The Breeders' Cup: A Global Spectacle of Equine Excellence

The Breeders' Cup World Championships, an annual event that has captivated the hearts of racing enthusiasts worldwide, is set to unfold on November 1-2 at the picturesque Del Mar racetrack in Southern California. This two-day extravaganza promises to be a thrilling experience for fans, whether they attend in person or tune in to the live coverage across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and FanDuel TV.

Unraveling the Tapestry of Breeders' Cup History and Tradition

The Visionary Behind the Breeders' Cup

The Breeders' Cup's origins can be traced back to the early 1980s, when John Gaines, a former Hollywood movie star and the owner of Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, envisioned a world championship series for Thoroughbreds. Gaines recognized the need to promote the sport of Thoroughbred racing and strengthen the bond between the day-to-day racing industry and the breeders who produce the horses that compete in these prestigious events. His idea, first announced at a luncheon just prior to the 1982 Kentucky Derby, eventually materialized into the first Breeders' Cup, held on November 10, 1984, at Hollywood Park in California, where it drew a crowd of 64,254 fans and a national television audience on NBC.

The Evolution of the Breeders' Cup: From a Single Day to a Two-Day Spectacle

The decision to expand the Breeders' Cup to a two-day event has had a significant impact on both the betting handle and the event's overall appeal to fans. In 2007, Breeders' Cup officials made the move to a Friday-Saturday format, with the first (and so far only) edition held at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. Since then, the race schedule has been tweaked several times, with the current format dividing the World Championships into a "Future Stars Friday" featuring five races for 2-year-olds and a "Super Saturday" showcasing the remaining nine Breeders' Cup races for horses aged 3 and older. This format has helped drive the growth in global wagering, with last year's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park generating a record-breaking global wagering pool of $176.28 million. The 2021 edition, held at Del Mar, set a then-record of $183.26 million, which was subsequently surpassed in 2022 at Keeneland with a staggering $189.06 million in global handle.

California's Dominance and the Allure of Del Mar

California has firmly established itself as the epicenter of the Breeders' Cup, having hosted the event a total of 16 times (soon to be 17). The iconic Hollywood Park in Inglewood, now the site of the SoFi Stadium, has welcomed the Breeders' Cup on three occasions, while the legendary Santa Anita Park in Arcadia holds the record as the all-time leading host venue with 11 events, most recently in 2023. Del Mar, the picturesque seaside track located just two hours south of greater Los Angeles and roughly 30 minutes north of San Diego, will host the World Championships for the third time this fall, having previously done so in 2017 and 2021. The allure of Del Mar's stunning coastal setting and the thrill of the races have made it a must-visit destination for racing enthusiasts from around the world.

The Global Reach of the Breeders' Cup

The Breeders' Cup has always been a true global event, with horses based outside North America winning at least one race in 36 of the 40 prior editions. The marketing intent behind the "World Championships" moniker is clear, and foreign-based horses have been standouts from the very beginning. While the majority of these winners have come from European countries and have excelled in the turf races, the 2021 championships at Del Mar also saw two Japan-based winners, one on the turf (Loves Only You) and one in a major upset on the dirt (Marche Lorraine). The record for the most foreign-based winners during a single Breeders' Cup event is six, which has happened twice: in 2009 at Santa Anita Park and in 2022 at Keeneland.

Legendary Racehorses and Their Breeders' Cup Triumphs

The Breeders' Cup has witnessed the rise of some of the most iconic racehorses in the sport's history, with two Hall of Fame mares holding the record for the most total Breeders' Cup wins at three. The Irish-bred and European-based turf star Goldikova won the Breeders' Cup Mile three times in a row from 2008 to 2010, while the California-based Beholder captured the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at age 2, the Distaff at age 3, and then returned at age 6 to win the Distaff again, cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats. These remarkable achievements, along with the thrilling races that have unfolded over the years, have solidified the Breeders' Cup as a true showcase of equine excellence.

The Breeding Powerhouse: Ireland's Dominance and the Sires of Champions

Ireland has emerged as the leading producer of Breeders' Cup winners outside of the United States, with 47 winners hailing from the Emerald Isle. This remarkable statistic is a testament to the country's rich breeding heritage and the global impact of its equine industry. Furthermore, the Breeders' Cup has also highlighted the contributions of sires, with 26 horses that won a Breeders' Cup race going on to sire a Breeders' Cup winner themselves. Unbridled's Song and two-time Horse of the Year Curlin lead the pack, each having sired six individual Breeders' Cup winners, with Curlin's progeny including recent repeat champions Cody's Wish and Elite Power.

The Masterminds Behind the Breeders' Cup: Trainers and Their Triumphs

The Breeders' Cup has also showcased the brilliance of the sport's top trainers, with Richard Mandella and Brad Cox holding the record for the most wins by a trainer at a single event. Mandella, a Hall of Famer, won four races at the 2003 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita, while the rising star Cox achieved the same feat at the 2020 Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, with two winners on each day of the two-day event. These impressive accomplishments highlight the crucial role that trainers play in preparing and guiding these equine athletes to the pinnacle of their careers.

The Breeders' Cup: A Showcase of Triple Crown Legends

The Breeders' Cup has also served as a stage for some of the most legendary Triple Crown winners, with six Kentucky Derby champions going on to win the Breeders' Cup Classic, four of them achieving the feat in the same year. Iconic horses like Ferdinand, Alysheba, Sunday Silence, Unbridled, American Pharoah, and Authentic have etched their names in the annals of racing history by completing this remarkable double, cementing their legacies as true superstars of the sport.

The Breeders' Cup: A Breeding Ground for Longshot Legends

The Breeders' Cup has also been a breeding ground for longshot legends, with eight winners paying more than $100 on a $2 win bet. The most recent of these was Marche Lorraine, who shocked the racing world with her victory in the 2021 Longines Distaff at Del Mar, paying a staggering $101.80. However, the biggest price in Breeders' Cup history came in the 1993 Classic, when the little-known Arcangues, shipped in from France, moved from turf to dirt, and stunned the crowd with a two-length victory that paid a mind-boggling $269.20 for a $2 investment.