Shared Belief Favored in $5 Million Breeders Cup Classic
Shared Belief Favored in $5 Million Breeders' Cup Classic
The Triple Crown races get all the publicity when it comes to thoroughbred racing in North America, but the richest race is in fact the Breeders' Cup Classic. The Classic is the marquee event of the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships, and it will be held at historic Santa Anita Park in California this Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1.
The Classic is run at 1 1/4 miles and is open to three-year-olds and up worldwide. The total purse is $5 million. Horses can qualify for the Classic by earning points in the Breeders' Cup Challenge series, many of which are classified as "Win and You're In" events.
The inaugural Breeders' Cup was held in 1984 at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles. Chief’s Crown won the first ever Breeders’ Cup race – the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Wild Again took the Classic with Pat Day aboard.
The Bovada morning-line Classic favorite is expected to be Shared Belief, who will start from Post 6 in the 14-horse field on Saturday. Undefeated in seven starts, Shared Belief is a three-year-old gelded son of champion sire Candy Ride. He has five stakes victories, three of the grade 1 variety, and $1,552,200 in career earnings. Shared Belief was named the Eclipse Award winner as champion two-year-old male for last season.
