The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races…. which is operated by Breeders’ Cup Limited….a company formed in 1982. ….which from its inception in 1984 through 2006 was a single-day event…when starting in 2007….it expanded to two days…..wherein all sites have been in the United States….except in 1996 when the races were at the Woodbine Racetrack in Canada.
Each Breeders’ Cup race presents four Breeders’ Cup trophies to the connections of the winner and a garland of flowers draped over the withers of the winning horse….as many Breeders’ Cup winners will go on to win the Eclipse Award in their respective division…..evidenced by the fact that of the eleven racehorse categories….seven of the Eclipse winners in 2015 had also won a Breeders’ Cup race….while three others were in the money.
In the 2015 listing of the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA)….three Breeders’ Cup races are ranked among the top Grade 1 races in the world including The Classic at 4th…. The Turf at 10th….and The Mile at 12th….plus The Distaff is ranked 2nd among the top Grade 1 races for fillies and mares.
