Breeders' Cup Classic

Introduction

The Breeders' Cup Classic is the crown jewel of American thoroughbred horse racing and typically the finale of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Established in 1984, this Grade 1 race has become the defining year-end contest for the best dirt horses, often settling Horse of the Year debates and cementing legacies. With a blend of history, prestige, and sheer excitement, the Classic stands as a monument to the sport's enduring allure.

Breeders’ Cup Classic History

When the Breeders' Cup was inaugurated in 1984, the Classic was envisioned as the culminating event, a championship to decide the best of the best in North American thoroughbred racing. Over the years, the race has perennially lived up to its billing, attracting not just the top American talent but also occasional entries from abroad. With a purse that has risen to $7 million in 2024, it is one of the richest horse races in the world.

The Classic is open to thoroughbreds aged three years and older. It is run over a distance of 1 1/4 miles on a dirt track, and provides a stern examination of stamina, speed, and tactical skill.

2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic Challenge Series Races

DATE	TRACK	RACE	GRADE	DISTANCE	AGE	SEX	DIVISION	AREA	WINNER
18/02/2024	TOK	February Stakes	I	1 Mile	4 YO & UP		Classic	Japan	Peptide Nile (JPN)
29/06/2024	CD	Stephen Foster Stakes	I	1 1/8 Miles	4 YO & UP		Classic	Kentucky	Kingsbarns
20/07/2024	Mth	NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes	I	1 1/8 Miles	3 YO		Classic	New Jersey	Dornoch
03/08/2024	Sar	The Whitney	I	1 1/8 Miles	4 YO & UP		Classic	New York	Arthur's Ride
21/08/2024	YOR	Juddmonte International Stakes	I	1 1/4 Miles (T)	3 YO & UP		Classic	United Kingdom	City of Troy
31/08/2024	Dmr	FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic	I	1 1/4 Miles	3 YO & UP		Classic	California	Mixto
01/09/2024	Sar	Jockey Club Gold Cup	I	1 1/4 Miles	3 YO & UP		Classic	New York	Highland Falls
28/09/2024	SA	California Crown	I	1 1/8 Miles	3 YO & UP		Classic	California	Subsanador

 

2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic Trends

• 21 of the last 22 Classic winners had 3-8 runs that season ('22 winner Flightline only 2 starts - machine!!)
• 39/40 ran 1-2-3 LTO (24 x 1st; 9 x 2nd; 5 x 3rd)
• 36/40 won a G1 that season
• 40/40 aged 3-5 (6yo+ 0/34) – 3yo 13 wins; 4yo 17 wins; 5yo 10 wins
• 23 of last 35 posted stamina (6f+) workout since last run - no longer a strong trend
• 12/13 40+ day layoffs posted Bullet and/or Stamina works since last run
• 10/13 3yo winners ran in at least one Triple Crown race (1 exception was a Euro)
• 24 of the last 28 posted 100+ Beyer last time but below previous best ('19, '20, '22, '23 new or equal Beyer top LTO)
• Where no distance form, check breeding for stamina credentials
• Bob Baffert 4, John Sadler 2, Steve Asmussen 2, Bill Mott 2

 

How the runners fit

To be determined

2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic Pace Map

To be determined

Key Trials

Go to breederscup.com for race videos.

Trends Contenders

To be determined

Classic Form Review

To be determined

Classic Form Contenders

To be determined

Breeders’ Cup Classic Results

Key: PP - post position; RS - run style (lengths behind leader: 4 <½L, 3 ½L- 1½L, 2 1¾L - 3½L, 1 > 3½L); Odds - return for a 1 unit stake; SR - Equibase speed figure

