The Breeders' Cup Mile
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Breeders’ Cup Mile
The 2018 Breeders’ Cup Mile will be held at Churchill Downs on Saturday, November 3rd.
Breeders’ Cup Mile Winners
The world’s best grass milers compete in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile. The turf race is for three-year-olds and up, and Goldikova has won the race a record three times (2008, 2009, 2010). The Breeders’ Cup Mile boasts more multiple winners than any other Breeders’ Cup race. Five horses (Miesque, Lure, Da Hoss, Goldikova, and Wise Dan) have won multiple renewals of the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
The 1984 winner of the first Breeders’ Cup Mile was Royal Heroine. He started as the race favorite at 8-5 odds. In the 33 runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Mile, 11 post time favorites have won the race, and the most recent was also the heaviest bet favorite when Wise Dan (4-5) rallied in the deep stretch to overtake a pair of long shots and win the 2013 edition for his second consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile win. Wise Dan won a sensational 23 of 32 lifetime races and more than $7.5 million in career earnings.
The Breeders’ Cup Mile record time is 1:31.71 set by Tourist in 2016 at Santa Anita. Joel Rosario was the jockey for trainer Bill Mott.
The 2017 edition saw Europe’s best miler Ribchester face Irish Champion Churchill. Two other top challengers were expected to be Woodbine Mile winner World Approval, and another Irish Champion Decorated Knight.
As you handicap the contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Mile, note that a contender’s final prep race is a key indicator of how well a horse will run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Since the year 2003:
- Four Breeders’ Cup Mile winners also won their final prep race.
- Four Breeders’ Cup Mile champions finished in 2nd-place in their final prep race.
- Three Breeders’ Cup Mile victors finished in 3rd-place in their final prep race including 2016 winner Tourist.
- Miesque’s Approval, Court Vision and Karakontie (JPN) were the only Mile winners who did not finish in first, second, and third in their final prep race (the median win odds for the three of them was 14/1).
These stats should provide you with a helpful blueprint for horses to consider for the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Mile Championship. A first, second, or third place effort in your final Breeders’ Cup prep race has led to 77% of the winners of the Breeders’ Cup Mile (since 2003).
BREEDERS’ CUP MILE WINNERS & RECORDS
|
Year/Track
|
Winner/ | Jockey/ | Time/ |
| Date/Distance | Owner | Trainer | Odds |
| 2016 - SA | Tourist | J. Rosario | 01:31.7 |
| Nov 05 - 1M | WinStar Farm LLC, Wachtel Stable and Barber, Gary | W. Mott | $12.40 |
| 2015 - KEE | Tepin | J. Leparoux | 01:36.7 |
| Oct 31 - 1M | Robert E. Masterson | M. Casse | $4.90 |
| 2014 - SA | Karakontie (JPN) | S. Pasquier | 01:32.9 |
| Nov 01 - 1M | Flaxman Holdings, Ltd. | J. Pease | $30.00 |
| 2013 - SA | Wise Dan | J. Lezcano | 01:32.5 |
| Nov 02 - 1M | Morton Fink | C. Lopresti | $0.80* |
| 2012 - SA | Wise Dan | J. Velazquez | 01:31.8 |
| Nov 03 - 1M | Morton Fink | C. Lopresti | $1.80* |
| 2011 - CD | Court Vision | R. Albarado | 01:37.0 |
