Bet on the Breeders' Cup

The Breeders' Cup Championship is the most honored horseracing event that crowns the fleetest sprinters, the most promising thoroughbreds and the best turf horses. Tempted with pure excitement, horseracing enthusiast across the globe concentrate closely on the final battle of the Breeders' Cup Challenge. The mercury of betting rises higher during the final stake, the richest of the lot - $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic.


The Breeders' Cup Championship guarantees a continuous action from the very moment horses step onto the track until the prestigious garland is draped over shoulders of the Classic winner at dusk. Neck-to-neck finishes, nail-biting excitement, stunning upsets, international fame, traditional fun and frolic - Breeders' Cup Championship has it all.

Horseracing's most action-packed tourney, Breeders' Cup championship, is truly a movable feast. Every fall, a different North American racetrack hosts Breeders' Cup Championship in a unique way. Whether it is at the historic Churchill Downs, at the passionate Belmont Park or at the panoramic Santa Anita in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the horseracing is celebrated in it's own style and fervor. Every year, major racing tracks fight for organizing the championship program - though the selection is processed maintaining a rotation policy. And, this is why the sense of ownership of the Breeders' Cup belongs to all racing enthusiast.

The founders of the Breeders' Cup envisioned uniting the thoroughbred racing-leaders and wanted to promote the sports by showcasing the finest elements of horseracing. In 1982, they chalked out plans of organizing a grand finale to the racing season that eventually became the cornerstone of a year-round program. More than $380 million has been allocated to owners and breeders since the inaugural 1984 final. The first Breeders' Cup Championship, which was celebrated at glitzy Hollywood Park, was an instant hit.

Since the inaugural session of Breeders' Cup Championships, the Classic is regarded as the focus of all the contenders; besides Classic there are the Juvenile and the Juvenile Fillies, the Distaff and the Filly & Mare Turf for females all ages three and up. The Sprint, the Mile and the Turf are open to horses of both sexes unlike the Classic. The history of Breeders' Cup is studded with some enthralling performance: the remarkable finish in the 2005 Breeders' Cup Classic by the great Cigar or the sharp stunts of Personal Engine to way past Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors in 1988, are all great finishes. Dozens of such stunning feats will be found if one starts searching the history of Breeders' Cup.


Unquestionably, each year is better than it's previous one at the Breeders' Cup. Now, the participants come from across the globe and add more interest to this championship. Even horses have journeyed from as far as Japan to participate this race. Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky credits to hold the record for attendance and betting. This racetrack gathered 80,452 spectators in 1998 and in 2000, over $108 million was wagered. Different media organizations feature this horseracing event in their own style; this is somewhat unprecedented in Thoroughbred racing. After televised Breeders' Cup, NBC has won Eclipse Award for National Television Achievement and the Outstanding Live Sports Special of 1992 at the 14th Emmy Awards for Sports annual ceremony.

The qualifying round for final event of the Breeders' Cup begins well in advance of the championship day. The Breeders' Cup Challenger starts in early summer and continues through mid-October; it consists of dozens of stakes races at various tracks across the country. Besides television broadcasting of old races, simulcasting - the transmission by satellite of actual racing - has helped the Breeders' Cup reach to the far off people. With the passage of time, the number of outlets for pari-mutuel wagering is growing up by leaps and bounds. During the 1984 meet, there were only nineteen outlets throughout the North America for seven races while the number of outlets is one thousand now that handle more than $108 million. The simulcasting has made Breeders' Cup possible to reach more than twenty five countries of the world spreading over the northern hemisphere, Europe and Australia.

One of the main reasons behind the popularity of Breeders' Cup is the approach of major corporate giants who have helped boost the success of the Breeders' Cup Championship. Some of the notable sponsors include - Buick, Alberto-Culver, Budweiser, Delta Air Lines, Emirates Airlines, Mobil, National Car Rental, Visa and Sears. Though the sponsors have been helping and supporting the Breeders' Cup Championships financially, thoroughbred owners and breeders have been it's backbone since the beginning of this racing. Besides supplying horses in the Breeders' Cup event, thoroughbred owners and breeders pay nominations. This is one of the major sources of funding.


Generally, stallion owners annually pay a nomination fee that is equivalent to a stallion's advertised stud fee, or at least $1000, whereas breeders pay a nomination fee of $500 for each foal. It is to be noted here that the nominated horses are eligible to compete for millions in both the National Stakes program and the Breeders' Cup championship events. As the Breeders' Cup is an international program, there is a set of rules for the nomination process for the breeders around the world. Within a short period, the breeders' cup has firmly standardized itself as thoroughbred racing's most prestigious event - no racing championship is match in terms of money or quality. Moreover, Breeders' Cup shares a spontaneous excitement all through.


Until now, the Breeders Cup has accomplished what the founders wished to do - rather it has fulfilled their dream more than what they expected. This race is considered as the racing's most recognizable and successful racing event and is expected to blossom more in the years to come.