How to Bet the 2026 Breeders’ Cup: Contest Pros’ Plays, Presented by TwinSpires

The reigning Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge champion talked with host John Gasper about not locking into a plan, and about fading the shortest one or two prices in the European-heavy turf races to take horses in the 8/1 to 12/1 range. He was taken with both Sun Goddess (6/5) and Amusingly (7/2) in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, calling Sun Goddess “actually more impressive” because she won without being covered up. His advice for first-timers: go to the track and soak up the room.

Cupples calls Libertango (5/2) “definitely the horse to beat,” with Brickyard Belle (3/1) the main danger, and he doesn’t think likely lone leader Harper’s Corner (8/1) holds on. Moonrise (12/1) is his B. Force Noir (8/1) is his third A, and he’d use Final Objective (8/1) only underneath. His plan: a safe show minimum on Libertango with one entry, and a shot at a skinny trifecta with the other.

Meagher, who told Ryan Anderson he’ll play aggressively on Friday if he finds a spot rather than save ammo, likes favorite Emphatic (9/5) and doesn’t think the outside post will hurt her. Of the other two short prices, he’d rather take on Miss Monica (5/2) and prefers Domain Expansion (6/1) at the bigger price. His price shot is Foxiest (15/1), who he thinks could take a big step forward with only two starts behind her.

Saletta, who has two entries, told Mikee P he handicaps off pace projection, and he sees plenty of early speed here: Full Serrano (10/1), Lord Fons (15/1), T Kraft (15/1), Chunk of Gold (8/1), Forged Steel (15/1) and Iron Man Cal (12/1). That sets up favorite Further Ado (2/1) to sit just behind the fight, and Saletta calls him “a horse for the course” at Keeneland. He’s on top at 2/1 or higher. If he drops below that, Saletta will look for exactas underneath instead, and his value horse is Coal Battle (6/1), who he’d consider a straight win bet at 8/1 or 9/1.

Sanders calls this the first race where he’ll “plant my flag” in the contest, and his horse is Chad Brown’s Kathynmarissa (5/1). He wants to take on the two European favorites, Blue Bolt (5/2) and Precise (7/2), questioning both at the distance. He’ll bet her to win at 5/1 or higher, which he sees as fair value at 9/2 to 5/1, and switch to doubles if she’s shorter.

Miller told Mikee P that Englishman (4/5) “feels like the most likely winner” of the weekend, and the Sprint is where he plans to push his bankroll in. He’ll play doubles into or out of the race to build toward the stake he wants for the Classic, and he’s undecided whether to press or fade T O Elvis (7/2) underneath in the exacta. On Friday his minimums will center on Sun Goddess (6/5), mostly in doubles.

McJunkin told Ryan Anderson he’ll likely play doubles into and out of the Mile, which sits between two races with heavy favorites. He senses a “prevailing sentiment” that favorite Notable Speech (7/5) is beatable, and so expects more value than usual in the doubles. With a lot of speed in the race, he likes Formidable Man (15/1) if the pace collapses. If Notable Speech drifted to 5/2, he said, “it’s just a win bet.”