Breeders' Cup 2017 Post Positions: Horse Odds, Prize Money, Predictions and More

Arrogate is among the favourites for the 34th Breeders' Cup Classic. The Bob Baffert-trained horse is tipped at 2-1 to win 2017's race at Del Mar Racetrack in California on Saturday.

There are also other strong contenders in the field, including 9-5 Gun Runner, trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Florent Geroux. Younger horse West Coast is also worth backing at 6-1.

Meanwhile, Aidan O'Brien's Churchill is a strong outsider at 15-1.

Here are the odds and post positions for each horse, with the purse set at $6 million, per the race's official website. All odds are accurate at the time of writing:

1. Arrogate: 2-1
2. War Decree: 30-1
3. Win the Space: 30-1
4. War Story: 30-1
5. Gun Runner: 9-5
6. Mubtaajhi: 12-1
7. Churchill: 15-1
8. West Coast: 6-1
9. Gunnevera: 30-1
10. Pavel: 20-1
11. Collected: 6-1

Arrogate to Defend Title

There's a reason Arrogate's odds of victory are so short. The horse romped to a win in this race at Santa Anita Park last year, although not everybody is sold on Baffert's defending champion.

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Among those predicting a tough day for Arrogate and jockey Mike Smith is SportsLine's Jody Demling. Having picked the winner at this year's Kentucky Derby, Demling predicted a fifth-placed finish for Arrogate, per CBS Sports.

However, Baffert's influence can prove key. The 64-year-old has trained the winners of the last three Cup Classic races, so his expertise and impact can't be easily dismissed.

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A strong contender to upset the established order is three-year old West Coast. Valued at 6-1, the younger horse could have the greater speed and power needed to leave more experienced Arrogate and Gun Runner trailing late on.

Churchill to Come up Just Short

If Arrogate and West Coast taking the top two spots won't surprise many, Churchill finishing third will upset some oddsmakers. O'Brien's horse is 15-1 to win, but jockey Ryan Moore knows how to handle the big races.

Like Baffert, O'Brien's influence will prove key. The Irish trainer has already had a "record 26 Group One winners this year," per Greg Wood of The Guardian.

Yet for all his success, O'Brien has never had a winner in the Classic. Churchill won't change history, but he will still perform well during what is his inaugural run on dirt.

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O'Brien isn't worried about Churchill's lack of experience on the surface, though, per Wood: "Churchill is really being put into the lion’s den, he’s never raced on anything but grass, (but) he’s big and strong and powerful, he has all the attributes (of dirt horses). He’s not there on a false thing, he’s tough and he’s had plenty of racing."

Churchill won't win, but Moore will do enough to surprise more fancied horses such as Gun Runner and Collected.

Ultimately though, it will be Arrogate who finishes strongly to once again claim the hefty purse.