Track	Date	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	PP	RS	Odds	SR	Chart
Santa Anita	4/11/2023	White Abarrio	Richard Dutrow, Jr.	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	2	2	2.60	116	Result
Keeneland	5/11/2022	Flightline	John W. Sadler	Flavien Prat	4	3	0.44	129	Result
Del Mar	6/11/2021	Knicks Go	Brad H. Cox	Joel Rosario	4	4	3.20	119	Result
Keeneland	7/11/2020	Authentic	Bob Baffert	John R. Velazquez	9	4	4.20	116	Result
Santa Anita	2/11/2019	Vino Rosso	Todd A. Pletcher	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	10	2	4.60	117	Result
Churchill	3/11/2018	Accelerate	John W. Sadler	Joel Rosario	14	2	2.70	115	Result
Del Mar	4/11/2017	Gun Runner	Steven M. Asmussen	Florent Geroux	5	4	2.40	130	Result
Santa Anita	5/11/2016	Arrogate	Bob Baffert	Mike E. Smith	9	2	1.70	124	Result
Keeneland	10/31/2015	American Pharoah	Bob Baffert	Victor Espinoza	4	4	0.70	119	Result
Santa Anita	1/11/2014	Bayern	Bob Baffert	Martin Garcia	7	4	6.10	113	Result
Santa Anita	2/11/2013	Mucho Macho Man	Katherine Ritvo	Gary L. Stevens	6	2	4.00	119	Result
Santa Anita	3/11/2012	Fort Larned	Ian R. Wilkes	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	4	4	9.40	122	Result
Churchill	5/11/2011	Drosselmeyer	William I. Mott	Mike E. Smith	2	1	14.80	117	Result
Churchill	6/11/2010	Blame	Albert M. Stall, Jr.	Garrett K. Gomez	5	1	5.20	119	Result
Santa Anita	7/11/2009	Zenyatta	John A. Shirreffs	Mike E. Smith	4	1	2.80	126	Result
Santa Anita	10/25/2008	Raven's Pass	John H. M. Gosden	Lanfranco Dettori	8	1	13.50	122	Result
Monmouth	10/27/2007	Curlin	Steven M. Asmussen	Robby Albarado	4	1	4.40	118	Result
Churchill	4/11/2006	Invasor (ARG)	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	Fernando Jara	11	1	6.70	123	Result
Belmont	10/29/2005	Saint Liam	Richard E. Dutrow, Jr.	Jerry D. Bailey	12	1	2.40	124	Result
Lone Star	10/30/2004	Ghostzapper	Robert J. Frankel	Javier Castellano	1	4	2.50	126	Result
Santa Anita	10/25/2003	Pleasantly Perfect	Richard E. Mandella	Alex O. Solis	2	1	14.20	119	Result
Arlington	10/26/2002	Volponi	Philip G. Johnson	Jose A. Santos	2	2	43.50	128	Result
Belmont	10/27/2001	Tiznow	Jay M. Robbins	Chris J. McCarron	10	2	6.90	123	Result
Churchill	4/11/2000	Tiznow	Jay M. Robbins	Chris J. McCarron	12	4	9.20	123	Result
Gulfstream	6/11/1999	Cat Thief	D. Wayne Lukas	Pat Day	6	4	19.60	120	Result
Churchill	7/11/1998	Awesome Again	Patrick B. Byrne	Pat Day	3	1	4.70	123	Result
Hollywood	8/11/1997	Skip Away	Hubert Hine	Mike E. Smith	1	3	1.80	136	Result
Woodbine	10/26/1996	Alphabet Soup	David E. Hofmans	Chris J. McCarron	12	2	19.85	119	Result
Belmont	10/28/1995	Cigar	William I. Mott	Jerry D. Bailey	10	2	0.70	126	Result
Churchill	5/11/1994	Concern	Richard W. Small	Jerry D. Bailey	11	1	7.50	133	Result
Santa Anita	6/11/1993	Arcangues	Andre Fabre	Jerry D. Bailey	12	1	133.60	126	Result
Gulfstream	10/31/1992	A.P. Indy	Neil D. Drysdale	Eddie J. Delahoussaye	4	2	2.10	126	Result
Churchill	2/11/1991	Black Tie Affair (IRE)	Ernie T. Poulos	Jerry D. Bailey	8	4	4.00	N/A	Result
Belmont	10/27/1990	Unbridled	Carl A. Nafzger	Pat Day	14	1	6.60	N/A	Result
Gulfstream	4/11/1989	Sunday Silence	Charles E. Whittingham	Chris J. McCarron	8	1	2.00	N/A	Result
Churchill	5/11/1988	Alysheba	Jack C. Van Berg	Chris J. McCarron	5	1	1.50	N/A	Result
Hollywood	11/21/1987	Ferdinand	Charles E. Whittingham	William Shoemaker	6	1	1.00	N/A	Result
Santa Anita	1/11/1986	Skywalker	Michael C. Whittingham	Laffit A. Pincay, Jr.	3	4	10.10	N/A	Result
Aqueduct	2/11/1985	Proud Truth	John M. Veitch	Jorge Velasquez	6	1	7.40	N/A	Result
Hollywood	10/11/1984	Wild Again	Vincent A. Timphony	Pat Day	2	4	31.30	N/A	Result

Noteworthy Classic Winners

All winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic are noteworthy, but some have really stood out even from their illustrious peers. These are a few of our favourites...

Sunday Silence (1989)

Sunday Silence's win over his arch-rival Easy Goer in the 1989 Classic is the stuff of legend, a dramatic duel that is etched in the annals of horse racing history. This was a shootout between two superstars who had carved up the Triple Crown between them. In that trio of championship races, Sunday Silence had taken the first two - the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes - but was no match for Easy Goer over the longer trip of the Belmont, eventually finishing a remote second.

Back at ten furlongs, Sunday Silence again asserted his superiority; but, off sizzling early fractions set by Slew City Slew, only just:

 

Cigar (1995)

"The incomparable, invincible, unbeatable Cigar", as the commentator noted, tasted victory in the 1995 Classic to cap a perfect season and secure his status as one of the all-time greats.

Tiznow (2000, 2001)

Though some have come close, notably the wonder mare Zenyatta, the only horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic twice is Tiznow, his back-to-back victories earned at the turn of the century. It was a hugely emotional win in 2001, as the first major sporting event to take place in the state of New York following the 9/11 tragedy, and the stretch drive with the game British-trained Sakhee is among the most memorable moments in the sport.

American Pharoah (2015)

In 2015, American Pharaoh became the first Triple Crown winner to add the Breeders' Cup Classic to his palmarès, completing what is now known as the "Grand Slam" of American horse racing. His romp in the first Breeders' Cup held at Keeneland, the spiritual home of thoroughbred breeding in North America, was little more than a lap of honour for the superlative horse of his generation.

Flightline (2022)

There has been a general downgrade in terms of speed figures for US (and indeed European) middle distance horses as the fashion to breed for speed has taken hold. But in 2022, Flightline was a glorious freak of an exception. Unbeaten in six races across two seasons, he arrived at the Classic having recorded one of the largest Beyer speed figures ever in the Pacific Classic at his home track, winning that legitimate Grade 1 by nineteen and a half lengths (!) from the Dubai World Cup winner, Country Grammer. Questions were murmured about whether he'd 'bounce' off such a huge effort, and whether he would be 'spoiled' by the pace-setting Life Is Good, himself a champion and Dirt Mile winner a year prior. In the end, Flightline answered all questions, romping away from his rivals by more than eight lengths in commanding fashion:

 

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