Breeders' Cup Classic Results
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Last updated: March 29, 2023
Breeders' Cup Results
The 2023 Breeders’ Cup will be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, on November 3-4, 2023.
The Breeders' Cup Classic is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world, and has produced some of the most exciting moments in the history of the sport. Over the years, many legendary horses and jockeys have competed in the race, producing some unforgettable results. Below you will find the past Breeders' Cup Classic results, dating back to the inaugural running in 1984.
Past Breeders' Cup Classic Results
| YEAR | HORSE | TIME | VENUE |
| 2022 | Flightline | 2:00.05 | Keeneland |
| 2021 | Knicks Go | 1:59.57 | Del Mar |
| 2020 | Authentic | 1:59.19 | Keeneland |
| 2019 | Vino Rosso | 2:02.80 | Santa Anita |
| 2018 | Accelerate | 2:02.93 | Churchill Downs |
| 2017 | Gun Runner | 2:01.29 | Del Mar |
| 2016 | Arrogate | 2:00.11 | Santa Anita |
| 2015 | American Pharoah | 2:00.07 | Keeneland |
| 2014 | Bayern | 1:59.88 | Santa Anita |
| 2013 | Mucho Macho Man | 2:00.72 | Santa Anita |
| 2012 | Fort Larned | 2:00.11 | Santa Anita |
| 2011 | Drosselmeyer | 2:04.27 | Churchill Downs |
| 2010 | Blame | 2:02.28 | Churchill Downs |
| 2009 | Zenyatta† | 2:00.32 | Santa Anita |
| 2008 | Raven's Pass | 1:59.27 | Santa Anita |
| 2007 | Curlin | 2:00.59 | Monmouth Park |
| 2006 | Invasor (ARG) | 2:02.18 | Churchill Downs |
| 2005 | Saint Liam | 2:01.49 | Belmont Park |
| 2004 | Ghostzapper | 1:59.02 | Lone Star Park |
| 2003 | Pleasantly Perfect | 1:59.88 | Santa Anita |
| 2002 | Volponi | 2:01.39 | Arlington Park |
| 2001 | Tiznow | 2:00.62 | Belmont Park |
| 2000 | Tiznow | 2:00.75 | Churchill Downs |
| 1999 | Cat Thief | 1:59.52 | Gulfstream Park |
| 1998 | Awesome Again | 2:02.16 | Churchill Downs |
| 1997 | Skip Away | 1:59.16 | Hollywood Park |
| 1996 | Alphabet Soup | 2:01.00 | Woodbine |
| 1995 | Cigar | 1:59.58 | Belmont Park |
| 1994 | Concern | 2:02.41 | Churchill Downs |
| 1993 | Arcangues (FR) | 2:00.83 | Santa Anita |
| 1992 | A.P. Indy | 2:00.20 | Gulfstream Park |
| 1991 | Black Tie Affair | 2:02.95 | Churchill Downs |
| 1990 | Unbridled | 2:02.20 | Belmont Park |
| 1989 | Sunday Silence | 2:00.20 | Gulfstream Park |
| 1988 | Alysheba | 2:04.80 | Churchill Downs |
| 1987 | Ferdinand | 2:01.40 | Hollywood Park |
| 1986 | Skywalker | 2:00.40 | Santa Anita |
| 1985 | Proud Truth | 2:00.80 | Aqueduct |
| 1984 | Wild Again | 2:03.40 | Hollywood Park |
The Breeders’ Cup is open to any horse aged three years or more and is run over a distance of 1 ¼ miles, which is the same distance as the Kentucky Derby. Despite the uncapped age limit, the horse is typically won by horses aged three-years-old to five-years old.
There are no official speed records for the Breeders’ Cup Classic since it is hosted by different tracks each year. However, three horses have set track records in the Classic. Ghostzapper clocked in at 1:59.02 at Lone Star Park and recorded the fastest ever time at both the track and the Breeders’ Cup Classic. American Pharoah’s winning time of 2:00.17 in 2015 set a track record at Keeneland as well. Finally, Alphabet Soup’s time of 2:01.00 set a record at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.
Tiznow is the only horse to have won the race twice, doing is in 2000 and 2001.
Zenyatta became the only female champion of the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2009.
Only one ownership has won the race multiple times. That honor belongs to the Stronach Group who run Awesome Again in 1998 and Ghostzapper in 2004.
Chris McCarron and Jerry Bailey are the most successful riders at the Breeders’ Cup Classic with 5 wins each.
Bob Baffert is the reigning king of the Breeders’ Cup Classic having won the last three renewals with Arrogate (2016), American Pharoah (2015) and Bayern (2014) all capturing victory as three-year-olds.
American Pharoah also owns the largest margin of victory, beating Effinex by 6 ½ lengths at Santa Anita in 2015.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Results History
Though the Breeders’ Cup Classic does not have the history of its counterparts in the Triple Crown, it is well renowned as one of the biggest horse races of the year. Making its debut in 1984 the Classic is the marquee main event of the Breeders’ Cup World Championship program, which takes place at the very end of October or the first weekend of November.
The venue for the Breeders’ Cup Classic changes every year. It has been most frequently hosted by Santa Anita and Churchill Downs.
To further acknowledge the prestige of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the race was lumped in with the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes to form the coveted Grand Slam. This holy grail of American racing was thought to be unattainable, largely because a 38-year drought existed since Affirmed won the last Triple Crown in 1978 before the Breeders’ Cup even existed.
American Pharoah shattered that line of thinking in 2015 with one of the most impressive, single-year campaigns of any horse in the history of the sport. By winning the Triple Crown that season and the Breeders’ Cup Classic later in the year, American Pharoah became the first and only Grand Slam Champion in history.
The only other horse who came close was Sunday Silence who won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1989. Sunday Silence would come up short as the runner-up in that year’s Belmont Stakes, but was recognized for his achievement with a “Small Slam” which is attained by winning three of the four major races.
Beginning in 1984, the purse for the Breeders’ Cup Classic was $3,000,000. This was raised to $4,000,000 in 1996 and again to $5,000,000 in 2005. As of 2016, the purse was raised to $6,000,000 making it the second largest purse in American Thoroughbred racing behind the new Pegasus World Cup which will boast a $12 million purse.
To read more on specific winners of the Breeders' Cup, visit our helpful BC winners page.
As always, TwinsSpires will be here for all of your Breeders Cup betting needs.