When pre-entries were announced for the 2016 Breeders' Cup on Wednesday it was no surprise to see California Chrome listed in the field for the Classic. The former Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion is the clear favorite on the odds to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, with that marquee event set to take place at Santa Anita Park on November 5.
California Chrome is the +105 favorite on the Breeders' Cup Classic odds, improving slightly from his +110 odds to win the race two weeks ago. The five-year-old horse won the first two jewels of horse racing's triple crown back in 2014 and finished third in the Breeders' Cup Classic that same year.
And along with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness victories California Chrome also has nine graded stakes wins on his resume including five from this past season – the San Pasqual Stakes, the Dubai World Cup, the San Diego Handicap, the Pacific Classic, and the Awesome Again Stakes.
The Awesome Again Stakes win came on October 1 at Santa Anita, with California Chrome holding off Dortmund and Win The Space for the victory. Dortmund, although not pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup Classic, is at +1800 odds to win the race. Win The Space did pre-enter the Breeders' Cup Classic on Wednesday but has yet to receive a betting line.
Second on the Breeders' Cup Classic odds at +300 is Arrogate, who won the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga on August 27. That has been the three-year-old stallion's only major win, and it came in his first appearance in a stakes race. Arrogate is trained by Bob Baffert, who also trained the last two Breeders' Cup Classic winners in Bayern and American Pharoah.
Joining California Chrome and Arrogate on the pre-entry list is third betting favorite Frosted, who sits at +800 odds. The four-year-old Frosted won both the Metropolitan Handicap and the Whitney Handicap this past season, and also finished second in the 2015 Belmont Stakes.
Among the other horses pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup Classic this week were Shaman Ghost, Nyquist, and Melatonin, who are all pegged at +2000 odds to win the race. As well, Hoppertunity is at +2500, with Gun Runner at +2800, Effinex at +4000, and Keen Ice at +5000. Found, Highland Reel, and War Story are still awaiting betting lines for the race.
*Odds as of October 28, 2016