Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem May 29, 2025

A good Thursday morning to you all! Hope everyone’s May is finishing up well as we roll into June, which is the more official start to summer and summer racing. All the spring meets are mostly up and firing now, and the stakes spotlights will be on Penn National and Churchill this weekend. Both cards are pretty fun, and we take a longer look into Churchill’s Stephen Foster Preview Day card on my Thursday podcast. 

It was announced Wednesday that the Breeders’ Cup would be finally leaving the Kentucky/California rotation (every year since 2007) for Belmont Park in 2027. Of course it will be the new Belmont Park, but I’m glad to see a track and area that hasn’t had a Breeders’ Cup in a while get a chance to host. I understand there’s much more at play than just “oh let’s do it somewhere else,” but I think moving the event around does honor more of the original intent and history of the event.

As much as I’m enjoying the idea of a fresh site for the Breeders’ Cup, that’s not to say the rotation they’ve been using was all that bad. I don’t like back-to-back years at the same place, but Santa Anita, Del Mar, Churchill Downs, and Keeneland have all been fun events. I’ve only been to Del Mar on-track for the Breeders' Cup, so I can’t comment on the on-track experience, more just as someone watching on TwinSpires or at another track. Sure there have been the occasional speed bias or bad weather days, but overall, they’ve been very good places to contest the championships. 

That said, for me, my two favorite Breeders’ Cups were at non-traditional sites. Lone Star in 2004 remains my favorite ever Breeders’ Cup. Part of that is because it was my first year working in racing so I was really attached to all the horses running in that edition. Second, there were some major stars and compelling races. And finally, the visuals of the races at the track looked awesome on TV. Smashing Singletary at the windows also helped. The 1989 edition at Gulfstream was also a favorite mostly because as a kid and a West Coaster, I LOVED Sunday Silence. So when he beat Easy Goer for the third time in their four matchups, well it will always be a favorite race and moment for me. 

I appreciate that a site must have tons of seating, a turf course (no Emerald Downs BC coming), and an abundance of hotels and amenities nearby to host the Breeders’ Cup. It's a big event with lots of people coming in. So places like Gulfstream and Colonial are probably out even though as tracks, they’d be amazing hosts. But mixing in the occasional New York Breeders' Cup, or maybe a Pimlico Breeders' Cup once it's rebuilt, I think really does add to the history and fun of what is one of our best events of the year. We have more than just four great tracks in this country, let’s show them off! It was very cool to see all the New York and Northeast racing fans be so excited on Wednesday with the announcement of the big event coming back to their area in a couple years. 

Have a great Thursday everyone!

Join us on June 7 for a rematch that will shake the stands. Many top Kentucky Derby contenders return for the Belmont S. (G1) to fight for the finish, including probable contender Journalism, winner of Preakness 150, and Sovereignty, winner of Derby 151. Who will stand in the winner's circle for Belmont?

Stay with us throughout Belmont Day during stakes races as we bring you the latest horse racing news, live odds, expert picks, and more. It is sure to be an exciting day of racing!