VSiN expert handicapper Mike Somich previews the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile 2025, including the entries, odds, and past performances of the field.
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Sometimes the title of an event tells you exactly what you are going to see and that is the case with the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. One mile on the Del Mar dirt for a purse of $1 million and the final dirt race of the weekend, as the Filly and Mare Turf Sprint serves as the Saturday’s closer.
This race is full of names you know, including 2024 winner Full Serrano, 2024 BC Juvenile winner Citizen Bull, and, of course, 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan. Regular horseplayers are very familiar with the name Nysos, the favorite in the race in just his seventh career start. He’s won five already and the only time he last was on a wet track, finishing second by a neck.
The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile will be Race 11 in your Saturday Del Mar program with post time expected to be 7:45 p.m. ET on November 1.
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile 2025 Entries, Horses, Jockeys, and Trainers:
| Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
| 1 | Will Take It | M. Smith | D. Stewart | 30-1 |
| 2 | Goal Oriented | L. Saez | B. Baffert | 6-1 |
| 3 | Nysos | F. Prat | B. Baffert | 8/5 |
| 4 | Mystik Dan | F. Arrieta | K. McPeek | 6-1 |
| 5 | Tumbarumba | T. Gaffalione | B. Lynch | 20-1 |
| 6 | Full Serrano | J. Rosario | J. Sadler | 7/2 |
| 7 | Citizen Bull | J. Hernandez | B. Baffert | 10-1 |
| 8 | Chancer McPatrick | J. Ortiz | C. Brown | 15-1 |
| 9 | Touch of Destiny | L. Caceres | M. McCarthy | 20-1 |
| 10 | White Abarrio | I. Ortiz Jr. | S. Joseph Jr. | 8-1 |
This is definitely a strong field and there are a lot of paths to the board, but is there a path to finish above Nysos and win this race?
Here are Mike Somich’s thoughts on the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile has to begin with a discussion around #3 Nysos, who is the morning line favorite at 8/5. He’s been amazing when on the track, but getting there has been an issue in a stop-and-start career. He was originally pointing to the Classic, but missed the Pacific Classic as a prep and landed here instead. This is pretty simple, if Nysos is right, he is going to be very, very tough in here. His numbers stand out and you know he loves the course and distance.
#6 Full Serrano won this race last year at 14-1. This year, you will have to swallow a much shorter price, 7/2, if you’d like to back him. He has enough speed to make the front, but should have pressure from the outside and will have to hold off the best horse he has ever faced, Nysos, to win.
#7 Citizen Bull is also a BC winner taking down last year’s Juvenile over this track. He won gate-to-wire that day and will try to do the same thing today. The early battle between Full Serrano and Citizen Bull is going to push the pace in the race and likely make it tough for either to win if they do not clear.
#2 Goal Oriented projects to get a very good trip sitting behind the speed and is coming out of some of the best 3-year-old races facing Baeza and Journalism multiple times this year. He will need to improve vastly to win, but a second-place finish behind stablemate Nysos could definitely be in the cards.
#4 Mystik Dan, a past Kentucky Derby winner, fits well in here as well, especially underneath. The cut back to one mile is the big question, but he will get the pace to chase in here and should be rolling late!
