Hi winner,
Eight days. The Breeders’ Cup pre-entries landed on Wednesday, a record 255 of them, 222 horses, 79 from overseas, and the Classic next Saturday has Forever Young, Sovereignty and Golden Tempo in the same gate at 6:16pm ET. This weekend is the undercard to all of that, and the undercard is enormous: $7.2 million of Breeders Crown finals at Scioto tonight and tomorrow, $2.1 million for New York-breds at Belmont, $1 million at Laurel, Keeneland’s closing day, Churchill’s opening day, and the Cox Plate at Flemington in the middle of the night. Victor filmed his Week 7 picks. My colleague Gio, Patriots fan, marketing team, the other half of last week’s bet, photographed something else.
Here’s what Gio photographed. The Jets lost 26-19 at Gillette, which makes it 2-19 in their last 21 there, and a bet is a bet, so this week I am working a full shift at MyWinners in a New England Patriots jersey. As a Jets fan, this is awful. The pictures are from our MyWinners East Haven location, where the regulars were kind, in the sense that they only took photos. Gio bought it the day the bet was made, which I’ve now realized means he bought it before the game and never once considered losing. It’s a Drake Maye 10. He could have picked any number. He picked the quarterback who beat us.
My wife has not come to see it. She has other concerns. Monday is the sports equinox, the one night a year when the NFL, the World Series, the NBA and the NHL are all on at once, and I have been preparing for it the way a normal person prepares for a hurricane. The TV will have the Eagles game. The laptop will have the World Series. The iPad will have Parx, because the Knicks are off and someone has to use it. My phone will have Mountaineer. Her phone, for about an hour on Tuesday, was going to have the NHL, until she took it back. She walked into the living room, looked at the setup I’d already built three days early, and said it looked like a trading desk, which I took as a compliment until she added “for a firm that’s about to be investigated.”
This week’s racing is deep.
→ 🏇 RACING WEEK
- 🗓️ Today (Fri) · 🇺🇸 Scioto Downs · Breeders Crown finals, four 2YO finals, $2.8M (harness) · from 6pm ET · 🇺🇸 Keeneland · Valley View 5:16pm ET + Myrtlewood 4:44pm ET · 🇺🇸 Belmont Park · Sands Point + Perfect Sting · from 1:05pm ET · 🇦🇺 Flemington · Cox Plate Day, World Pool · from 9:25pm ET, Cox Plate about 2am ET
- 🗓️ Tomorrow (Sat) · 🇺🇸 Belmont Park · Empire Showcase, 10 NY-bred stakes, $2.1M · from 12:05pm ET · 🇺🇸 Keeneland · closing day, Bryan Station 4:44pm ET + Fayette 5:16pm ET · 🇺🇸 Laurel Park · Maryland Million, 8 stakes, $1M · from 11:15am ET · 🇺🇸 Horseshoe Indianapolis · Indiana Champions Day, $1M+ · from 12pm ET · 🇺🇸 Scioto Downs · Breeders Crown finals, eight finals, $4.4M (harness) · from 6pm ET
- 🗓️ Sunday · 🇺🇸 Churchill Downs · fall meet opens, Street Sense + Rags to Riches · from 1pm ET · 🇺🇸 Belmont Park · Glen Cove · from 1:10pm ET
- 🗓️ Greyhounds 🐕 · 🇺🇸 Wheeling Downs · Wed to Sun, from 1pm ET · 🇺🇸 Tri-State · evenings · 🇦🇺 Australia · overnight, 4% cashback
- 🗓️ Next week · Mon: Breeders’ Cup draw, 5pm ET · Wed: 🥎 Pelota Miami · Jai 5 jackpot forced payout · Fri Oct 30 + Sat Oct 31: 🇺🇸 Keeneland · 🏆 THE BREEDERS’ CUP · Classic 6:16pm ET Sat
→ FRI & SAT, SCIOTO DOWNS (6pm+ ET)
THE BREEDERS CROWN: TWELVE CHAMPIONSHIPS, $7.2 MILLION, TWO NIGHTS.
