As one of the biggest horse races in the sporting calendar, the Breeders’ Cup is something that we look forward to eagerly each year.
What does the 2021 version hold in store and what do you need to know about it?
The Basic Details
The Breeders’ Cup 2021 World Championships will be run at the Del Mar Racetrack in California, on November 5 and 6. Check out more details about Del Mar here: twinspires.com/race-tracks/del-mar
This event moves to a different racetrack in the US each year, with the 2020 version taking place in Keeneland, which is where the 2022 race will also be run.
This has been set up as a two-day event in recent years, with the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Classic the highlight of the proceedings. The first day is on Friday this year and it covers juvenile races for two-year olds, while the second day includes the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Turf, and Sprint events, among other races.
It is worth noting that the Breeders’ Cup has been a big part of the American racing scene since it began in 1984. While its history doesn’t stretch back as far as some other important horse races in the US, the Breeders’ Cup proved to be a huge success right away and is now firmly established as one of the country’s most popular races.
The Horses Tasking Part in the Classic
With a $6 million purse of which over half goes to the winner, the Classic race is the most valuable of the different races that make up this event. This means that it attracts some of the very best thoroughbreds around. A maximum of 14 horses can compete here, and they can qualify in one of a variety of ways.
Up to seven runners will be chosen through their performances in the run-up to the races. They will have earned points by performing well in the biggest races earlier in the year or by winning one of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge races. The other seven horses are chosen by a panel of industry experts to help ensure a well-balanced field.
Among the contenders listed on the official Breeders’ Cup website at the time of writing are Essential Quality, Hot Rod Charlie, and Medina Spirit. The same site has a list of the qualifying races that are still due to be run, which will help to define the final list of horses to be entered.
September sees qualifying races like the Flower Bowl, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and the Irish Champion Stakes. The action continues in October, with the American Pharaoh Stakes, the Rodeo Drive Stakes, and the Santa Anita Sprint Championship among the big events that will help to show who will be taking part in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Visiting the Race
This event also provides one of the major attractions of the year for any sports fan who wants to visit a big horse race. Tickets are already on sale online, after the 2020 version took place without any spectators due to the pandemic restrictions on place then. It has been reported that Breeders’ Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming confirmed earlier this year that 100% of the seating capacity at Del Mar will be used for the races.
Tickets are expected to be in demand due to this return to action after a year out, with packages including premium dining tickets, box seating, and reserved seating. The season opener at Del Mar this July was sold out well in advance.
This is sure to remain one of the top American horse races, and the 2021 edition should be even more special thanks to the fact that spectators are allowed back in after a year away. All in all, it is one of the top racing events to look forward to in 2021.