Breeders’ Cup Turf
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. Traditionally, it is the second-last race, just before the Breeders’ Cup Classic, run as part of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The history of the race has been dominated by Irish and English horses from top owners such as Michael Tabor and Sue Magnier, the Godolphin stables, HH Aga Khan IV and Sheikh Mohammed. 2007 proved an exception, with a win by an American thoroughbred.
Aidan O’Brien-trained High Chaparral won the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2002 and then in 2003 shared the winning place with Richard Mandella’s Johar, after a nail-biting race that resulted in a dead heat.
In 1997, Chief Bearhart, trained by Mark Frostad, set the fastest time so far for the race, at 2:23:92.
The 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf is sponsored by John Deere and has a total prize fund of $3 million.
Breeders’ Cup Turf Winners
Year |
Winner (Margin) |
Time |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 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 |
2007 Breeders’ Cup Turf
In the 2007 race, the American-bred English Channel set the Breeders’ Cup record for the largest winning margin in any turf race, coming in ahead of Shamdinan by a full seven lengths.
Shamdinan’s second place was impressive, given the horse’s starting odds of 25-1. Behind Shamdinan by three-quarters of a length was Red Rocks, who won the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The race favourite, Dylan Thomas, suffered from the soft going at Monmouth and managed only a fifth place.
Which horse do you think will come out tops in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf?