Harness racing’s championship weekend. Four two-year-old finals tonight at $700,000 each. Eight more tomorrow worth $4.4 million. First post 6pm ET both nights, so tonight you go straight from the Keeneland Valley View at 5:16pm ET into Breeders Crown Race 1 without getting off the couch.
The race to watch tonight is the two-year-old colt trot. Lifetime Dreamer won his elimination last Friday by three lengths in 1:52.4, a track record that equaled the world record for a two-year-old gelding trotter on a five-eighths track, and Wrong Sounds Right answered in the other elimination by nearly three, paying $2.20. One of them is going to lose for the first time in a while. The colt pace is wide open: both elimination favorites lost, Eastie Boy and Shalom Hanover at 6/5 apiece, and anyone who had Shalom Hanover keyed in the Metro Pace before he was scratched last month knows why I’m not touching him again. Elimination winners draw posts one through six in every final, so the speed that won last week has the gate too.
Tomorrow it’s the older horses, with Gentlemans Club (1:48.3, fastest elimination of the weekend) in the three-year-old pace and Women Layer and Dandy Ideal in the Open Pace. Rob’s full Breeders Crown guide has every final, every post, every driver. 3% cashback on every harness bet, both nights.
→ SAT, BELMONT PARK (12:05pm+ ET)
EMPIRE SHOWCASE DAY: TEN STAKES, $2.1 MILLION, ALL NEW YORK-BRED.
Two weeks ago Belmont gave the claimers their day. Tomorrow it’s the home-breds. Ten stakes, every runner foaled in New York State, $2.1 million in purses, and for the first time, a crowd of New Yorkers betting it on MyWinners from their own couches. The Empire Classic ($250K) and Empire Distaff ($250K) are the features, both a mile and an eighth on the dirt, with eight more stakes at $200,000 each behind them: dirt sprints, two-year-old routes, turf routes and the two Turf Sprint Championships. It’s a Pick 5 built entirely out of stakes races.
The angle: Horacio De Paz sends out five, led by Twenty Six Black, across four different stakes. One barn, five live ones, same card. You’ve seen that movie at Belmont before. Rob’s Empire Showcase guide has all ten fields with posts. Today, the Sands Point (G3, $200K) and Perfect Sting ($175K) on the turf from 1:05pm ET.
→ 🏆 8 DAYS OUT, KEENELAND (Oct 30-31)
THE BREEDERS’ CUP: 255 PRE-ENTRIES, 14 RACES, AND THE CLASSIC EVERYONE WANTED.
The pre-entries came out Wednesday and the Classic is the race the whole year has been pointing at. Eleven pre-entered. Forever Young, the defending champion, Japan’s five-year-old with 12 wins from 16 starts and more than $32 million in the bank, in off the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Sovereignty, last year’s Horse of the Year, the Kentucky Derby winner, the Whitney winner. Golden Tempo, this year’s Derby and Belmont winner. Then Knightsbridge, Magnitude, Napoleon Solo, The Puma, Phileas Fogg, Further Ado, Forged Steel and T O Password, a few of whom will peel off to the Dirt Mile. The only horse ever to win the Classic twice is Tiznow, 2000 and 2001. Forever Young is trying to be the second. Sovereignty is trying to make sure he isn’t. Final entries and the draw are Monday at 5pm ET. The Classic goes at 6:16pm ET next Saturday, last race of the fourteen.
Friday, October 30, is the two-year-olds, five championships from 2:55pm ET to 5:35pm ET, with Baffert’s unbeaten Hughes in the Juvenile and Coolmore’s Sun Goddess in the Juvenile Fillies Turf the two the market already loves. Saturday has the other nine, and Ombudsman, who beat Calandagan at Ascot last week, is pre-entered in the $5 million Turf against defending champion Ethical Diamond.
Next Friday’s Morning Line is the Breeders’ Cup edition: every field after Monday’s draw, Mike’s card for all fourteen, the Bradley contest, and yes, the bingo is back, fourteen squares. Until then, Rob has the full schedule and post times, and free PPs for every race will be in the Handicapping Store from Monday night. New Yorkers, this is your first Breeders’ Cup with us.
