2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic Preview & FREE Picks | Flightline Faces Life Is Good, Epicenter, Taiba

Aaron previews the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland, then gives his top picks and longshots. The historic super-horse Flightline faces fellow in-form Grade 1 route winners Life Is Good, Epicenter, and Taiba in his toughest test to date, but does anyone stand a chance of toppling the John Sadler trainee? Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!

SMASH the *Thumbs Up* ~ HIT *Subscribe* ~ RING the *Notification* bell

Inside Track to the 2022 Breeders' Cup

“Official Betting Guide to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships”

Download our MASSIVE 34-page Inside Track to the 2022 Breeders’ Cup wagering guide!

Download guide now

The track press release:

Hronis Racing, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm and Woodford Racing’s undefeated Flightline was installed as the 3-5 morning line favorite in a field of eight Monday for the 39^TH running of the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) to be run Saturday, Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

The 1 ¼-mile Classic is the richest of 14 Championship races worth more than $31 million in purses and awards to be run over two days at Keeneland and will be televised live by NBC, Peacock, USA Network and FanDuel TV.

Five Championship races will be run on Future Stars Friday with all Breeders’ Cup tests that day being for 2-year-olds.

Highlighting the day will be the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), races that will determine early favoritism for the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively.

A total of 177 horses were entered including six winners from last year’s Championships at Del Mar with three seeking to defend their titles.

Trained by John Sadler, Flightline has won his five starts by a combined 62 ¾ lengths with Flavien Prat aboard for all the victories. Flightline will break from post position four.

The eight runners in the Classic have combined for a record of 84-43-17-9 with almost $20.9 million in earnings. In all, the entrants have accounted for 14 Grade 1 victories and 12 Grade 2s.

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Epicenter, the front-runner for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top 3-year-old, is the second choice on the morning line at 5-1. Runaway winner of the Travers (G1) in his most recent start, Epicenter is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post position six.

Third choice on the line at 6-1 is WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.’s Life Is Good.

A four-time Grade 1 winner trained by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good won last year’s Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) by 5 ¾ lengths and enters the Classic on a three-race win streak. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount and will break from post position two.