2021 BC Sprint Predictions, Odds, Preview

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

5 minute read

2021 Breeders' Cup Betting Central

Welcome to Stabile’s 2021 Breeders’ Cup Preview, an in depth look into each and every Breeders’ Cup race to be held Friday, November 5 and Saturday November 5 at Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Anthony “the Big A” Stabile will take a look at the contenders in each event, talk about how the race should set-up and provide some strategies on how to get the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to betting on the race.

Breeders' Cup Sprint
Post Position & Morning Line Odds

1. Following Sea 6-1
2. Jackie's Warrior 6-5
3. C Z Rocket 12-1
4. Matera Sky 20-1
5. Aloha West 8-1
6. Firenze Fire 10-1
7. Lexitonian 20-1
8. Special Reserve 6-1
9. Dr. Schivel 4-1

Field Subject to Change

Breeders' Cup Sprint Betting Resources

• Race: 8
• Distance: 6 furlongs
• Purse: $2 million
• Age: 3up
• Date: Saturday, November 7
• Time: 5:38 p.m. ET

The History

Dayjur was home free in 1990 before famously jumping a shadow at Belmont Park and allowing Safely Kept to become one of three fillies to win this. Thirty Slews won the 1992 running, introducing the world to a then unknown trainer by the name of Bob Baffert. Kona Gold ran in the Sprint five times, grabbing the brass ring just once in 2000. Midnight Lute won back-to-back races in 2007 and 2008, while 2011 Juvenile Sprint winner Secret Circle won the 2013 renewal with just one prep in over 18 months. In 2016, Drefong gave Baffert five wins in the event. Roy H went back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. The popular seven-year-old gelding Whitmore got the job done in his fourth attempt in 2020.

Fast Facts

• Favorites: 8 for 37 (22%)
• Shortest: $4.60 (Ellio, 1984)
• Highest: $54.60 (Sheikh Albadou, 1991)
• The champ is here? No. Whitmore was retired this past summer.

How to Handicap the Breeders' Cup Sprint

Best

2-Jackie’s Warrior is just a neck shy of being undefeated in nine starts around one turn for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and could be one of the shortest prices of the weekend when all is said and done.

A fourth-place finish in the B.C. Juvenile last year as the favorite and show-dough performance in the G3 Southwest, his only starts around two turns, are sandwiched between nine fantastic one turn efforts.

Jackie’s Warrior has won four of his six starts this year, including the G1 Allen Jerkens against overwhelming B.C. Dirt Mile favorite Life Is Good, and lone defeat in a sprint came when he was bothered at the start of the G1 Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day.

Most recently, Jackie’s Warrior dusted his rivals in the G2 Gallant Bob at Parx by almost seven lengths, his first start at this distance since his win in the G2 Saratoga Special in August 2020. This will be his first start against older horses.

Rest

8-Special Reserve has to be a nominee for claim of the year having won over $400K since being plucked out of an Oaklawn allowance/optional claimer for $40 K back in early February. He’s won four of his six starts since, including the Phoenix at Keeneland most recently, and was second in both the Commonwealth and Vanderbilt as well.

Good ol’ 6-Firenze Fire will be making his fifth consecutive trip to the Breeders’ Cup while seeking his first victory at the World Championships. Aftre startingbthe season with wins in the G3 Runhappy and G2 True North, both at Belmont Park, he’s finished second in three of his last four tries, including the G2 Vosburgh most recently after breaking through the starting gate before the start.

3-C Z Rocket started the year with a pair of wins over last year’s Sprint winner Whitmore at his home track, Oaklawn Park, but is currently on a four-race losing streak. His last three have come without the use of Lasix, a sticking point for his trainer who tried to run him in as many races that allows the anti-bleeding medication.

9-Dr. Schivel brings a five-race winning streak that spans over 15 months and a barn change, into this. He won the G1 Bing Crosby over this course at this distance this past summer by a surging neck before a two-month break and easy tally in the G2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship last out.

5-Aloha West missed by just a neck in his first start against graded stakes company in the Phoenix having won his prior two starts. He seems to get into trouble at the start but is obviously talented and seems to be improving at the right time.

1-Following Sea took advantage of some pre and post break gate antics when taking the field gate-to-wire in pedestrian fractions last out in the Vosburgh, his first try against older stakes rivals.

7-Lexitonian upset the G1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga at 34-1 two starts back having missed by just a head at over 46-1 when second in the Churchill Downs.

4-Matera Sky ships in from Japan on a five-race losing streaks that dates back to summer 2020. He finished last of eight in this two years ago in his only other stateside appearance.

Breeders' Cup Sprint Predictions

If I’m Right…..

Jackie’s Warrior will be tough BUT I do believe he will have to win this from off the pace. That may be the only chance his rivals have.

Live Longshot

Aloha West is a horse I have had my eye on since Day One of his career. He should get some pace to run at and be around 20-1 on the tote board.

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Anthony “the Big A” Stabile's expert horse racing content is featured in many different mediums nationally and you can check out all of his appearances by following him on Twitter @TheBigAStabile.

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