So you’ve decided to go to Keeneland Racetrack for the 2022 Breeders’ Cup series! Excellent vacation choice! Breeders’ Cup weekend is always filled with excitement and sports drama of the best and most intense variety. It is sure to be an experience you will never forget.
In order to make that unforgettable experience as positive as possible, though, you will want to take some precautions and make some plans. Here are some tips to make your trip safe, efficient, and- hopefully- profitable.
Plan Your Drinking
Like most major sporting events in the United States, the Breeders’ Cup series will feature alcoholic beverages.
While these races are not as known for their signature drinks as the Kentucky Derby is known for mint juleps, there are some notable drinks on the menu, including many featured cocktails from the Breeders’ Cup preview series, Cocktails and Conversation. Like Churchill Downs, the host track of the Kentucky Derby, Keeneland is in Kentucky. Where good bourbon is in good supply.
However, as always it is important to be responsible for one’s drinking. You should always keep track of what kinds of alcohol you’ve had, and in what amounts. Most importantly, you should plan ahead for transportation after the event, either by having a completely sober designated driver, a taxi or ride-share, or knowing how to utilize the local public transportation.
Plan Your Meals
Knowing where the local eateries are can also make your vacation run more smoothly.
The Breeders’ Cup series is a large-scale event. This means that the city of Lexington, Kentucky will be more crowded than usual. While the track itself will offer local cuisine to eat on the go. Restaurants in the area will likely have long wait times or require reservations. If you have a specific meal in mind, calling ahead for availability will likely make things easier.
The crowds will affect traffic patterns as well. This could not only affect travel times when venturing out to eat but also delivery times when ordering in. Plan accordingly!
Plan Your Bets (Keeneland)
Most importantly, smart racegoer keeps track of their money and wagers!
One easy way to do this is to use a betting calculator. Betting calculators are apps, programs, or formulas that calculate how much money-specific exotic wagers (wagers on more than one horse in a race, or more than one race on a card) will cost.
Some betting calculators also allow you to input the odds of your choices to calculate potential payouts. You can find more info about betting on the Breeders Cup here: twinspires.com/breeders-cup
Those who are especially invested in making money will want to keep track of the odds of each horse as they change throughout race day. The oddsmakers set beginning odds, known as the “morning line,”. But when the betting windows open, each entry’s odds fluctuate with public opinion.
What this means is that a horse who opens at a juicy 20-1 odds may be bet down as the day continues. At post time, the horse you thought was a huge longshot may end up being among the favorites, thus winning you substantially less money. Conversely, a horse may be held in high regard by an oddsmaker but forgotten by the bettors, resulting in an unexpected windfall!
Whether you choose to bet casually or work out complex exotic bets. It is vitally important to set aside all the “fun money” you are using to gamble. Make sure you have allotted enough money for all of your necessary travel accommodations and expenses, and don’t dip into it, no matter what sort of hunches you develop. There is no such thing as a sure bet!