Fantasy Capping Helper

Get a leg up in Fantasy Capping!

By Dana Byerly, Hello Race Fans Co-founder

Updated on 10/3

It’s that time of the year again, the time when our friends (and sponsors!) at the Breeders’ Cup offer Fantasy Capping. What is Fantasy Capping? It’s a fun and free way to virtually play the ponies and get plugged in to the upcoming Breeders’ Cup.

Each week you’ll get the chance to a make a fantasy wager on a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Race and in fact you’ll get the chance to play two races the weekend of August 24! Your wagering menu is straightforward (and slightly different from last year). You can make a $20 virtual win, place OR show wager on a single horse or a virtual $10 exacta box wager on two horses. You can see the full list of rules and the race schedule here.

Just like last year we’re providing the horse bios for each race, so if you’re a fan of Cheat Sheets, be sure to read the bios!

In order to help you make the most of Fantasy Capping, here are some pertinent articles from our Handicapping and Wagering Strategy sections. Some of these articles will apply every week, for example, The Art of Contest Handicapping. In the weeks where we have additional helpful content (such as for turf or juvenile races) we’ll add that here.

So, sign up for Fantasy Capping, brush up on your basics and check back each week. And of course, good luck!

How to Handicap
A great way to get started with handicapping is to just start asking, and trying to answer, questions.

Introduction to Class
Being able to spot whether a horse out-classes its rivals or is out-classed, whether it’s on the improve or falling down the ranks, will help lead you to the best bets and steer you away from the worst.

Introduction to Speed
It’s not how fast have they run; it’s how fast can they run. Being able to determine what factors made a horse fast in the past and whether or not those factors are currently present will put you in a position make the most of your wagers.

Introduction to Pace
How will the race unfold? is the first question of pace, but Who will it benefit? is the answer you’re trying to get to.

Art of Contest Handicapping
2011 National Handicapping Champion Michael Beychok shares his road map to tournament glory.

How to Watch a Race
While watching a race may seem like a no-brainer, there’s a definite skill involved to ensure that you’re seeing as much of the race as possible.

Watching Race Replays
When it comes to uncovering hidden potential or ramping up on a new circuit, race replays are an excellent source of information.

First-Time Starters and Juvenile Pedigrees New
2-year-olds are not only fun to watch, they can present an excellent opportunity to make money for the astute handicapper.

Intro to Turf Pedigrees New
What you should know about American turf pedigrees.

All-Weather Sires New
All-weather racetracks are a relatively new phenomenon. While much more study needs to be undertaken, we’ve identified ten sires whose offspring have done well on all-weather surfaces so far.

Win, Place, Show: Understanding Basics
Do you think you can only find value in exotic wagers? Guess again, one can find value and several different approaches for win, place and show bets!

Show Me the Money
Is show betting only for suckers and small children or are there times when third place pays? Find out from confessions of a show bettor!

Some Considerations for Single Race Exotics
Single race exotics, such as the exacta, trifecta and superfecta, offer a variety of ways to reap higher rewards than win, place and show bets. They also have their own host of considerations.

Playing Favorites
Playing against the favorite isn’t always the way to go. Discover some strategies for playing short-priced favorites.

You can always stop by our Beginners’ Corner to dive deeper into any topic.

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