Tag: Breeders Cup

Before the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen program was announced, Obligatory (5) captured the first race of the new incentive-based program: the Derby City Distaff. (Image: Coady Photography)

Breeders’ Cup Digs In, Creates Dirt Dozen Incentive Program

Further trying to incentivize participation in its dirt races, the Breeders’ Cup announced a participation bonus for connections of dirt horses – the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen. The 12-race program encompasses existing graded stakes races scheduled from now through October at six US tracks. The Dirt Dozen awards bonuses for […]

Beyond Brilliant's victory in the Grade 2 Hollywood Derby was one of the highlights of Del Mar's 2021 Bing Crosby Meet. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Del Mar Closes 2021 as Safest Major Racetrack in America

Del Mar took in record handle of more than $943 million in 2021, but that buries the lead of what became the most important feature of the suburban San Diego track during the two-session, 2021 racing season. The track endured just one fatality in 426 races, encompassing 3,552 starters, making […]

A familiar sight: Pursuers vainly chasing Knicks Go. The 5-year-old beat sophomores Medina Spirit, Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie to win the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic Saturday at Del Mar. (Image: AP Photo)

Breeders’ Cup Day 2: Land of Knicks Go, Rising Sun and Falling Favorites

Now that the Breeders’ Cup Classic performed its designated coronation, you can start engraving Knicks Go’s name on the Horse of the Year trophy now. Avoid the rush, which Knicks Go splendidly did at Del Mar Saturday evening. He broke out to his patented early lead and turned aside all […]

Jockey William Buick celebrates his victory aboard Modern Games in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. It wasn't a popular win with bettors after the 9/5 favorite was taken out of the wagering pool when he was initially scratched. (Image: Jae C. Hong)

Bizarre Beginning Leads to Head Games for Modern Games Bettors

The very aptly named Modern Games “won” the finale on Friday’s Breeders’ Cup five-race, all-juvenile card, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Except bettors didn’t collect a dime from his score. Fasten your seat belts. This Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf will live in betting infamy for a long time. How many […]

Knicks Go breezed to victory in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He takes 5/2 morning-line favorite status for Saturday's $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic against a wealth of tougher contenders. (Image: Horsephotos)

Breeders’ Cup Classic: An All-Star Field With Numerous Possibilities

The first thing worth understanding about the Breeders’ Cup Classic is that it’s not kind to favorites. Unless you qualify for legend status, like Ferdinand, Alysheba, A.P. Indy, Cigar, Skip Away, Ghostzapper, Zenyatta and American Pharoah do. Last year’s winner, Authentic, was 5/1. Your favorite, meanwhile, was 3.20/1 Tiz the […]

Breeders' Cup Juvenile favorite and Champagne Stakes winner Jack Christopher was a late Thursday scratch from Friday's $2 million race.( Image: Janet Garaguso/NYRA)

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Favorite Jack Christopher a Late Scratch

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile favorite Jack Christopher won’t run in Friday’s $2 million Juvenile, according to the Breeders’ Cup, which announced the scratch on Twitter late Thursday night. The 9/5 favorite for the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile was scratched due to a left shin issue, according to a tweet from Bradley Weisbord, […]

Domestic Spending was the 4/1 seconds choice to win the $4 million Breeders' Cup Turf. He was scratched due to inflammation in his leg. (Image: Ella DeGea)

Domestic Spending, United Scratched from Breeders’ Cup Turf

Domestic Spending and United, two of the primary American horses in the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, were both scratched Thursday morning by their trainers due to inflammation. The scratches alter the dynamic of a race in which Domestic Spending was the 4/1 second favorite and considered the Great American […]

Gear Jockey and Jose Lezcano needed a scratch for this Turf Sprint berth at Kentucky Downs. They parlayed that into a win and a spot in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. (Image: Coady Photography)

