Breeders Cup

Breeders Cup World Championships

The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I thoroughbred horse races operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. It is widely regarded as the best two day's meeting of thoroughbred racing in the world and sees top horses from across the world competing for the multi million dollar purses.

From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location changes each year. All sites have been in the United States, except in 1996, when the races were at the Woodbine Racetrack in Canada.

The event was created as a year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing, and also attracts top horses from other parts of the world, especially Europe. The Breeders' Cup was founded in 1982 by John R. Gaines, a leading thoroughbred owner and breeder.

The second day of the Breeders' Cup is either the richest or second-richest day in sports, with $20 million being awarded in 2007. Including the three new races, a total of $23 million was awarded in the 2007 event. Only the Dubai World Cup meeting, which is part of the Dubai Carnival and is run at the Nad el Sheba racecourse in the United Arab Emirates, comes anywhere close in terms of prize money avaialble for the world's top equine talent.

Selection Process

All Breeders' Cup fields are limited to 14 runners. If more than 14 are pre-entered, Breeders' Cup officials use a two-part selection system to decide which horses will be allowed to compete. The first seven runners earn automatic berths based on the points they have earned in American graded stakes races. The remaining runners are chosen by a panel of racing directors and secretaries who assess the form of potential runners worldwide and issue invitations to the horses they consider best.

Through 2006, there were eight races on the Breeders' Cup card, all classified as Grade I races. In 2007, three races, Dirt Mile, Filly and Mare Turf, and Juvenile Turf, were added, all of them run the Friday before the remaining eight races. Three more new races, a Turf Sprint, Juvenile Filly Turf and Dirt Marathon, were also added for 2008.

While the order of the first seven listed races on Saturday varies from year to year, the , 'Turf' and 'Classic' are traditionally the last three races. Most outside observers regard these races as the Championship for the top horses of that season and the winner of the Classic in particular is destined for a great career at stud.

Useful Breeders Cup Information

• Bet Types at the Breeders Cup
  

Historical Races

• 2009 Breeders Cup - Santa Anita
• 2008 Breeders Cup - Santa Anita