Local books offering vast Breeders’ Cup betting menu

The Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park on Nov. 2 and 3 offers two of the best days of the year for horseplayers. Big fields in 15 championship races will present horseplayers with an array of excellent betting opportunities.

Whether you prefer to make vertical bets within a race or horizontal bets linking multiple races, the Breeders' Cup offers many chances to score. The wagering menu has low bet minimums, making it affordable for even $2 bettors to swing for the fences.

For example, a 10-cent superfecta minimum makes it palatable to box or part-wheel horses for a small investment. The bet minimum for a trifecta, pick 3, pick 4 and pick 5 is 50 cents. Thus, even low-stakes bettors can spread out in races and still keep the ticket cost reasonable.

If you can't be at Santa Anita next week, Las Vegas is next best place to play the Breeders' Cup. Following is a list of free seminars, parties and special events coming up next week.

■ Thursday at Palace Station, Richie Saber of Gaming Today, Ralph Siraco of Race Day Las Vegas and Vic Viveo will conduct their seminar beginning at 6 p.m.

■ Friday at Sam's Town, Norm Kelley, Siraco and I will handicap the Friday and Saturday cards starting at 12:30 p.m. We will talk between the Breeders' Cup races, as there is typically an hour between events.

■ Friday at the South Point, John Kelly of Eye On Gaming (eog.com), South Point house handicapper Patrick McQuiggan and clocker Toby Turrell will handicap the Saturday card beginning at 6 p.m.

■ Jerry Jacovitz will be posting on the Internet two video seminars, one for each day of the Breeders' Cup. Go to www.jerryjpowerpage.com for details.

■ Free Breeders' Cup ballroom parties will be held at the South Point and The Orleans.

The South Point will open its Sonoma ballroom Friday and Saturday. McQuiggan will be organizing team tickets, including the pick 5 and pick 6. The Orleans will have a Saturday party in the Mardi Gras ballroom.

Food and beverages will be available at both locations, and free food coupons can be earned by placing wagers there.

■ Saturday at Boulder Station, race and sports casino host Tony Vega and Gordon Jones will be in the race book to assist horseplayers. Jones will make available a Breeders' Cup game plan handout and help organize team tickets for the pick 5 and pick 6.

■ BREEDERS' CUP ADVANCE - The Daily Racing Form Breeders' Cup Advance edition is available in local race books. It includes the past performances of all horses pre-entered in the 15 Breeders' Cup races.

Richard Eng's horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick.