2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic odds, predictions, contenders: Expert who dominated Betting Challenge enters picks

Trainer Steve Asmussen can win North America’s richest horse race for the third time in his career when he sends out the quickly-improving Max Player in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday at Del Mar. North America’s all-time winningest trainer, Asmussen won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2007 with Curlin and in 2017 with Gun Runner. He goes for No. 3 with Max Player, who is coming off his fastest career race in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. On Saturday, Max Player is an 8-1 long shot on the morning line among the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic contenders.

Four-time Grade 1 winner Knicks Go is the 5-2 favorite in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic odds, while Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality is the 3-1 second choice in the Breeders’ Cup Classic 2021 field. Post time for the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic 2021 is 8:40 p.m. ET. With an elite field ready to enter the starting gate on Saturday, you’ll want to see how handicapping champion Jonathon Kinchen has analyzed the race.

Kinchen is one of the nation’s most successful and recognizable horseplayers. An analyst for Fox Sports’ “America’s Day at the Races,” Kinchen won the National Horseplayers Championship Tour in 2015, a demanding, yearlong series of handicapping events across the country. That same year, he became the only player in history to have both of his entries qualify for the final table of the National Horseplayers Championship.

At last year’s Breeders’ Cup, Kinchen finished second out of 418 contestants in the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge, which earned him $215,000 in prize money. After factoring in his profit during the 14 Breeders’ Cup races, he took home more than $366,000 on the day. Anyone who has followed him is up big.

Now, Kinchen has handicapped the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic lineup, made his picks and constructed his bets. You can only see them here.

Top 2021 Breeders’ Cup Classic predictions

One surprise: Kinchen is completely tossing Medina Spirit, even though he is one of the top favorites at 4-1. Medina Spirit is fresh off back-to-back wins in the Awesome Again Stakes and Shared Belief Stakes. The Bob Baffert-trained colt has never finished worse than third and owns five wins in nine career starts. His Kentucky Derby win is still under scrutiny, but the horse has won twice in three starts since the first Saturday in May.

“The Kentucky Derby winner ran well in winning the Awesome Again Stakes in his last start, but he won that race because he got loose on the lead,” Kinchen told SportsLine. “There’s little chance he will get loose on the lead on Saturday. Since he won’t be loose, I don’t think he will be able to hang with the other speed horses in this race.”

How to make 2021 Breeders’ Cup picks

Kinchen’s top pick is a horse who will take advantage of Saturday’s pace, sending his backers straight to the payout window. He is using this horse in all of his wagers, and so should you. He’s only sharing who to back at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Breeders’ Cup Classic 2021? And how has Kinchen structured his wagers? Check out the latest Breeders’ Cup Classic odds 2021 below, then visit SportsLine to see Kinchen’s picks for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, all from the insider who crushed last year’s Betting Challenge.