Gear Jockey Shifts Into Sprint Mode Just In Time for Breeders’ Cup

When you watch Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and hear the name Gear Jockey, you need to understand the grinding wheels of opportunity-meets-preparation that it took to bring him to the Del Mar starting gate. Gear Jockey needed a scratch to get him into the Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs. […]

Gamine, seen here winning the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga, is the biggest favorite of the 14 Breeders' Cup favorites. She opens at 3/5 to defend her title in the Filly & Mare Sprint. (Image: Coglianese Photos/Dom Napolitano)

Knicks Go, Essential Quality Your Breeders’ Cup Classic Favorites

Knicks Go and Essential Quality are stablemates, travel mates from East Coast to West Coast and now – after Monday’s post-position draws – they are gate neighbors for Saturday’s $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar. Essential Quality will start from post 4 in the nine-horse Classic field as […]

Idol's Sunday workout at Del Mar went well, according to trainer Richard Baltas. But the conditioner did not like how the Santa Anita Handicap champion looked afterward. (Image: Ella DeGea)

Breeders’ Cup Scratches: Idol is Idled From Classic, Flagstaff Out of Sprint

Santa Anita Handicap winner Idol, standout sprinter Flagstaff and promising juvenile Rattle N Roll were all scratched from their various Breeders’ Cup races Sunday with various ailments. Trainer Richard Baltas pulled Idol out of the Breeders’ Cup Classic after the conditioner found something untoward after his Sunday morning workout at […]

Knicks Go used this Lukas Classic victory as a tune-up for the Breeders' Cup Classic, where his speed figures top his competitors on two scales. (Image: Coady Photography)

Breeders’ Cup Speed Figures: Classic Questions, Possibilities Abound

Hot Rod Charlie, Art Collector, Medina Spirit and Stilleto Boy all come into the Breeders’ Cup Classic off career-best speed figures on all three barometers. Essential Quality and Max Player enter the fray off career-best marks on two tables. So what to make of this year’s 10-horse field in what […]

Del Mar plays host to the Breeders Cup World Championships for the second time. (Image: Breeders Cup)

Here is Your First Look at the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Pre-Entries

Seven returning Breeders’ Cup champions, including Breeders’ Cup Classic favorites Knicks Go and Essential Quality, lead the pre-entry field for next weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar. The 14-race festival begins on Friday, Nov. 5 with five juvenile races before segueing into nine races on Saturday, Nov. 6. […]

This year's Breeders' Cup wagering menu offers an all-turf Pick 4, mandating you pick the winners of four of the top Breeders' Cup grass races. (Image: K.C. Allred/San Diego Union-Tribune)

Breeders’ Cup Betting Menu Offers a Healthy Smorgasbord of Wagers

The Breeders’ Cup unveiled its 2021 wagering menu on Wednesday, adding a new All-Turf Pick 4 and a third Pick 5 to Saturday’s betting smorgasbord. Along with the wagering menu, officials for the Nov. 5-6 racing festival at Del Mar announced the official race order. Friday’s first day features 10 […]

Trainer Bob Baffert's Medina Spirit wired the field in the Grade 1 Awesome Again earlier this month. The star Baffert colt -- as well as his other Breeders' Cup entries -- will be allowed to run in the championships at Del Mar next month. (Image: Ernie Belmonte)

Breeders’ Cup Allows Baffert’s Horses to Run with Extra Conditions

After a nearly month-long “review process” on Bob Baffert’s status, Breeders’ Cup officials announced on Sunday that the Hall of Fame trainer can enter this year’s Nov. 5-6 event at Del Mar, with certain conditions. Those conditions include extra testing of his entries, which Baffert will pay for, along with […]

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert faces another challenge from a racing organization. The Breeders' Cup began reviewing his eligibility for this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships. (Image: John Minchillo/Associated Press)

Breeders’ Cup Board Instigates Review on Bob Baffert’s Eligibility

The Breeders’ Cup announced this weekend that it began reviewing whether Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert can send his horses to this year’s event, set for Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar. The process began in the wake of the New York Racing Association’s scheduled Sept. 27 hearing for the […]