DerbyJackpot’s Best Bets of the Weekend for 2014 Breeders’ Cup

Actress Elizabeth Banks (center) celebrates a winner at the 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
America’s Best Racing and DerbyJackpot team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend in a regular feature blog that will run on Thursdays or Fridays.
Each week, one of our crack handicappers - Jose Contreras, Dan Tordjman, Victoria Garofalo or Cory Moelis – will provide at least one “Best Bet” of the weekend, ideal for a win bet. The posts also include some combination of additional bets for the weekend.
For this weekend with the 2014 Breeders' Cup World Championships set for Friday and Saturday at Santa Anita Park, all four of our handicappers will provide a selection of their top bets for horse racing's marquee weekend.
Place your bets at DerbyJackpot. It's the easiest and most fun online horse betting site out there. Races open for betting about five minutes before post time. Place your bets and you can walk away with some extra cash in your pocket.
CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO SIGN UP AND START WINNING!

Breeders' Cup Weekend
Jose Contreras
Friday, Oct. 31
Race 7 — Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile — 6:05 p.m. ET
Best Bet (Win/Monkey)
#1 Goldencents: Goldencents looks to be in a good spot to repeat in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. The inside post should prove to his advantage if he breaks well. His natural speed is his best weapon and he looks to be much faster than any of his opponents. 
Exacta Box (Gonzo Bet)
#1 Goldencents: (see above)
#7 Bronzo: This is an interesting shipper. He loves to win races and is a multiple stakes winner at the one-mile distance. I like that he’s been stabled at Santa Anita and has been given a chance to get used to his surroundings.
#4 Pants On Fire: He is coming into his race off a sharp win at the distance of 7 furlongs, but four of his nine wins have been at this distance. His off-the-pace style could be the perfect trip in case they go too fast early in the race.
#8 Fed Biz: Fed Biz was within a neck of winning the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes last month against unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Shared Belief. He’s shown versatility by winning on the lead and closing from the back of the pack.
#10 Big Bane Theory: He is coming off a strong win in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on the Santa Anita turf course. He’s been steadily improving and is coming into this race in good form. Jockey Joe Talamo has been aboard three of his four lifetime wins. This will be his first start on the dirt, but the talent is there.
$1 Exacta Box ($20): 1,4,7,8,10 
Saturday, Nov. 1
Race 8 — Breeders’ Cup Juvenile — 5:43 p.m. ET
Best Bet (Win/Monkey)
#9 Carpe Diem: This colt was visually impressive when winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in a race where he was part of the pace and drew away from the competition in the stretch. He will be tough to handle if he takes another step forward.
Exacta Box (Gonzo Bet)
#9 Carpe Diem: (see above)
#11 One Lucky Dane: One Lucky Dane has a local win, and that might give him an edge over some of his rivals. He was expected to win his last start, which was his first try on dirt, and he did it impressively. His sire loved the dirt and he has plenty of upside.
#12 Daredevil: He has not been seriously tested in either of his two wins. Although he has enough speed to challenge the lead, he’s shown he can sit behind horses during the early part of the race, and that might be the best trip in the Juvenile.
#13 Upstart: He was last seen finishing second behind Daredevil in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. With his closing style, he would benefit from a pace duel up front. He has to avoid getting caught wide going into the first turn.
#1 Calculator: Calculator is still a maiden but he benefits from having local experience when finishing second in the Grade 1 FrontRunner Stakes behind the talented American Pharoah. He improved in his first start on the dirt and could be dangerous if he keeps improving.
$1 Exacta Box ($20): 1,9,11,12,13
Saturday, Nov. 1
Race 10 — Breeders’ Cup Sprint — 7:01 p.m. ET
Best Bet (Win/Monkey)
#5 Private Zone: He once again battled back in the stretch of the Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational Stakes and showed he is back in top shape. He’s got a good post position - drawn to inside of two slow breakers - and hopefully that will allow him to establish a good spot early in the race.
Exacta Box (Gonzo Bet)
#5 Private Zone:  (see above)
#6 Rich Tapestry: He made his Santa Anita debut a winning one when prevailing in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship early last month, defeating both Goldencents and Secret Circle. He showed he has enough speed to stay close to the pack, and I expect him to rally from the back of the pack once again.
#4 Secret Circle: He will be making only his third start since winning the 2013 Breeders Cup Sprint. He dueled through a fast pace last time out when third in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, but with today’s post position I expect him to find a stalking position.
#8 Palace: He was third behind Private Zone last time out in the Vosburgh, but his two previous wins before that make him a top contender in this spot. He would benefit from a fast pace duel up front to set up his closing kick, and he might get that scenario.
#2 Indianapolis: Indianapolis has done nothing wrong in three career starts. He’s won all of his races and sports a steady set of workouts leading up to this race. He benefits from having racing experience on this track.
