Breeders' Cup

The Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, more popularly known simply as the Breeders' Cup, is an annual series of thoroughbred horse races created as a year-end championship for North American thoroughbreds. These races also attract top horses from other parts of the world, especially Europe.

The Breeders' Cup Championships is sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and it is held on a single day at a predetermined site, usually in the United States or Canada.

Currently, there are eight races on the Breeders' Cup card, all classified as Grade I races. The order of the first five listed races varies from year to year, but the 'Juvenile', 'Turf', and 'Classic' are traditionally the last three races. All races, unless otherwise indicated, are for any horse, regardless of sex, 3 years old and up, and are held on a dirt track.

The Breeders' Cup World Championships is composed of the following eight races:

  • Breeders' Cup Distaff
  • Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies
  • Breeders' Cup Mile
  • Breeders' Cup Sprint
  • Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf
  • Breeders' Cup Juvenile
  • Breeders' Cup Turf
  • Breeders' Cup Classic

List of Breeders' Cup Classic Winners

Wild Again
1984
Black Tie Affair
1991
Awesome Again
1998
Proud Truth
1985
A. P. Indy
1992
Cat Thief
1999
Skywalker
1986
Arcangues
1993
Tiznow
2000
Ferdinand
1987
Concern
1994
Tiznow
2001
Alysheba
1988
Cigar
1995
Volponi
2002
Sunday Silence
1989
Alphabet Soup
1996
Pleasantly Perfect
2003
Unbridled
1990
Skip Away
1997
 

History of the Breeders' Cup

1982

Breeders' Cup Limited was founded with the aim of staging an annual series of championship thoroughbred races with a multi-million-dollar total purse. The races were to be held each year in order to gather the best thoroughbreds in North America in one track and enhance the popularity of the sport of horse racing.

Since 1984

The Breeders' Cup has been held each year without interruption since the first staging in 1984. Listed below are the venues where it has been held and where future ones will be held.

Hollywood Park
1984
Gulfstream Park
1992
Churchill Downs
2000
Aqueduct
1985
Santa Anita Park
1993
Belmont Park
2001
Santa Anita Park
1986
Churchill Downs
1994
Arlington Park
2002
Hollywood Park
1987
Belmont Park
1995
Santa Anita Park
2003
Churchill Downs
1988
Woodbine
1996
Lone Star Park
2004
Gulfstream Park
1989
Hollywood Park
1997
Belmont Park
2005
Belmont Park
1990
Churchill Downs
1998
Churchill Downs
2006
Churchill Downs
1991
Gulfstream Park
1999
Monmouth Park
2007

1986

A separate $250,000 Breeders' Cup Steeplechase, held two weeks earlier than the series at a different track, was added to the calendar. It was discontinued after 1993.

1999

The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf was added to the Program.

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More Race Tracks

Alameda Fair Emerald Downs Louisiana Downs San Mateo County Fair
Arlington Park Evangeline Downs Maywood Park Scioto Downs
Breeders' Cup Fairplex Park Mohawk Sonoma Country Fair
Breeders' Cup Futures Ferndale Northfield Park Suffolk Downs
Bay Meadows Finger Lakes Philadelphia Park Suburban Downs
Beulah Park Golden Gate Fields Plainridge Racecourse Thistledown
Big Fresno Fair Great Lakes Downs Remington Park Timonium Race Course
Cal Expo Harrington Raceway Prairie Meadows Turf Paradise
Charles Town Races Hastings Racecourse Retama Park Turfway Park
Dover Downs Raceway Hazel Park River Downs Yavapai Downs
Downs at Albuquerque Hoosier Park Rockingham Park Yonkers Raceway
Ellis Park Indiana Downs

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