The 10-cent superfectas that have become popular at North American racetracks will make their Breeders’ Cup World Championships debut at Monmouth Park Oct. 26-27.
“It will be an interesting experiment for us, going from $1 to 10 cents,” said Ken Kirchner, president of Falkirk International, a consulting firm that assists Breeders’ Cup with its simulcasting and wagering operations.
Traditionally, the superfecta is a $2 wager with a $1 minimum when horses are keyed or wheeled. The 10-cent superfecta is viewed as a way to allow more bettors to participate without a large initial outlay.
Kirchner said Breeders’ Cup decided to add the lower-priced wager this year because it is part of the daily wagering options at Monmouth Park. When possible, Breeders’ Cup tries to align its wagering offerings with those at the host track.
“There is some debate within the industry about the effect it has on the overall handle of superfectas, but I have not seen anything conclusively one way or another,” said Kirchner, who previously managed simulcasting and betting for Breeders’ Cup before establishing Falkirk. “This gives players a chance to get into the pool at a lower level and also save on some taxation issues. For players who still want to play $1 supers because when they hit one they want the full amount, they will still be able to do so.”
In addition to the 10-cent superfectas, Kirchner said this year’s Breeders’ Cup could incorporate a pick six carryover from Monmouth Park’s race cards during the three days preceding the Oct. 27 Breeders’ Cup card. For example, if there is a pick six carryover Oct. 25-26, or just from Oct. 26 to Oct. 27, it would be added to the Oct. 27 Breeders’ Cup Ultra Pick 6, which has a $3-million guaranteed pool and a mandatory payout.
Though “Head-to-Head” proposition wagering has not been offered on Breeders’ Cup races the past couple of years, Kirchner said there is a possibility of a Head-to-Head parlay wager on all 11 Breeders’ Cup races this year. He likened the wager to football wagering parlay cards that are popular with sports bettors.
