2012 Breeders Cup Ante Post Betting Preview Part 1

Attention is already starting to turn to the 2012 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita this year and the penultimate fixture of the global flat season is now less than 40 days away. There's a lot to like about how this year's championships is going to play out and the ante post markets are already in full swing with the bookmakers, the exchanges and Las Vegas.

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There are some significant gaps in the odds if you can bet between oceans and the usual strategy of betting American horses in Europe and European horses in America could wind up being the way to go once again.

The last time the championships ran at Santa Anita was the 2008 and 2009 iterations where we saw Zenyatta's thrilling victory against male horses in the latter year. While we don't really have any superstars of her calibre showing up this year, there are still plenty of amazing stories developing. One of which is happening in the biggest race – the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Chantal Sutherland had been the preferred jockey on multiple Grade 1 winner Game On Dude for quite some time and was collared near the line by Drosselmeyer in the Classic last year – a horse piloted by her ex-fiance Mike Smith. She was set for a rematch against him again this year, but has since lost the mount on Game On Dude.

No real reason for the decision was given by Sutherland or connections, who include hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert, and leading SoCal jock Rafael Bejerano will now get the mount. Chantal, notably, dropped a reign in the final 1/8 of a mile in the 2012 Pacific Classic – beaten a length by late-closing Dullahan.

Las Vegas books list Game On Dude at a slim 5/2 to win the Breeders' Cup Classic but William Hill has him floating closer to 7/1. Their book has the odds a lot more close together for many of the other contenders. Ron The Greek is priced at 8/1 in Europe and 12/1 in America, Dullahan at 12/1 in America and 10/1 in Europe.

Odds had been listed for Aidan O'Brien's Camelot, but he is now pointed towards the Arc. Not many |European-based horses are expected to contest the Classic, which will be run on dirt instead of synthetic this time, and punters should be aware that several others may opt for different races. Wise Dan in particular.