Jockey Club Gold Cup, Pacific Classic Betting Odds 2023

There are a couple of huge, million-dollar horse races set to go both sides of the continent, with some of the best horses in training competing at Saratoga and Del Mar. 

Along with the Jockey Club Gold Cup (New York) and Pacific Classic (California) come opportunities to cash some tickets, so here’s a preview… 

Octet in Gold Cup

It’s the Jockey Club Gold at Saratoga Saturday afternoon. Eight have been entered to go the 10-furlong (mile-and-a-quarter) distance.

Some of the greats horses-generationally or historically-won this race, open to 3-year-olds and older, as it’s among the highlights of the calendar.

Rattle N Roll (Brian Hernandez Jr., post No. 4) has been tabbed as the tepid 9-5 (+180) early favorite in the Cup. He’s a 4-year-old son of Connect, trained by Ken McPeek, and is 3-of-5 in 2023. There were Grade III stakes wins in the Ben Ali (Keeneland), Pimlico Special and Blame (Churchill) before a closing second in the Grade I Stephen Foster (Ellis) last try,    

Proxy and jockey Joel Rosario drew inside of their seven rivals as the 2-1 (+200) morning- line second choice. Proxy, 5-year-old Godolphin homebred son of Tapit trained by Mike Stidham, has two wins and a second in five seasonal starts while banking seven figures. He put his rivals away before striding out in late July’s Monmouth Cup horse his last out.

Tyson (Manny Franco, post No. 6) is one of two entrants trained by Canadian Josie Carroll. Another 4-year-old (Tapit), Tyson, 5-1 (+500) in early odds, has a pair of Grade II Woodbine stakes conquests (Dominion Day, Seagram Cup) on the resume. The Hill ‘n’ Dale homebred is quite intriguing, getting a class test and trying real dirt here.

Carroll also trains Duke of Love (Luis Contreras, post No. 7), a 15-1 (+1500) outsider.   

Bright Future (Javier Castellano, post No. 8) was 11-1 when he took down an allowance/ optional claiming field earlier this meet at Saratoga. He’s a 6-1 (+600) early chance here, so he made some believers, while Clapton (Irad Ortiz Jr., post No. 6) is at 8-1 (+800). The latter was second in the Grade II Suburban (Belmont) last out.

Bright Future is a 4-year-old (Curlin) trained by Todd Pletcher, Clapton a 4-year-old son of Tapit trained by Chad Summers.

Unbridled Bomber (Dylan Davis, post No, 2 15-1 [+1500]) and Warrior Johny (Junior Alvarado, post No. 3, 20-1 [+2000]) round out the roster.

Proxy gets our endorsement.

Before any wagers, monitor the changing board, according to Jockey Club Gold Cup odds.

It’s a 6:18 PM ET Gold Cup post time, the 11th of a dozen races (first post is 12:40 PM ET).

“Geaux-ing” to Classic?

The same restriction (3-year-olds and older) and distance (mile-and-a-quarter) as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Pacific Classic at Del Mar attracted a field of 11 Saturday afternoon.

Dating only back in 1991 (but always worth a million), it’s the biggest event of the Del Mar season. Geaux Rocket Ride (Mike Smith, post No. 1), trained by Richard Mandella (four Classic wins), is the early 5-2 (+250) favorite in this edition. Unraced last season, the 3-year-old son of Candy Ride is 3-of-4, back in California after his win (at odds of 12-1) in the $1 million Haskell (Monmouth).

Arabian Knight (Flavien Prat, post No. 9) is the early second choice, listed at 3-1 (+300). He led the aforementioned Haskell before tiring to third as the 11-10 favorite. Arabian Knight is making just the third start of the season, fourth of his career. Trainer Bob Baffert has won this race a half-dozen times.

Defunded (Juan Hernandez, post No. 5) is listed at 4-1 (+400) in the early line. This 5-year-old son of Dialed In, also trained by Baffert, has won twice in five ‘23 tries, with the Grade II Hollywood Gold Cup (Santa Anita) as the highlight.

Slow Down Andy (Mario Gutierrez, post No. 7, 8-1 [+800]) and Skinner (Hector Berrios, post No. 11, 10-1 [+1000]) may also figure in the outcome. In fact, we’re looking at Slow Down Andy at a price.

Geaux Rocket Ride, Arabian Knight and Skinner are 3-year-olds opposing their elders.  

Quick note about 2021 Pacific Classic winner Tripoli (Tiago Pereira, post No. 4), who may be a 20-1 (+2000) chance, but his trainer, John Sadler, eyes a fifth victory in the last six editions of this race. Tripoli, a 6-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy, makes his 27th career start.

Look at the changing board, as per Pacific Classic odds. 

It’s a 9:13 PM ET Pacific Classic post time, the 10th of 11 races (first post is 4:30 PM ET).

- Tyrone Black, Gambling911.com