Get a chance to see the crème de la crème of thoroughbreds at November’s two-day Breeders’ Cup, which boasts of awarding the richest purse for horse racing in North America. The races change location each year, but are often held at the Del Mar Racetrack in San Diego County or at Santa Anita Park in Los Angeles County.
This unofficial culmination of the thoroughbred racing season brings together the year’s fastest horses (ages 3 years and up) who compete for a more than $33 million total in race winnings. The Cup first launched with aplomb in 1984, ending in a memorable three-way tie at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles.
In the years since, the race has been held in New York, Kentucky, and even Canada, but its home base is in Southern California. Arcadia’s aforementioned Santa Anita Park, east of Pasadena, has a history that stretches back to 1907, including big moments such as a Seabiscuit win in 1940 and the equestrian events at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. In the San Diego County beach town of Del Mar, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club embraces an old-Hollywood-style glamour: Bing Crosby was one of the track’s founding investors in the 1930s and sang its catchy theme song (“Where the turf meets the surf, down at old Del Mar…”) and women still wear fancy hats on big racing days.
Who gets a shot at racing here? There are three ways to earn a spot at the starting line. One is to win a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race, which consist of the most prestigious races from around the world; winners of any of these races are awarded automatic and free entry into the Breeders’ Cup. The second is based on a points system, where horses are ranked based on their performances in major races during the year. And the third is to be selected by a panel of experts. The result is the highest level of competition possible, consistently.
Today, the Breeders’ Cup is known as a social event almost as much as a series of horse races. The atmosphere is festive, bringing together a flurry of celebs, many donning stylish and traditional headgear such as fedoras and all manner of fascinators to attend blow-out parties, big-name concerts, fashion shows, and exclusive VIP happenings. The variety of races means attendees can take in races between horses of different types and ages, over varying distances—from sprints to long-distances, on turf or dirt tracks.