Breeders’ Cup World Championships | Race Profile

Watch the Breeders’ Cup Online!

Breeders’ Cup TV Schedule and ways to watch:

• NBCSN
  • Friday, Nov. 1
    • 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET – Breeders’ Cup: Futures Stars Friday
  • Saturday, Nov. 2
    • 3:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET – Breeders’ Cup: Championship Saturday
    • 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET – Breeders’ Cup Classic Hour
• Facebook Live & Periscope
• TwinSpires Mobile App
• Breederscup.com
  • Fri. – 11:15 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET – Breeders’ Cup Players’ Show
  • Sat. – 11:00 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. ET – Breeders’ Cup Players’ Show

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TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Coverage

 

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Breeders’ Cup History

Conceived in 1982 by horseman John Gaines to market Thoroughbred racing to a wider audience and made a reality two years later at Hollywood Park, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships has almost four decades showcased the very best the sport has to offer and a forum for the finest in international competition.

Originally a one-day, seven-race event, the Breeders’ Cup has expanded to a 14-race extravaganza with virtually every division represented over two days. The centerpiece is the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, the country’s premier weight-for-age event, for three-year-olds and up over 1 1/4 miles.

From the controversial, ding-dong battle between Wild Again, Slew o’ Gold, and Gate Dancer in its 1984 inaugural, the Classic has arguably provided the Breeders’ Cup with its largest share of memorable moments. Hall of Fame colt Alysheba was involved in two, losing by a nose to Ferdinand at Hollywood Park in 1987 in a rare meeting between Kentucky Derby winners, but returned the next year to win at Churchill Downs and retire as North America’s all-time leading money winner.

Sunday Silence and Easy Goer culminated their epic, four-race rivalry in the 1989 Classic at Gulfstream Park, with Sunday Silence prevailing for a third time, while in 1995 Cigar capped off a 10-for-10 campaign winning at Belmont Park. It was the 12th of 16 consecutive wins for the horse that ultimately eclipsed Alysheba’s earnings record.

The legendary Zenyatta had a lengthy win streak of her own, scoring for the 14th consecutive time in the 2009 Classic at Santa Anita. The only mare thus far to win the Classic, she sustained her only career loss (in 20 starts) in the 2010 renewal at Churchill Downs by a diminishing head to Blame.

While the Classic has also seen the biggest payout in Breeders’ Cup history (Arcangues returned $269.20 at Santa Anita in 1993), recent editions have showcased American Pharoah, who completed the “Grand Slam” of a Triple Crown sweep and a Classic score at Keeneland in 2015, and the sensational finish a year later by Arrogate over California Chrome, both of whom also held the leading money winner title.

The Breeders’ Cup Distaff, at 1 1/8 miles, is the event’s premier race for fillies and mares. In the discussion for the greatest Breeders’ Cup race of all time is the 1988 Distaff at Churchill Downs, which saw Personal Ensign valiantly catch Kentucky Derby-winning filly Winning Colors in the shadow of the wire to conclude a 13-for-13 career, the first major American Thoroughbred in 80 years to retire undefeated.

International participation has been a cornerstone of the Breeders’ Cup since its inception. Stars of the European turf, such as Arazi, who explosively rallied in the 1991 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, have made an occasional impact on dirt. But it’s been the two primary grass races – the Mile and the Turf – where invaders from across the pond have been their biggest mark.

Two of the most significant Mile winners were the French fillies Miesque and Goldikova. The first two-time winner in Breeders’ Cup history when taking the Mile in 1987-88, Goldikova one-upped her by taking the Mile three times from 2008-2010 and narrowly missing a fourth in 2011. Almmost a sure thing by her Breeders’ Cup odds. Freddy Head was the connection between the two; he rode Miesque and trained Goldikova.

In addition to those two, Lure (1992-93) and Wise Dan (2012-13) won multiple Miles, while Da Hoss (1996, 1998 Mile) was the first horse to win two Breeders’ Cup races in non-consecutive years. Barely scratching the surface of memories the Breeders’ Cup has produced in its first 33 years, many more are yet to come.