Bet on Breeders’ Cup: Key Contenders Emerge After Weekend Shocks

HORSE RACING
August 26, 2025

Bet on Breeders’ Cup 2025 Odds and News: Challenge Ranking Update

 

The road to Del Mar is getting hotter by the day, and with only weeks left until the 2025 championships, fans eager to bet on Breeders’ Cup action are already watching the divisions take shape.

Breeders’ Cup odds are shifting fast after a weekend of explosive performances that reshaped the picture across multiple divisions, while Breeders’ Cup betting enthusiasts are circling new names that could dominate on racing’s biggest stage. From shocking upsets to emphatic statement wins, the final preps are delivering the drama, and the betting angles that make this time of year unforgettable.

 

From England’s Princess to Saratoga’s King

 

El Cordobes entered the Sword Dancer Stakes fresh from a triumph in England’s Princess of Wales’s Stakes, but few anticipated how seamlessly he would adapt to the American style of racing. Breaking from mid-pack, the four-year-old gelding by Frankel bided his time in sixth place through lively early fractions of :23.59, 47.40, and 1:12.90. When the field straightened for home, his turn of foot was electric. He surged past proven Grade 1 warriors to claim the $750,000 race by half a length in a sharp 2:25.04 for the 1 1/2 miles.

Rebel Red fought bravely for second ahead of multiple Grade 1 winner Nations Pride, while heavy favorite and defending Sword Dancer champion Far Bridge faded to sixth in a performance that shocked the Saratoga crowd.

For Appleby, who has already conquered the Breeders’ Cup Turf three times with Yibir in 2021 and Rebel’s Romance in 2022 and 2024, El Cordobes looks like the next significant chapter in a growing turf dynasty.

 

Fort Washington Finds His True Distance

 

While Saratoga celebrated a new turf sensation, Colonial Downs delivered its own headline-grabber in the Arlington Million. Fort Washington, a horse many pegged as a middle-distance specialist, silenced the doubters by storming from last to first over 1 1/4 miles. Previously, Fort Washington’s résumé suggested he was a Grade 3-caliber runner with wins in the Canadian Turf and Dinner Party Stakes but limited success against top-tier company. On Saturday, that perception changed.

Settling at the rear of a quality seven-horse field, he watched fractions of :23.94, :48.36, 1:12.25, and 1:36.00 unfold before uncorking a powerful drive in the stretch. His relentless closing kick carried him to a half-length win in 1:59.58, defeating a classy group that included 2024 Kentucky Derby hero Mystik Dan and consistent Grade 1 performer Integration.

The victory opens intriguing Breeders’ Cup possibilities. Trainer Shug McGaughey could target the Turf at 1 1/2 miles, where Fort Washington’s stamina and late speed could be devastating. Mystik Dan, meanwhile, finished fourth in his turf debut, leaving his Breeders’ Cup destination uncertain. A return to dirt for the Dirt Mile remains on the table.

 

She Feels Pretty Takes E.P. Taylor Glory

 

North of the border, anticipation built for Saturday’s E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, a race that reshaped the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf picture. Historically run in mid-October, the E.P. Taylor now occupies a September slot, giving contenders more breathing room before the championships. This scheduling shift could make it a prime prep once again.

Among the expected entrants were Ready for Shirl and Excellent Truth. Ready for Shirl, a homebred for Charles Fipke trained by Roger Attfield, brought a sentimental connection to the Breeders’ Cup as her dam, Perfect Shirl, stunned the racing world with a 27-1 upset in the 2011 Filly & Mare Turf for the same connections. Excellent Truth, a rapidly developing Chad Brown trainee, was fresh off a shock win in Saratoga’s Diana Stakes.

However, it was neither of these contenders who captured the win. She Feels Pretty took the victory by a head over Diamond Rain, with Ready for Shirl finishing third. The win for She Feels Pretty, trained by Cherie DeVaux and ridden by John R. Velazquez, secured her an automatic “Win and You’re In” berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

 

Nitrogen’s Statement Win in Alabama

 

Back at Saratoga, the Alabama Stakes showcased some of the nation’s best three-year-old fillies over 1 1/4 miles on dirt. While not a formal Breeders’ Cup Challenge race, it’s a critical stepping stone toward the Distaff.

The spotlight was firmly on Good Cheer, who rattled off seven straight wins to start her career, including a gritty score in the Kentucky Oaks despite a wide trip. However, her aura of invincibility dimmed in the Acorn Stakes, where she finished a disappointing fifth behind gate-to-wire winner La Cara.

Saturday’s rematch brought plenty of intrigue. La Cara returned seeking to confirm her dominance, while multiple Grade 1-placed Nitrogen added further depth to an already fierce field. It was Nitrogen who delivered a powerful performance, holding off a late-charging Good Cheer to win by 1 1/2 lengths. The victory, with a final time of 2:03.31, not only restored her championship credentials but also set up a tantalizing clash with older mares in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

 

A Growing Roster of “Win and You’re In” Stars

 

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series has already locked in some formidable contenders across the 14 championship races. For the Classic, names like Sierra Leone, Forever Young, and Journalism are already stamped in. The Turf now boasts an international flavor with entries like Calandagan from France, Japan’s Danon Decile, and the newly crowned El Cordobes. The Mile promises fireworks with Deterministic, Gran Oriente, and Soul Rush, while the Distaff lineup includes powerhouse mares like Thorpedo Anna and Seismic Beauty.

Sprint fans can circle Dark Saffron and Straight No Chaser as early threats, and the Dirt Mile picture is starting to take shape with Raging Torrent and Touch of Destiny. Each division is filled with storylines that promise a Breeders’ Cup unlike any other, a weekend where elite horses from across the globe converge for racing’s richest prizes.

 

The Stage is Set for Breeders’ Cup Glory

 

With the final prep races decided and a new wave of contenders grabbing headlines, the path to the Breeders’ Cup is clearer than ever. From the international star El Cordobes stamping his authority on the turf to the new dirt dynamo Nitrogen dominating the fillies, this year’s championships are shaping up to be an epic showdown of speed, stamina, and strategy.

Don’t just watch the action—be a part of it. The odds are shifting, the storylines are evolving, and the biggest weekend in horse racing is just around the corner. Now is the time to analyze the new contenders, lock in your picks, and place your bets. Will a favorite like El Cordobes deliver, or is there a longshot waiting to pull off a Breeders’ Cup shocker? The answers will be found at Del Mar.

Ready to place your bets? Sign up now and get the best rebates, fastest payout, and 24/7 streaming of race coverage, as well as the award-winning customer service on BUSR.

 

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