Breeders’ Cup announced Sept. 21 the tentative race order for this year’s World Championships set for Nov. 4-5 at Churchill Downs.
There will be 15 Breeders’ Cup races this year—six on Friday and nine on Saturday—along with seven undercard events. There will be 10 races Nov. 4 and 12 races Nov. 5.
The official race order will be finalized Oct. 26, Breeders’ Cup officials said.
Here is the tentative schedule with post times all EDT:
Friday, Nov. 4
Race 1, post time 2 p.m.: Allowance event
Race 2, post time 2:30 p.m.: Allowance event
Race 3, post time 3 p.m.: Stakes
Race 4, post time 3:30 p.m.: Stakes
Race 5, post time 4:10 p.m.: $500,000 Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint
Race 6, post time 4:50 p.m.: $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IIT)
Race 7, post time 5:30 p.m.: $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I)
Race 8, post time 6:10 p.m.: $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I)
Race 9, post time 6:50 p.m.: $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT)
Race 10, post time 7:30 p.m.: $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (gr. I)
Saturday, Nov. 5
Race 1, post time 12:05 p.m.: Allowance event
Race 2, post time 12:35 p.m.: Stakes
Race 3, post time 1:20 p.m.: $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon (gr. II)
Race 4, post time 2:02 p.m.: $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IIT)
Race 5, post time 2:37 p.m.: $1.5 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I)
Race 6, post time 3:21 p.m.: $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IIT)
Race 7, post time 4:01 p.m.: $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (gr. I)
Race 8, post time 4:45 p.m.: $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT)
Race 9, post time 5:25 p.m.: $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (gr. I)
Race 10, post time 6:07 p.m.: $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (gr. IT)
Race 11, post time 7 p.m.: $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I)
Race 12, post time 7:40 p.m.: Stakes
Breeders’ Cup races will feature a maximum of 14 horses and wagering interests. In addition to the standard win, place, and show betting, there will be exacta and trifecta wagering on every race, and rolling Pick 3 wagers beginning with the first race and continuing through all races on both days.
A new Breeders’ Cup Pick 5 with a 50-cent minimum bet value has been added. The wager will be offered on the first five races each day and will have a mandatory payout.
The Nov. 4 Ultra Pick 6 will have a guaranteed gross pool of $750,000, while the Nov. 5 Ultra Pick 6 will feature a $2 million guaranteed gross pool. If no one hits the Friday Ultra Pick 6, the pool will carry over into Saturday’s Ultra Pick 6. The wager is a mandatory payout at the end of the Saturday program.
A daily double linking the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic and Breeders’ Cup Classic will again be offered.
Several Pick 4s with a 50-cent minimum will be on the wagering menu. On Nov. 4 the Pick 4 (races 7-10) will have a guaranteed pool of $750,000. On Nov. 5 there will be two guaranteed Pick 4s; races 4-7 will have a $1 million guaranteed gross pool, and races 8-11 will have a $1.5 million gross pool.
A Super High Five wager on both the Ladies’ Classic and Classic will be offered.
“This year’s Championships promise to give every fan an opportunity to cash a big bet,” said Ken Kirchner, president of FalKirk International and manager of Breeders’ Cup wagering and simulcasting. “The Breeders’ Cup continues to defy the industry trends, with total worldwide wagering increasing by 13% last year to over $173 million.”