Bet the Breeders’ Cup on MyWinners →
→ FRI & SAT, KEENELAND (1pm ET)
CLOSING WEEKEND, FIVE STAKES, AND THEN THEY HAND THE KEYS TO THE BREEDERS’ CUP.
Keeneland closes its fall meet tomorrow and reopens six days later for the biggest two days in the sport. Today: the Valley View (G2, $400K, 5:16pm ET), a mile on the turf for three-year-old fillies, where Sister Troienne has won three stakes since she won on this course last fall and Irad rides from post 5, and the Myrtlewood ($300K, 4:44pm ET) for two-year-old fillies. Tomorrow: the Bryan Station (G2, $400K, 4:44pm ET) drew twelve three-year-olds for a mile on the turf. Bottas has won two straight for Miguel Clement, including the $1.75 million Gun Runner at Kentucky Downs, and will be favored. Alpyland, four stakes wins this year for Mark Casse including the Penn Mile at this exact trip, is the price from post 12 with Castellano. Then the Fayette (G3, $350K, 5:16pm ET), where Hit Show goes for three in a row, and the Bowman Mill ($250K, 3:40pm ET), where Booked, the Sanford winner, heads five two-year-olds.
Last weekend the favorites got buried there, three upsets in three stakes at 24/1, 14/1 and worse, which is the part where I tell you Keeneland is a track where the prices are fair, and this week I’d like to add: fair to whom.
One horse, one bet, win only.
The bet: Alpyland to win the Bryan Station at Keeneland, tomorrow, 4:44pm ET. A mile on the turf for three-year-olds, twelve go. Bottas will be favored, and he should be, two straight stakes wins for Miguel Clement including the $1.75 million Gun Runner at Kentucky Downs. But Alpyland has won four stakes this year for Mark Casse, one of them the Penn Mile over exactly this distance on exactly this kind of course, and he’s drawn post 12 with Castellano, which is why he’ll be a price. Twelve-horse turf miles at Keeneland are won from the outside more often than people think, because the inside gets stopped and the wide horse gets a clear run. He doesn’t need the favorite to lose. He needs the favorite to be second. At 4/1 or better, that’s the bet. Under 3/1, the market has found him, keep your money. The banker is Hit Show in the Fayette at 5:16pm ET, but you won’t get a price, so I’m telling you about him and betting the other one. Pray to the betting Gods.
→ FRI NIGHT, FLEMINGTON (9:25pm ET)
THE INTERNATIONAL DESK: THE COX PLATE MOVES HOUSE, AND LAST WEEK’S FAVORITES ALL LOST.
🇦🇺 Melbourne, tonight. The Cox Plate is Australia’s weight-for-age championship, A$6 million, the race Winx won four times, and for the first time ever it isn’t at Moonee Valley, which is being rebuilt. It’s at Flemington, one year only, and it’s World Pool. The card runs from 9:25pm ET tonight, with the Cox Plate at about 2am ET. Sir Delius (barrier 5) and Aeliana (barrier 10, Chris Waller, James McDonald) are co-favorites around 7/2, with Warwoven and Ceolwulf next. Bet it before bed. Set an alarm for 2am ET only if you’re the kind of person who sets an alarm for 2am ET.
Last Saturday, briefly. Ombudsman beat Calandagan in the Champion Stakes, Talk Of New York won the QEII as advertised, and Ka Ying Rising lost The Everest by a head to Tempted from barrier 11 in the soft ground we told you to check. Twenty-one in a row, over. If you bet him at 2/5 before bed on my say-so, I’m sorry. I did too.
One housekeeping note: British clocks go back on Sunday and ours don’t until November 1, so for one week UK racing is four hours ahead of the East Coast instead of five. The app has it right. Your head won’t.
→ 🏇 MORE RACING THIS WEEKEND
- 🏇 Churchill Downs · Sunday · from 1pm ET. The fall meet opens under the Twin Spires with Stars of Tomorrow I, a card built around two-year-olds. The Street Sense (G3, $300K) is a Kentucky Derby points race, ten to the winner, with Endrush and Real Goodbar the names to beat and Blessed Flyer unbeaten but unseen since June. The Rags to Riches ($200K) is the Oaks equivalent for the fillies, with Oh She Said Yes the standout on paper. First Derby points of the season, so these are the horses you’ll be arguing about in April. Rob’s opening day guide has the fields and the whole stakes schedule.
- 🏇 Laurel Park · tomorrow · from 11:15am ET. The 41st Maryland Million, the earliest post of the weekend: eight stakes for Maryland-breds, twelve races, $1 million, with Barbadian Runner defending the $150K Classic. Closed fields, form holds, bet it before Belmont starts. Rob’s preview has all eight with morning lines.
- 🏇 Horseshoe Indianapolis · tomorrow · from 12pm ET. Indiana Champions Day, $1 million-plus, with the quarter horses carrying the money: four championship finals over 400 and 440 yards. About 21 seconds a race, no pace, no trip, just the gate. Greyhound rules, with a jockey.
- 🏇 Belmont Park, Sunday · from 1:10pm ET. The Glen Cove (G3, $200K), seven furlongs on the turf for three-year-old fillies, with Flowerhead, Quiet Street and Carmel Coast the ones among the nominees.
- 🥎 Pelota Miami · Tuesday and Wednesday, 11:30am ET. Wednesday closes the meet and the Jai 5 jackpot is a forced payout: most winners takes the whole pool, no unique-ticket rule, $2 minimum. If you’ve been nodding along at jai alai for a month, Wednesday is the day it pays to have been paying attention.
- 🐕 Wheeling Downs + Tri-State + Australia · every day. Rob’s new Australian greyhound guide explains the rug colors, the time zones and why the 4% cashback dogs run while you sleep.
→ SPORTS THIS WEEK
- Monday is the sports equinox. NFL, World Series, NBA and NHL on one night, plus a full racing card. Feature below.
- 🏈 NFL Week 7 · Thu Oct 22 8:15pm ET: Patriots @ Bears · Sun Oct 25 1pm ET: Dolphins @ Jets · Giants @ Texans 1pm ET · Steelers v Saints in Paris, 9:30am ET, so get your bets in early
- ⚾ World Series · Brewers v Rays · Game 1 tonight 8pm ET in Milwaukee · Game 2 tomorrow 8pm ET · Game 3 Monday 8pm ET in Tampa · if it goes seven, Game 7 is Halloween night, about three hours after the Breeders’ Cup Classic
- 🏀 NBA · opening week · the Knicks are back and so am I
- ⚽ EPL · Matchweek 8 · Sat Oct 24 7:30am ET: Aston Villa v Man City · Chelsea v Tottenham 12:30pm ET · Sun Oct 25 10am ET: Liverpool v Brighton
→ 🍔 BOBBY V’s
- Stamford. World Series Game 1 tonight and Game 2 tomorrow on every screen, NFL Sunday from 1pm ET with the Jets and Giants both in the early window, Breeders Crown on the racing wall both nights, and Monday’s equinox on all of it at once. Bet at the counter.
- Windsor Locks. Same games, same screens, and the Breeders’ Cup contest at Bobby V’s Bradley is the next thing on the calendar.
- Christmas parties. Both Bobby V’s are still taking holiday bookings and December weekends are going. Office party, family thing, a table of six or the whole room. If you want a date, this is the month. Email us to enquire about booking your party now.
→ 🏈 VIC’S PICKS: WEEK 7
Victor went 1-2 last week. The first losing week since September and the first time in a month he’s said “good luck” like he meant it. Three picks for Week 7 in the video. The man has been right more often than me this fall, and I’m the one with the newsletter. Play the vid.
Hold him to his record. We’re keeping score all season, and his score is starting to get rather impressive.
