Breeders’ Cup Classic – highlight of the Breeders' Cup World Championships
The Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic is possibly one of the most anxiously awaited races in the United States, which is held on the second day of the Breeders' Cup World Championships and holds a purse of $5 million.
This race closes the two-day meet, and attracts a significant amount of media attention.
Run at a distance of 1 ¼ miles, this race is open to runners who are of age three and above.
Since its inauguration in 1984, the grand race is held at a different venue every year, and this year it will take place at Santa Anita Park on 3rd
November, 2012.
The reason why the Breeders’ Cup Classic is so anticipated is because it is often known as the premier thoroughbred horse race of the year in the U.S.
Before 2008, this second day of the Breeders’ Cup was known as the richest day in the sports, but now the Dubai World Cup Night at Meydan has that honour.
2007 onwards, a programme called the "The Breeders' Cup Challenge" was established which gave automatic entries and all expense paid trip to the Classic if runners succeeded in the prerequisites.
Some of the races which guarantee the winners a spot in the Classics are the Whitney Handicap, the Washington Park Handicap, the Goodwood Stakes and the Pacific Classic Stakes.
This Grade 1 prestigious race is rarely won by the same horse twice and until now, only the Jay M. Robbins trained Tiznow has been able to do it. He claimed the race in 2000 and then in 2001.
Owned by Michael Cooper and Cecilia Straub-Rubens, the runner was titled the California Horse of the Year in 2000 and 2001, the American Horse of the Year in 2000 and the American Champion Older Male Horse in 2001.
Over the course of time, Charlie Whittingham has saddled 2 winners, Ferdinand in 1987 and Sunday Silence in 1989.
Last year, this honour was claimed by the Bill Mott trained, Drosselmeyer, who was paired with rider, Mike Smith.
Chances are whenever a runner triumphs in this particular race; he or she is nominated for the U.S. Horse of the Year title. This is not a definite thing, but since Ghostzapper, Saint Liam, Invasor, and Curlin got the honour from 2004 to 2007, this
is the general expectation.
By winning the Whitney Handicap in 2012, Fort Larned has earned himself a spot in this prestigious race.
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