This is best time for Breeders’ Cup future bets

Future book wagers embody the theory of betting a little to win a lot. So if you think you know the winner of an upcoming Breeders’ Cup race or the 2009 Kentucky Derby, I recommend you go right now and see John Avello, the race and sports book director at Wynn Las Vegas.

Avello has posted odds for most of the Breeders’ Cup main events to be held at Santa Anita on Oct. 24 and 25. He also has a future book for next spring’s Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which will be run Sunday.

I have enough trouble trying to figure out the daily double at Belmont tomorrow. However, I have seen a couple of 2-year-olds that impressed me a lot. I think they’ll potentially be strong Derby contenders. Once I play them with Avello, I’ll let you know who they are. Sorry, I need to get my own action in first.

The Breeders’ Cup races always offer enormous wagering value. Bulky, well-matched fields will do that. For the first time, there will be an also-eligible list for oversubscribed races. Horses can draw into the field as late as 7 a.m. Friday should there be a scratch.

Another factor to consider is there should be a larger foreign influx due to the Pro Ride surface at Santa Anita. As much as some critics here pan synthetic surfaces, it is a much more accepted product overseas. Thus, we may see more European imports trying the main track races, and that could lead to additional long-shot prices.

This weekend is probably the best time to bet the Breeders’ Cup future book. You want to play your key horses before they run in their final prep the following two weekends. The reason is if your key horses run a big final prep, win or lose, it’ll be too late to get top value. Stay ahead of the curve.

If you want to see all the available future book races at Wynn, I suggest trying Dave Tuley’s viewfromvegas.com Web site and click on the “race book notes” tab.

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Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.