’Brien is the trainer with the most wins with a total of 6.
Don’t expect either of these two to win every race either as their wins are scattered through their decades-long careers.
The Median Age for a Winner is 4
Most horses that win the Breeders’ Cup Turf are around four-years-old. There have been five-year-old and three-year-old winners too, but they have not won as frequently. No horse older than five-years-old has won yet despite six-year-olds and, at times, seven-year-olds competing in the race.
Odds on the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf
Here are some race odds for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Visit our sportsbooks and future sites to get access to the newest prices and special offers:
| Number | Horse | Odds |
| 2 | Magical | +275 |
| 3 | Tarnawa | +350 |
| 10 | Mogul | +400 |
| 6 | Lord North | +750 |
| 7 | United | +1000 |
| 9 | Channel Maker | +1000 |
| 1 | Arklow | +1400 |
| 4 | Mehdaayih | +1600 |
| 8 | Red King | +3300 |
| 5 | Donjah | +4000 |
Check out our other Breeders’ Cup guides: