The most successful jockey in the history of the Breeders' Cup is Mike Smith, who holds 27 wins in various divisions at the iconic race. He will return to ride Taiba in the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday and will look for his first win in the main event since 2016, when he rode Arrogate to victory. Smith's most recent win in a graded stakes race came at the end of September at the Pennsylvania Derby, when he guided Taiba to his first win since the Santa Anita Derby in April. Taiba is 8-1 in the latest 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic odds. Another win won't come easy this weekend, however, with other 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic contenders like Flightline (3-5), Epicenter (5-1) and Life Is Good (6-1) at the top of the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic field. With so much to consider while making your 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic picks, a little expert help can go a long way.
The only gate from which a horse has not won the Breeders' Cup Classic from is No. 12, which will remain the case in this year's eight-horse field. The post position that has produced the most champions has been the fourth gate, with five total wins. This year's overall favorite, Flightline, will break from the fourth stall and have a chance to continue the trend. Two of the last four winners have started from the fifth stall, including last year's champion, Knicks Go. Hot Rod Charlie (15-1) lines up at fifth this year and is coming off a win in his last race, the Lukas Classic Stakes (Grade 2) on October 1.
Given all the history, there's a method to picking which horses to focus on for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets in a Breeders' Cup Classic like this, and SportsLine expert Jody Demling knows what it is. He can help you make the best 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic picks possible.
A fixture in the horse racing world who has been writing about, talking about and betting on races for years, Demling enters the Breeders' Cup Classic 2022 having nailed the winner of the Belmont Stakes, the horse racing calendar's last major race, four of the last fives years, including an exacta this year with Mo Donegal.
Demling is at his best in the biggest horse races in the world like the Breeders' Cup 2022. He has hit 10 of the last 14 Derby-Oaks doubles at Churchill Downs. That means he held a ticket with the winners of both races all but four times in the last 14 years.
He's also called nine of the last 18 Preakness winners, keenly understanding when the Kentucky Derby winner was poised for victory or a massive upset, and nailed this year's Preakness trifecta. Anyone who has followed him is up huge. Now, he's sharing all of his 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic bets here.
Top 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic expert picks
Here's a refresher on these types of bets from SportsLine's Jody Demling:
Breeders' Cup Classic Exacta: Pick the first- and second-place finishers in the correct order. A $2 exacta returned $65.20 at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic with Knicks Go and Medina Spirit.
Breeders' Cup Classic Trifecta: Pick the first-, second- and third-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 trifecta returned $83.90 at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic with Knicks Go, Medina Spirit and Essential Quality.
Breeders' Cup Classic Superfecta: Pick the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the correct order. A $1 superfecta returned a colossal $170.10 at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic with Knicks Go, Medina Spirit Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie.
While Demling has no quibbles with the favorite status of Flightline (3-5), he plans to hold tickets with Epicenter (5-1) and a double-digit underdog who could really spice up the payouts. You can see his picks here.
How to make 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic bets
Demling has specific recommendations for exacta, trifecta and superfecta wagers so you can cover all your bases at the Breeders' Cup Classic 2022. He's sharing them over at SportsLine.
So which horses do you take? And in what combinations? Visit SportsLine to get Demling's picks for exacta, trifecta and superfecta bets for the 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic.
2022 Breeders' Cup Classic odds, field, contenders
| Post Position | Horse | Odds | Picks |
| 4 | Flightline | 3-5 | See Picks Here |
| 6 | Epicenter | 5-1 | See Picks Here |
| 2 | Life Is Good | 6-1 | See Picks Here |
| 1 | Taiba | 8-1 | See Picks Here |
| 7 | Olympiad | 10-1 | See Picks Here |
| 5 | Hot Rod Charlie | 15-1 | See Picks Here |
| 8 | Rich Strike | 20-1 | See Picks Here |
| 3 | Happy Saver | 30-1 | See Picks Here |