Breeders Cup Classic 2010 – Lookin’ At Lucky’s Odds Drop in Horse Racing Sportsbook After Haskell Victory

Lookin’ At Lucky’s scintillating Haskell Invitational victory this past Sunday caused a semi-shockwave in the horse racing sportsbook.

The Bob Baffert trainee, who also took home the Preakness Stakes earlier in the year, became a solid second choice in the sportsbook to win this year’s Breeders Cup Classic.  The horse racing odds on Lucky to win the Classic are currently +500.  That’s makes him a bigger favorite than both Rachel Alexandra, the 2009 Horse of the Year, and Blame, the super impressive winner of the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap in his last.

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The two favorites, Quality Road and Zenyatta, are both going off at +350 in the sportsbook.  Check out my updated B.C. Classic Power Rankings below!

Breeders Cup Classic

Where:  Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky

When:   November 6th, 2010

TV:  NBC

B.C. Classic Power Rankings

1. Blame +800 – - He absolutely loves Churchill Downs and showed that he could run down a loose on the lead horse in the Stephen Foster.  A date with Quality Road looms this weekend in the Whitney.

2. Zenyatta +350 – - She always does just enough to win, broke the record for victories in a row in her last start, a win in the Grade I Vanity Handicap, and is simply one of the Top 5 horses to ever run on a racetrack in the United States. Why then isn’t she ranked #1?  Because Churchill Downs is a conventional dirt track and her greatest triumphs have been over the plastic.

3. Quality Road +350 – - The Todd Pletcher trainee is not only ultra-talented, but also somewhat of a head case.  He was phenomenal in the Metropolitan Handicap when running a mile in 1:33, and will get the 1 ¼ mile distance of the B.C. Classic, but he’s a one note horse.  He either takes the lead or duels for it and hangs on for the victory.

4. Lookin’ At Lucky +500 – - I’ve got to admit, I was very impressed with the son of Smart Strike this past Sunday.  I mean, I didn’t believe he was going to improve that much after the Preakness Stakes victory.  Yes, 1:49 for 1 1/8th miles isn’t ultra-impressive, but Lucky was geared down well before the finish line.

5. Gio Ponti +1200 – - Depending on what they want to go for, the second place finisher in the 2009 B.C. Classic might end up in the B.C. Turf this year.  I still say Gio Ponti’s best chance at glory would be to win the Classic instead of the turf because of the strength of the European grass horses this year.

6. Twirling Candy +2000 – - There’s a huge drop off after #5 on the Power Rankings.  Twirling Candy has tons, absolutely tons of ability, but trainer John Sadler is going to really have to step up his training to get him ready for the B.C. Classic.  He’s worth a shot because of the horse racing odds, but, he’s behind the eight ball in terms of his chances to even make the race.

7. Trappe Shot +3000 – - He didn’t break very well in the Haskell but still made a concerted effort to run at Lookn’ At Lucky.  The horse is still learning the game and his trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, is very good at getting them ready for big races.  I’ve got the feeling he’s going to start climbing up the power rankings the closer we get to the Breeders’ Cup.

8. Afleet Express +3000 – - He’s much better than what he showed in the Grade II Jim Dandy this past Saturday.  Much better.  It looked like they didn’t want him to get caught up in a speed duel even though the Saratoga dirt was favoring speed all day.  In any case, he learned a lot in the Jim Dandy and shouldn’t be discounted just yet.

9. An Aidan O’Brien Trainee – - Ballydoyle’s trainer always enters a horse in the B.C. Classic.  Right now, we just don’t know which one it’s going to be.  Will it be Jan Vermeer going off at +7000 horse racing odds in the sportsbook?  Will it be St. Nicholas Abbey going off at +3500 in the sportsbook?  Will it be a horse that O’Brien’s not talking about like Cape Blanco or At First Sight?  Whomever it ends up being, O’Brien will do what it takes to make the horse competitive.

10. Rachel Alexandra +800 – - I’m not sold on the idea that she can handle this group of older males the way she handled the 2009 group.  She just doesn’t seem as fast as she used to be and Quality Road, Blame, Lookin’ At Lucky, Trappe Shot and Twirling Candy are awfully fast.  I love the horse, but maybe her connections should think about keeping her with her kind at this year’s Breeders’ Cup.

Check out future book odds on equines to win the Breeders Cup Classic in the horse racing sportsbook.