Timeline: History of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships® & Classic
In just four decades, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships® has already created a storied and varied history that stands rightfully with some of the century-old competitions it shares the calendar with.
Know as the ‘World Championships’ of the sport and the final event of the horse racing season, the Breeders’ Cup® has carved out its own specific space in thoroughbred racing and is the owner of some of the sport’s most memorable moments.
In anticipation of the 2024 Breeders’ Cup taking off from Del Mar this fall, we’re taking a brief look at everything that led up to this next edition of the Breeders’ Cup.
1984 — First Breeders’ Cup
It all started on November 10 at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles.
The first edition of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships brought just under 65,000 spectators to the racetrack to see $10 million worth of total purse be competed for.
The first Breeders’ Cup featured an exhilarating first edition of the Classic, as Wild Again, Gate Dancer, and Slew O’Gold battled down the final stretch, with Wild Again winning by a neck.
1987 — Battle of Kentucky Derby® Champions
Alysheba and Ferdinand were the winners of the 1986 and 1987 Kentucky Derby, respectively, and found each other in the same starting gate for the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Ferdinand led the pack at the halfway point of the Classic, but a late surge from Alysheba wowed the audience of 57,000 at Hollywood Park as the two rivals came head-to-head down the final stretch.
As they charged towards a photo finish, Ferdinand snuck ahead and won the race by a nose, creating one of the Classic’s most memorable moments.
1989 — Final Battle Between Rivals
The final chapter in the storied rivalry between Sunday Silence and Easy Goer came at the 1989 Breeders’ Cup Classic.
After battling against one another for the entirety of their 3-year-old seasons, the two collided one last time at Gulfstream Park in front of over 51,000 spectators.
The duo dueled the entire race, but it was Sunday Silence who had the last laugh, finishing his year with a win in the Classic by a neck over his rival.
1993 — Upset for the Ages
The 1993 Classic holds a special place in Breeders’ Cup lore.
At 133-1 odds, Arcangues became the biggest upset winner in Breeders’ Cup history when he crossed the finish line first.
Relatively unknown in the lead-up to the race, the French horse permanently signed his name in the record books in front of 55,000 at Santa Anita Park.
1996 — A Trip Up North
While the Breeders’ Cup is typically held in the United States, the World Championships did take a trip up north in 1996 when it was held at the Woodbine Racetrack just outside of Toronto, Canada. The event drew over 42,000 spectators.
The Breeders’ Cup has not returned to Canada since.
2001 — First and Only Double Champion
After winning the Classic in 2000, Tiznow returned in 2001 to attempt what no horse had ever done — win the Classic twice.
Taking off from the starting gates at Belmont Park, Tiznow raced well and came from behind to win the Classic once again, this time by a nose.
To this day he is still the only two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
2007 — Time for Expansion
After two-plus decades of success, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships expanded to a two-day format.
This gave event organizers the ability to add more races to the slate and bring the events total purse up a significant amount, which helped make the Breeders’ Cup one of the richest thoroughbred racing events in the world along with the Dubai World Cup.
2015 — First Grand Slam Champion
You must win the Triple Crown™ before you can consider the Grand Slam of Thoroughbred racing and no horse was able to do so since the inception of the Breeders’ Cup in 1984.
Then, 31 years later, came along American Pharoah. The Bob Baffert-trained horse broke the 37-year Triple Crown drought in 2015 and headed to the Breeders’ Cup Classic with the Grand Slam in mind.
In the first ever attempt at the Grand Slam, American Pharoah did it, accomplishing something that no Triple Crown winner before him could claim.
Attend the 2024 Breeders’ Cup with an Official Ticket Package
The Breeders’ Cup is returning to Del Mar in November. Be a part of this historic event as the world of thoroughbred racing returns to Del Mar to prove who the world champion is.
Official Ticket Packages from Breeders’ Cup Experiences include a race ticket, premium hospitality access, exclusive extras, and much more. Click below to view all package options.
