2016 Breeders' Cup Classic Betting Preview: California Chrome Odds Favorite

He is back and running as well as ever heading into the 2016 Breeders' Cup this weekend at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

That's right, 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome will try to stay perfect in 2016 by improving to 7-0 if he can take the Breeders' Cup Classic as a -140 betting favorite (wager $140 to win $100) Saturday at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

California Chrome will attempt to live up to some lofty expectations yet again and buck a key historical trend going against him here. Over the past nine years, the betting favorite has failed to finish in the top three six times. The five-year-old chestnut stallion fell short of winning the Triple Crown two years ago when he placed fourth in the Belmont Stakes and later finished third in the 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic.

Instead of retiring to stud in 2015, California Chrome stayed active and endured a disappointing year before bouncing back in 2016. Following his win in the 2016 Dubai World Cup, he became the all-time leading North American horse in earnings won.

The main competition for California Chrome at the Breeders' Cup Classic includes Arrogate (+275) and Frosted (+750). The remaining seven in the 10-horse field are all listed at +1600 or worse.

Arrogate was sired by Unbridled's Song—who was sired by 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled—and the three-year-old gray won the 2016 Travers Stakes in record time. He did not make his track debut until April 17 this year.

Frosted is best known for finishing behind 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah four times, placing fourth in the Kentucky Derby and second in the Belmont Stakes. He skipped the Preakness to prepare for the Belmont but ultimately lost by five-and-a-half lengths.

Frosted competed against California Chrome in the Dubai World Cup earlier this year but finished fifth before winning the Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney Handicap.

California Chrome will start from the fourth-post position with Arrogate 10th and Frosted second. American Pharoah and Bayern were both three-year-olds who won the Breeders' Cup Classic the previous two years, with Mucho Macho Man the last five-year-old to take it in 2013.

Before that, Zenyatta won the Breeders' Cup Classic as a five-year-old in 2009. The 2016 Breeders' Cup gets underway on Friday and continues through the Saturday races.