Breeders’ Cup Turf

ELMONT, NY - OCTOBER 29: Christophe Soumillion rides Shirocco en route to winning the John Deere Breeders' Cup Turf race at the 2005 Breeders' Cup Championship October 29, 2005 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The Breeders’ Cup Turf is a Grade 1 race for three-year-old and up thoroughbreds, run on turf over a distance of 1½ miles. The race is generally regarded as the second most important event at the Breeders’ Cup meeting, and often attracts international thoroughbreds that raced over the same distance in the Irish, French and English Classics.

It is not unusual for European thoroughbreds to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf, and the race has witnessed several wins by European trainers in recent years, with Aidan O’Brien’s High Chaparral becoming the first horse to achieve consecutive victories in the race by finishing joint-first in a dead heat in 2003. In 2009 the Breeders’ Cup Turf will award a prize fund of $3 million.

Breeders’ Cup Turf Winners

Year

Winner (Margin)

Time

Jockey

Trainer
2008 Conduit 2:23:42 R. Moore Sir Michael Stoute
2007 English Channel 2:36:96 J. Velasquez Todd Pletcher
2006 Red Rocks (IRE) 2:27:32 Frankie Dettori Brian Meehan
2005 Shirocco 2:29:20 C. Soumillon A. Fabre
2004 Better Talk Now 2:29:70 R. Dominguez G. Motion
2003 Johar (DH) 2:24:24 Alex Solis Richard Mandella
2003 High Chaparral (DH) 2:24:24 Michael Kinane Aidan O’Brien
2002 High Chaparral (1 3/4) 2:30:14 Michael Kinane Aidan O’Brien
2001 Fantastic Light (3/4) 2:24:20 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
2000 Kalanisi (1/2) 2:26:96 John Murtagh Sir Michael Stoute
1999 Daylami (2 ½) 2:24:73 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor
1998 Buck’s Boy (1 ¼) 2:28:74 Shane Sellers Noel Hickey
1997 Chief Bearhart (3/4) 2:23:92 Jose Santos Mark Frostad
1996 Pilsudski (1 ¼) 2:30:20 Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute
1995 Northern Spur (nk) 2:42:07 Chris McCarron Ron McAnally
1994 Tikkanen (1 ½) 2:26:50 Mike Smith Jonathan Pease
1993 Kotashaan (1/2) 2:25:16 Kent Desormeaux Richard Mandella
1992 Fraise (ns) 2:24:08 Pat Valenzuela Bill Mott
1991 Miss Alleged (2) 2:30:95 Eric Legrix Pascal Bary
1990 In The Wings (1/2) 2:29:60 Gary Stevens Andre Fabre
1989 Prized (hd) 2:28:00 Eddie Delahoussaye Neil Drysdale
1988 Gt. Communicator (1/2) 2:35:20 Ray Sibille Thad Ackel
1987 Theatrical (1/2) 2:24:40 Pat Day Bill Mott
1986 Manila (nk) 2:25:40 Jose Santos Leroy Jolley
1985 Pebbles (nk) 2:27:00 Pat Eddery Clive Brittain
1984 Lashkari (nk) 2:25:20 Yves St.-Martin de Royer-Dupre

2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf

Sir Michael Stoute’s St Leger winner, Conduit, took first place at the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Eagle Mountain took second place with jockey Kevin Shea who rode the turf for the first time. Dancing Forever finished the race in third place. Conduit would later go on to demonstrate his class by beating stable-mate, Tartan Bearer, in the 2009 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.