2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships

Ginger Punch with jockey Rafael Bejarano aboard (4th R) on his way to winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff race during the 2007 Breeders' Cup World Championships 27 October 2007 at Monmouth Park in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey. AFP PHOTO/Timothy A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images) The Breeders’ Cup World Championships is a series of Grade I thoroughbred horse races, run annually since 1984 at the end of the racing season in North America. The Championships culminate with the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which for 2008 has a total prize fund of $5 million.

The Breeders’ Cup attracts the crème de la crème of North American thoroughbred horses, as well as several top European thoroughbreds, primarily from England, Ireland and France. For details of how thoroughbreds are selected to participate in the races, see Breeders’ Cup selection process.

Each year, the Breeders’ Cup is hosted by a different North American racecourse. Churchill Downs in Kentucky - also home to the Kentucky Derby - has hosted the Breeders’ Cup a total of six times; more than any other course. The 2007 Breeders’ Cup races were run at Monmouth Park.

2008 Breeders’ Cup Schedule

The 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held at Santa Anita Park in California, on Friday 24 October and Saturday 25 October. ESPN will be providing television coverage of the races.

All Grade I races will be run on the Saturday. These include the Breeders’ Cup

Racing on Saturday will start at 11:00 AM, with the first Grade I race starting at 12:30 PM. The Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Turf and Classic are traditionally run as the last three races of the day.

New Races for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup

Until 2006, the Breeders’ Cup was a single-day event. With the addition of three new races in 2007 - and another three new races scheduled for 2008 - the championships are now held over two days with a total of $25.5 million in prize money.

Races due to be run on Friday 24 October:

Race name	Distance	Restrictions	Purse
Sentient Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint	7 furlongs	3-year-old & up fillies/mares	$1 million
Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	1 mile	2-year-olds	$1 million
Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies	1/16 miles	2-year-olds	$2 million
Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf	1/4 miles	3-year-olds & up	$2 million
Ladies Classic	1/8 miles	3-year-olds & up	$2 million

On Friday, the first race will start at 3:35 PM

Races due to be run on Saturday 25 October:

Race name	Distance	Restrictions	Purse
Breeders’ Cup Marathon	1 1/2 miles	3-year-olds & up	$500,000
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint	6.5 Furlongs	3-year-olds & up	$1 million
TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile	1 mile	3-year-olds	$1 million
Breeders’ Cup Mile	1 mile	3-year-olds & up	$2 million
Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile	1 1/16 miles	2-year-olds	$2 million
Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf	1 mile	2-year-olds	$1 million
Sentient Breeders’ Cup Sprint	6 Furlongs	3-year-olds & up	$2 million
Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf	1 1/2 miles	3-year-olds & up	$3 million
Breeders’ Cup Classic	1 1/4 miles	3-year-olds & up	$5 million

On Saturday the first race will start at 1:10 PM.

All of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup races other than the Classic and the Turf have total prize funds of $2 million. Together with the $5 million on offer for the Classic, $3 million for the Turf race and the purses for the six new races, this makes the Breeders’ Cup one of the richest sporting events - if not the richest - in the world.

Which top trainers and horses do you think will prevail in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships?

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