→ 💰 LIVE PROMOS
Leon, our head of promotions, has started reminding me of Louis XIV. The Sun King built Versailles, fought everyone, and ran up a national debt so large it eventually brought down the French monarchy, and he did it with the serene confidence of a man who had never once been asked to see a budget. Leon has that look. He’s giving away cashback on four continents this week and refers to the finance team as “the peasants.” Here’s what the Sun King is giving away: 👉 Bet & Get at Mountaineer + Finger Lakes · 3% cashback on all US & Canadian harness, which with $7.2 million of Breeders Crown this weekend is the one to notice · 4% cashback on Australian greyhounds · 3% cashback on jai alai exacta/trifecta at Pelota Miami · Pelota Miami jersey giveaway, $2,500+ in jai alai bets wins a game-worn jersey.
→ LIVE FROM THE BLOG
Rob has gone full Breeders’ Cup. Four to read before next weekend.
- 📰 Breeders’ Cup 2026: schedule, post times, how to bet. All fourteen races, every post time in ET.
- 📰 How and where to bet the Breeders’ Cup in Connecticut. Online, in the app, or at all nine venues.
- 📰 Weekend preview: Breeders Crown, Empire Showcase, Maryland Million, Churchill. Every field for the weekend in one place.
- 📰 Every Triple Crown winner, Sir Barton to Justify. For the bar argument you’re going to have on Monday.
→ MONDAY, EVERYWHERE
THE SPORTS EQUINOX: FOUR LEAGUES, ONE NIGHT, AND A RACING CARD UNDERNEATH IT.
Credit where it’s due: Mike B in operations flagged this one. On Monday, October 26, the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA are all in action on the same day. That’s the sports equinox, and it only happens in late October when the World Series runs long enough to overlap the start of basketball and hockey. This year it’s a good one. Monday Night Football is Cowboys @ Eagles at 8:15pm ET, Philly’s first home game since Curt watched them lose in London. World Series Game 3 is Brewers at Rays, 8pm ET, the first game in Tampa. The NBA has a full slate in its opening week, the Knicks are off, which is fine, they play Sunday and Tuesday and I need the night. The NHL is on. And underneath all of it, a stacked Monday racing card: Parx from 12:25pm ET, Finger Lakes from 1:10pm ET, Mountaineer from 7pm ET with the Bet & Get live, harness at night, and the Australian dogs after midnight with 4% cashback.
How to play it. Monday pools are the softest of the week because nobody’s paying attention, and on the equinox nobody’s paying attention to the racing at all. Parx and Mountaineer with the World Series on is where a $20 Pick 4 goes a long way. At Bobby V’s every screen will be showing something different and the counter takes bets on all of it. Stamford, Windsor Locks, 8pm ET.
See you at the rail. Or at East Haven, in blue, trying not to make eye contact with anyone in green.
 | Mike B VIP & Community, MyWinners |
Tel: +1800 468 2260 (support)
P.S. You crushed it this week. Nearly half a million dollars paid out through MyWinners.com, the average winning ticket better than 6/1, and even the middle of the pack cleared 2/1. The small-stake heroes first. Danielle from Poughkeepsie, New York, in her second week with us, turned a $1 trifecta into more than $2,350. A tee is in the mail, Danielle, welcome aboard. Ray from Waterbury hit a 50-cent trifecta at Belmont for over $875. A 60-cent superfecta at Mahoning Valley came home for better than $870, and a $2 superfecta at the Wheeling matinee cleared four figures. On the bigger-ticket side, a few of you quietly stacked serious money on win bets and short combinations at Keeneland, Belmont and Parx, and a couple of our exotic-pool regulars grinded smaller stakes into five-figure weeks on volume alone. Long shot or steady grind, both got paid. Take a bow.
P.P.S. Tonight’s Mega Millions is $433 million. Tomorrow’s Powerball is $674 million. Over a billion dollars across two draws. Tickets at all nine MyWinners venues, teller window or self-service machine.
P.P.P.S. Next Friday is the Breeders’ Cup edition. Fourteen races, Mike’s card for all of them, the bingo, and the Bradley contest. If you only read one newsletter this year, read that one.
