The Breeders' Cup Turf is a
Weight for Age
{{use dmy dates, date=October 2022
Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race.
History
The principle of WFA was developed by Henry John Rous, Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English ...
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...
on
turf
Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses.
In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...
for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the
Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is
Longines
Compagnie des Montres Longines, Francillon S.A., or simply Longines (), is a Swiss luxury watchmaker based in Saint-Imier, Switzerland. Founded by Agassiz family, Auguste Agassiz in 1832, the company has been a subsidiary of the Swiss The Swatch G ...
.
The race is run at the European Classic distance of miles, making it one of the most internationally appealing races on the Breeders' Cup lineup. One of the biggest moments in the race's history came in 2018 when
Enable became the first horse to win both the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
and Breeders' Cup Turf in the same year.
The forerunner for this race was the
Washington, D.C. International Stakes at
Laurel Park Racecourse
Laurel Park, formerly Laurel Race Course, is an American thoroughbred racetrack located just outside Laurel, Maryland which opened in 1911. The track is miles in circumference. Its name was changed to "Laurel Race Course" for several decades un ...
. Inaugurated in 1952, it was raced on turf at miles and drew the best horses from North America and Europe.
Automatic berths
Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed the
Breeders' Cup Challenge, a series of races in each division that allotted automatic qualifying bids to winners of defined races. Each of the fourteen divisions has multiple qualifying races. Note though that one horse may win multiple challenge races, while other challenge winners will not be entered in the Breeders' Cup for a variety of reasons such as injury or travel considerations.
In the Turf division, runners are limited to 14 and there are up to 11 automatic berths. The 2022 "Win and You're In" races were:
# the
Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini, a Grade 1 race run in December at
Hipódromo de San Isidro in Argentina
# the
Grande Prêmio Brasil, a Grade 1 race run in June at
Hipódromo da Gávea in Brazil
# the
Prince of Wales's Stakes, a Group I race run in June at
Royal Ascot
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Gra ...
in England
# the
Takarazuka Kinen
The Takarazuka Kinen (宝塚記念) is a Grade I flat horse race in Japan for Thoroughbreds aged three and over a distance of 2,200 metres (approximately miles) at Hanshin Racecourse (阪神競馬場) in late June. It is one of the two "All-Sta ...
, a Grade 1 race run in June at
Hanshin Racecourse
is located in Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan. It has a capacity of 139,000 and is used for horse racing. The land was originally owned by Kawanishi Aircraft Company, which manufactured combat planes during World War II. After World War II, GHQ orde ...
in Japan
# the
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, a Group 1 race run in July at
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, about 25 miles west of London. Ascot is used for thoroughbred horse racing, and it hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 races and three Grade ...
in England
# the
Del Mar Handicap, a Grade 2 race run in August at
Del Mar Racetrack
The Del Mar Fairgrounds is an event venue in Del Mar, California. It hosts the annual San Diego County Fair. The venue sits on a property along the Pacific Ocean coastline. It includes the Del Mar Racetrack, built in 1936 by the Del Mar Thoroug ...
in California
# the
Sword Dancer
Sword Dancer (April 24, 1956 – November 16, 1984) was an American National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame Eclipse Award, Champion Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. He was the leading American colt of his generation an ...
, a Grade 1 race run in August at
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York (state), New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting v ...
in upstate New York
# the
Irish Champion Stakes
The Irish Champion Stakes ( Irish: Curadh-Dhuais na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2 ...
, a Group 1 race run in September at
Leopardstown Racecourse
Leopardstown Racecourse is a horse-racing course in Leopardstown, approximately south of Dublin city centre, in Ireland. Like the majority of Irish courses, it hosts both National Hunt and Flat racing.
Built by Captain George Quin and modell ...
in Ireland
# the
Kentucky Turf Cup, a Grade 2 race run in September at
Kentucky Downs in Kentucky
# the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe () is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris over a distance ...
, a Group 1 race run in October at
Longchamps in France
# the
Champion Stakes
The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong a ...
, a Group 1 race run in October at
Ascot
Ascot, Ascott or Askot may refer to:
Places Australia
* Ascot, Queensland, suburb of Brisbane
* Ascot, Queensland (Toowoomba Region), a locality
* Ascot Park, South Australia, suburb of Adelaide
* Ascot (Ballarat), town near Ballarat in Victoria ...
in England
Records
Most wins:
* 2 –
High Chaparral
High Chaparral (1 March 1999 – 21 December 2014) was an Irish Thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorse and Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. In a career that lasted from September 2001 to October 2003, he ran 13 times and won 10 races. His w ...
(2002, 2003)
* 2 –
Conduit
Conduit may refer to:
Engineering systems
* Conduit (fluid conveyance), a pipe suitable for carrying either open-channel or pressurized liquids
* Electrical conduit, a protective cover, tube or piping system for electric cables
* Conduit cur ...
(2008, 2009)
* 2 –
Rebel's Romance (2022, 2024)
Most wins by a
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
:
* 5 –
Frankie Dettori
Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori (; born 15 December 1970), is an Italian jockey who was based in England for a career spanning over 35 years. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey three times (1994, 1995 and 2004) and rode the winners of 287 ...
(1999, 2001, 2006, 2010, 2018)
* 5 -
Ryan Moore (2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2023)
Most wins by a
trainer:
* 7 –
Aidan O'Brien
Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland)[ Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA. ...](_blank)
(2002, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023)
Most wins by an owner:
* 7 –
Sue Magnier
John Magnier (born 10 February 1948) is an Irish people, Irish business magnate. He is a leading thoroughbred stud (animal), stud owner and has extensive business interests outside the horse-breeding industry.
Magnier was a senator in the uppe ...
,
Michael Tabor
Michael Barry Tabor (born 28 October 1941) is a British racehorse owner. As a partner in Coolmore Stud, he is one of only four racehorse owners to have won both the Epsom Derby and the Kentucky Derby.
Tabor has extensive business interest ...
& Derrick Smith (2002, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023)
Winners
† Indicates filly/mare
See also
*
Breeders' Cup Turf "top three finishers" and starters
*
Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships
*
American thoroughbred racing top attended events
References
External links
Official Breeders' Cup websiteThree Great Moments: Breeders' Cup Turf at Hello Race Fans!
{{Triple Crown of Horse Racing
Turf
Sod is the upper layer of turf that is harvested for transplanting. Turf consists of a variable thickness of a soil medium that supports a community of turfgrasses.
In British and Australian English, sod is more commonly known as ''turf'', ...
Open middle distance horse races
Grade 1 turf stakes races in the United States
Horse races in California
Graded stakes races in the United States
Turf races in the United States
Horse races established in 1984
1984 establishments in California