2013 Breeders’ Cup Friday Betting Preview Part 5

His 116 figure for that effort puts him in as one of the best-performing colts in the entire Breeders’ Cup, let alone the Dirt Mile which is considered a subpar race by many American racing observers. Whenever Verrazano has lost a race (and it has only happened twice) he has always stormed back the next time to win by open lengths. It looks like many are convinced that it will be third time lucky here as he is trading at a 7/2 favourites position. 

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE BET WITH BETVICTOR!

Goldencents is more of a local specialist than anything else and has put in his best performances at Santa Anita over this dirt course. He hasn’t won since April when he captured the Santa Anita Derby and earned himself a Kentucky Derby shot (where he finished seventeenth from twenty - nearly 50 lengths off the pace), but he has finished second in each of his last three races - one of them was the Santa Anita Sprint Challenge where he finished a closing second and put in a 109 figure - which is more than respectable. He will have to navigate an additional two furlongs here but looks relatively capable of doing so. 

Whether Goldencents can beat Verrazano at the top of his game is one thing - but with the right trip and the right pace scenario he is a solid choice. You’ll find him trading at a 4/1 margin. 

Pants On Fire is the older horse to keep your eye on and he has rattled off a steady series of victories this year and is looking for his third on the bounce as he ships west for the first time. He captured the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup on the same day that Verrazano triumphed in the Haskell and then he followed that up with a career-best 107 figure in the Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs. He tracked nicely and closed beautifully, drawing away by two and three-quarter lengths. 

Pants On Fire is 5/1 in a very top-heavy ante post market. 

The ninth race of the day at Santa Anita is the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies race and there is not a lot of form to work with here for a few of these contenders and a massive slew of shippers make this a tough race to navigate - which is why you’re likely seeing such a robust ante post market.