| Nov 05 - 1M | Spendthrift Farm LLC | D. Romans | $64.80 |
| 2010 - CD | Goldikova (IRE) | O. Peslier | 01:35.2 |
| Nov 06 - 1M | Wertheimer and Frere | F. Head | $1.30* |
| 2009 - OSA | Goldikova (IRE) | O. Peslier | 01:32.3 |
| Nov 07 - 1M | Wertheimer and Frere | F. Head | $1.40* |
| 2008 - OSA | Goldikova (IRE) | O. Peslier | 01:33.4 |
| Oct 25 - 1M | Wertheimer and Frere | F. Head | $1.80* |
| 2007 - MTH | Kip Deville | C. Velasquez | 01:39.8 |
| Oct 27 - 1M | IEAH Stables, Cohen, Andrew and John A., Cobb, Steve and Robertson, Doug | R. Dutrow, Jr. | $8.20 |
| 2006 - CD | Miesque's Approval | E. Castro | 01:34.8 |
| Nov 04 - 1M | Live Oak Plantation | M. Wolfson | $24.30 |
| 2005 - BEL | Artie Schiller | G. Gomez | 01:36.1 |
| Oct 29 - 1M | Timber Bay Farm and Walsh, Mrs. Thomas J. | J. Jerkens | $5.60 |
| 2004 - LS | Singletary | D. Flores | 01:36.9 |
| Oct 30 - 1M | Little Red Feather Racing | D. Chatlos, Jr. | $16.50 |
| 2003 - SA | Six Perfections (FR) | J. Bailey | 01:33.9 |
| Oct 25 - 1M | Flaxman Holdings, Ltd. | P. Bary | $5.30 |
| 2002 - AP | Domedriver (IRE) | T. Thulliez | 01:36.9 |
| Oct 26 - 1M | Flaxman Holdings, Ltd. | P. Bary | $26.00 |
| 2001 - BEL | Val Royal (FR) | J. Valdivia, Jr. | 01:32.0 |
| Oct 27 - 1M | David S. Milch | J. Canani | $5.10 |
| 2000 - CD | War Chant | G. Stevens | 01:34.7 |
| Nov 04 - 1M | Cowan, Marge and Irving M. | N. Drysdale | $3.50* |
| 1999 - GP | Silic (FR) | C. Nakatani | 01:34.3 |
| Nov 06 - 1M | Lanni, J. Terrence, Poslosky, Ken, Schiappa, Bernard C., et al | J. Canani | $7.20 |
| 1998 - CD | Da Hoss | J. Velazquez | 01:35.3 |
| Nov 07 - 1M | Prestonwood Farm and Wallstreet Racing Stables | M. Dickinson | $11.60 |
| 1997 - HOL | Spinning World | C. Asmussen | 01:32.8 |
| Nov 08 - 1M | Flaxman Holdings, Ltd. | J. Pease | $2.10* |
| 1996 - WO | Da Hoss | G. Stevens | 01:35.8 |
| Oct 26 - 1M | Prestonwood Farm and Wallstreet Racing Stables | M. Dickinson | $8.45 |
| 1995 - BEL | Ridgewood Pearl (GB) | J. Murtagh | 01:43.7 |
| Oct 28 - 1M | Anne Coughlan | J. Oxx | $2.55* |
| 1994 - CD | Barathea (IRE) | L. Dettori | 01:34.5 |
| Nov 05 - 1M | Al Maktoum, Mohammed and Leigh, Gerald W. | L. Cumani | $10.40 |
| 1993 - SA | Lure | M. Smith | 01:33.6 |
| Nov 06 - 1M | Claiborne Farm | C. McGaughey III | $1.30* |
| 1992 - GP | Lure | M. Smith | 01:32.9 |
| Oct 31 - 1M | Claiborne Farm | C. McGaughey III | $5.40 |
| 1991 - CD | Opening Verse | P. Valenzuela | 01:37.6 |
| Nov 02 - 1M | Allen E. Paulson | R. Lundy | $26.70 |
| 1990 - BEL | Royal Academy | L. Piggott | 01:35.2 |
| Oct 27 - 1M | Classic Ire Stable | M. O'Brien | $2.80* |
| 1989 - GP | Steinlen (GB) | J. Santos | 01:37.2 |
| Nov 04 - 1M | Wildenstein Stable | D. Lukas | $1.80 |
| 1988 - CD | Miesque | F. Head | 01:38.6 |
| Nov 05 - 1M | Flaxman Holdings, Ltd. | F. Boutin | $2.00 |
| 1987 - HOL | Miesque | F. Head | 01:32.8 |
| Nov 21 - 1M | Stavros Niarchos | F. Boutin | $3.60 |
| 1986 - SA | Last Tycoon (IRE) | Y. Saint-Martin | 01:35.2 |
| Nov 01 - 1M | Richard C. Strauss | R. Collet | $35.90 |
| 1985 - AQU | Cozzene | W. Guerra | 01:35.0 |
| Nov 02 - 1M | John A. Nerud | J. Nerud | $3.60 |
| 1984 - HOL | Royal Heroine (IRE) | F. Toro | 01:32.6 |
| Nov 10 - 1M | Robert E. Sangster | J. Gosden | $1.70* |
| * Wagering favorite | |||