$1 Exacta Box ($20): 2,4,5,6,8
Cory Moelis
Saturday, Nov. 1
Race 6 – Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint – 4:21 p.m. ET
Best Bet (Win/Monkey Bet)
#6 Leigh Court: Proving last out she could at least maintain, if not improve, her quality form on a dirt track, Leigh Court finds herself in what came up a relatively soft Filly and Mare Sprint. For reference, Judy the Beauty, the morning-line favorite here, was 9-1 last year in this race and was going into that race in much better form. Leigh Court has proved she can do it all - winning on the lead and off the pace - and that versatility should come in handy here. I like Leigh Court in this spot a lot and expect her to run her best race yet. 
Race 7 – Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint – 5:05 p.m. ET
Exacta Box (Gonzo Bet)
#1 Reneesgotzip: Will third times the charm be the key for Reneesgozip? After two well-run defeats in this race the previous two years, she turns up here again in peak form. Coming off her career-best Beyer Speed Figure, Renee should be able to fire her best here. She will have to go fast early from the rail, but she’s got the speed to do just that. She’s my top pick here.
#5 Ambitious Brew: A lightly raced, improving 4-year-old, Ambitious Brew enters the toughest spot of his career here. Coming off a long layoff, he made an early move last time and struck the front before getting caught late. He should improve second off that layoff and has enough upside to factor here at a nice price.
#11 Undrafted: He’s always run his best races on the turf and comes off a nice race on a tricky course last out. He’s proved in the recent past that he’s fast enough to compete with these, and if he uses his last race as a steppingstone to fire his best here, he has every chance. 
Victoria Garofalo
Friday, Oct. 31
Race 9 –Breeders’ Cup Distaff – 7:35 p.m. ET
Exacta Box (Gonzo Bet)
While many will prefer the probable chalk #10 Untapable, who was seemingly unbeatable early this year, I’m taking a chance and going for more value with others and thinking that Untapable peaked this spring. Plus, there are plenty of speedballs here setting this race up for a stalker.
#3 – IOTAPA: She’s locally based, loves this track/surface and has been working well. If she runs back to her Grade 1 Vanity win here in June, she’ll most certainly be dangerous. Plus, she should be a square price.
#11 – CLOSE HATCHES: She is the best of the speed, if she can throttle that speed early. If she doesn’t get caught up in a speed duel, I think she could have enough in tank in the stretch to remain in the hunt, plus she has big class edge.
Saturday, Nov. 1
Race 9, Breeders’ Cup Turf – 6:22 p.m. ET
Best Bet (Win/Monkey Bet)
#1 – TELESCOPE: I honestly think Telescope might need binoculars to find rest of field. He’s regally bred, been aiming at the race for a while and is trained by racing royalty - Sir Michael Stoute. He’s never finished off the board and the distance suits him ... he could romp!
Race 11 – Breeders’ Cup Mile – 7:40 p.m. ET
Exacta Box (Gonzo Bet)
Based on past history alone ... Europeans (even the second and third stringers) dominate on U.S. grass. With reigning Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the barn recuperating from an injury, the Mile is a great betting proposition.
#5 – TORNADO: Sired by Breeders’ Cup Turf winner High Chaparral, Tornado is a picture of consistency (six times first or second in seven one-mile starts) against Europe's best. He is a must use on all tickets
#10 – SUMMER FRONT: Summer Front is back to best distance (five wins in seven starts).  Big jockey change to Javier Castellano, and Christophe Clemente is arguably America's best turf trainer. At 30-1 offs, Summer Front is a must use in exotic bets.
Dan Tordjman
Friday, Oct. 31
Race 6 — Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf — 5:25 p.m. ET
Exacta Box (Gonzo Bet)
#7 War Envoy, #9 Aktabantay, #11 Imperia, #14 Danny Boy
One of the juiciest betting races on the Breeders’ Cup weekend wagering menu is the very first Breeders’ Cup race on Friday. European horses have dominated the Juvenile Turf in the race's short history, and I tend to believe we'll see more of the same here. #7 War Envoy and #9 Aktabantay both come out of the prestigious Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp, and both have a good handful of races under their belts. #11 Imperia gained good ground late in the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes in his most recent start, despite rating behind slow fractions early. #14 Danny Boy has got a great late kick and should be flying in the stretch. Hard to know whether he’ll have enough to win. 
Race 8 — Juvenile Fillies Turf — 6:50 p.m. ET
Longshot Play (Granny Bet)
#5 Isabella Sings
As with all Breeders' Cup turf race, the European-shippers will take a lot of blind action. But for the wide-open Juvenile Fillies Turf, let’s go with Kentucky-bred Natalma Stakes runner-up Isabella Sings. We’re looking at 12-1 on the morning line, and the final price on her might be closer to 20-1. She was super game last out on yielding turf in what was only her second career start. Despite being moved too early, she still fought on to get beaten by only a neck by returning challenger Conquest Harlanate. Isabella Sings is by no means a lock but she should offer plenty of value and looks like a very live longshot.