About
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is America richest race for over 3-year-old horses and is run for 1 14 miles (2,000 m) on dirt. The annual event takes place in different racetracks in late October or early November. The United States has hosted the race every year except in 1996 when it was held in Canada at Woodbine Racetrack.
History
The first Breeders’ Cup Classic event took place on 10 November, 1984. Wild Again, ridden by Pat Day was the first
winner of this Grade I Thoroughbred horse race. The race was held at Hollywood Park and the winner pocketed $3 million in front of a crowd of 68,000 and many others who watched on national television.
Until 1995, the prize for the winner was $3 million. In 1996, it was increased to $4 million and then to $5 million
and $6 million in 2005 and 2016 respectively.
Broadcast
Between 1984 and 2005, the event was broadcasted by NBC. ESPN took over the broadcast from 2006 to 2012. Since then, the event has been aired on NBC.
Racetrack
Breeders’ Cup Classic race takes place in separate racetracks. Although Hollywood Park hosted the first event,
it has done so only three times. Belmont Park has held the event four times while Santa Anita holds the record of
hosting it nine times.
Past Winners
Last year, four-year-old Gun Runner, ridden by Florent Geroux became the new horseracing king after winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club racetrack. Gun Runner defeated the favorite and 2016 champion Arrogate to win $6 million. It was a sad day for Arrogate as this was the last race of his career.
Breeders’ Cup Classic is a tough race making it hard to predict the winner. Tiznow is the only horse that has won the event twice, in 2000 and 2001, with the latter being held at Belmont Park in New York.
Other winners of this prestigious race are American Pharaoh in 2015 and Bayern in 2014, all under one trainer,
Bob Baffert.