Cup future wagers focus on turf

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Turf horses take center stage on Friday when the second future wager is offered by the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Wagers will be taken on three races: .

Fields were announced for the pools on Tuesday, with 23 individual horses and a field bet in each race. Perhaps owing to the uncertainty surrounding the European horses that are expected to run in the races, the field bet has been made the morning-line favorite in each of the pools at 6-1 in the Turf, 5-1 in the Mile, and 6-1 in the Filly and Mare Turf. The lowest odds listed on individual horses were Sakhee, 8-1, Turf; Rock of Gibraltar, 6-1, Mile; and Banks Hill, 8-1, Filly and Mare Turf.

The Breeders' Cup future wager is a parimutuel bet. Wagers will be accepted on the races beginning Friday at noon Eastern. Final odds will be available when betting closes on Sunday at 7 p.m.

As in previous installments of the future bet, only win wagers will be accepted, and no refunds will be issued. However, Breeders' Cup will stop betting on any horses who are taken out of contention for the races because of injury while the windows are open.

Because of eligibility requirements for the Breeders' Cup races that many times require European horses to pay supplements to the races, many of the European horses will be required to pay large fees in order to run. For example, High Chapparal, one of the best horses in Europe, would have to pay $180,000 to run.

Breeders' Cup held its first future wager over the weekend of July 4, taking more than $160,000 in bets for the Classic, Sprint and Distaff. Those three races will be offered a second time, with new fields, over the Labor Day weekend. Breeders' Cup will also offer future bets on the Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies, but not until the end of September, when 2-year-olds have begun to show more predictable form.