2010 BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC ODDS: ZENYATTA CONSIDERED BIG ANTEPOST FAVOURITE

Popular UK betting exchange Betfair has just launched their antepost (future wagers) market for the widely-anticipated Breeders Cup Classic and the money seems to be confident that Zenyatta (Street Cry) will retire 20/20 having successfully defended her Classic Crown in the home-base of her American detractors. The east-west rivalry is endemic in how many American race fans view the legendary mare with a number of New York and Kentucky-based observers heaping scorn on the fact that Zenyatta races exclusively on the "plastic" tracks in California. 

I think if the Big Z runs and wins at Churchill on November 6th, then all doubt has to be put to rest- this is the greatest horse of the modern era and she will go down in history alongside names like Secretariat, Northern Dancer and Seattle Slew. 

You heard me. Deal with it. 

Betfair punters are pricing Zenyatta's odds to win the 2010 Breeders Cup at a very plausible 3.5 margin. I'm confident to hear what John McCririck will have to say ahead of this year's classic- will he repeat the now infamous phrase "Do not bet on Zenyatta- you are throwing your money away". I actually propose a secondary market simply to bet on any of McCririck's pre-race nonsense. 

As it currently stands, Blame (Arch) is considered to be a strong second favourite and the 4 year-old bay boasts a formidable record that has seen him score twice over the Churchill surface in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster and the Grade 2 Clark Handicap. I think his price of 5.6 is based around his recent score over Quality Road (Elusive Quality) when sent off as the 17/5 second favourite. He's a strong contender and boasts a quality record, but I don't see Blame as a clear second favourite come post-time. 

Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike) is easily the pick of this year's three year-old crop and the talented Bob Baffert-trained bay will likely point to the Travers as his Classic prep. If this horse stays healthy, he's going to be a popular shot on the board. You can back him at a 6.6 price right now and normally I would suggest him as a very strong favourite, but I just don't see how he beats Zenyatta. 

Quality Road was supposed to be a major challenger to Zenyatta here, but this horse just looks a bit shaky on the big days so I just don't see him taking the Classic. Plenty of fans out there seem to think he's a genuine contender with his price hovering around 6.8 at the moment. 

Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia D'Oro) will finally line up against the Big Z if she remains in tip-top form, but it looks like punters will be retreating off Rachel as she is now available around 9.6. Her form was definitely off at the start of the season and she was beaten by a filly that Zenyatta went on to absolutely pound. If she ran in last year's Classic there is little doubt she would have been the favourite, but I think her connections made a big mistake by effectively running away from Zenyatta with their tails between their legs. 

Other interesting contenders include Rip Van Winkle (Galileo) at 15.5, but I'm actually still waiting for last year's Classic favourite to cross the finish line... He hasn't impressed in his two runs this year, being beaten by Europe's top female Goldikova (Anabaa) and the choice 3 year-old in England- Canford Cliffs (Tagula).

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