Breeders' Cup 2022: Odds and Predictions for All Races

The horse racing world will have its eyes on Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, this weekend where $28 million in prize money is on the line in the 2022 Breeders' Cup.

The American Classics might bring prestige as the year's top colts compete for the Triple Crown, but the biggest purses in American racing are typically found at the Breeders' Cup.

The championship races will once again be lucrative for those who field winners. There's $6 million at stake in the Classic race alone.

With that kind of prize comes a collection of worthy contenders to compete for it. This year's eight-horse field includes Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and Travers Stakes winner Epicenter, as well as 2021 Classic fourth-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie.

It's the main event of a weekend stacked with interesting races and big payouts. Here's a look at the complete schedule along with predictions for each race.

Friday, November 4

3 p.m.: Juvenile Turf Sprint ($1,000,000), Love Reigns (4-1)

3:40 p.m.: Juvenile Fillies ($2,000,00), Wonder Wheel (5-1)

4:20 p.m.: Juvenile Fillies Turf ($1,000,00), Xigera (8-1)

5 p.m.: Juvenile ($2,000,000), Cave Rock (4-5)

5:40 p.m.: Juvenile Turf ($1,000,000), Silver Knott (3-1)

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Saturday, November 5

11:50 a.m.: Filly & Mare Sprint ($1,000,000), Ce Ce (4-1)

12:29 p.m.: Turf Sprint ($1,000,000), Highfield Princess (7-2)

1:10 p.m.: Dirt Mile ($1,000,000), Cyberknife (9-2)

1:50 p.m.: Filly & Mare Turf ($2,000,000), Tuesday (8-1)

2:30 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Sprint ($2,000,000), Jackie's Warrior (4-5)

3:10 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Mile ($2,000,000), Annapolis (10-1)

3:55 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Distaff ($2,000,000), Nest (9-5)

4:40 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Turf ($4,000,000), Rebel's Romance (3-1)

5:40 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Classic ($6,000,000), (Flightliine 3-5)

Post times are all ET, purse info via Breeders' Cup website. Complete odds can also be found on the Breeders' Cup website.

Friday's card is all about the future as the juveniles get a chance to prove their stuff. The five-race schedule is filled with races for two-year-olds and offers a glimpse into the future.

The $2 million Juvenile is especially worth keeping an eye on. The race often offers a preview of some of the biggest stars of the Triple Crown hunt the following year. The dirt track race is 1 1/16-mile long, making it the longest some of these horses have run in their brief careers.

Notable recent winners of the race include Belmont winner Essential Quality, Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic.

This year's field has some promising contenders. Bob Baffert-trainee Cave Rock is the odds-on favorite. He's won all three of his starts, including two Grade 1 Stakes races.

Co-owner Mike Pegram is excited by his horse's progress and to see how he responds in the big spot.

"He's the real deal," Pegram said, per Bob Ehalt of BloodHorse. "You look at him now, he's everything a guy would want. He's won two Grade 1s. We'll take it. It's been a great 10 weeks, and hopefully more fun to come in the springtime. We'll find out what he's made of four weeks from now if everything is OK."

Winning the race won't come without challenges, though. Todd Pletcher has a live dog in the fight with Forte. He picked up a hard-earned win at Keeneland at the 1 1/16-miles in a Grade 1 Stakes race just a month ago.

Rounding out the top choices is Blazing Sevens. The Good Magic progeny has the bloodlines of a Juvenile winner but already has a loss to Forte on his record. However, he looked much better in the Champagne Stakes, and we are still early in the process of these two-year-olds reaching their full potential.

Ultimately, it's hard to go against Cave Rock's proven talent with Baffert leading his training.

The $6 million main event brings a stacked lineup. All eight horses racing in the championship race have earned at least $1 million in their careers and have won at least one Grade 1 Stakes race.

There are some stars from this year's class of colts, including Rich Strike, who is one of the biggest longshots despite being a Kentucky Derby winner, and Epicenter, who won the Travers Stakes after finishing as a runner-up in the Derby and Preakness.

Then there's 2021 Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality headlining the familiar names among the four-year-olds.

However, it's the most inexperienced of the horses that comes in as the favorite. Flightline has just five races to his name but comes in at 3-5 odds with an undefeated record.

The lightly raced four-year-old has cruised to victory in each of his starts, winning by a combined 63 lengths. Trainer John Sadler has been effusive in his praise for the horse.

"He's an exceptional horse," said Sadler, per Bob Ehalt of BloodHorse. "He's a one-of-a-kind horse. Before he ever ran in a race, it clicked in my mind he was the best I've ever had."

However, Life is Good shouldn't be counted out to pull off the upset. The four-year-old has made five starts this season and has won four of them. He's had some Breeders' Cup success, winning the dirt mile at last year's meet.

"It will be a tough task with Flightline in there, but Life Is Good is a great horse," said Elliott Walden, CEO and president of WinStar Farms which owns the horse, per Ehalt. "One of the reasons we're running in the Classic is to put the best horses in the best races and see what happens."

Even Walden is acknowledging that the favorite is a supreme talent. As long as he breaks cleanly and gets a clear trip, he should come out as the winner.