October 18 - By all accounts California horse racing fans are in for a treat next weekend as they'll be able to enjoy the biggest and arguably best Breeders' Cup World Championships since the epic event was inaugurated in 1984, with a record 180 horses pre-entered in this year's 14-race meet.

For 23 years the Breeders Cup consisted of a single day with just 7 races, but in 2007 race organizers decided to extend the race meeting to two days with 14 races. Putting it plainly this means more top horses, more racing action, more betting action and of course more prize money - $25.5-million to be exact.

While this year's Breeders' Cup World Championship at Santa Anita Racecourse in Arcadia, California on October 24th and 25th is expected to be a real humdinger, the only real sour note ahead of the prestigious event was the forced retirement of champion Kentucky colt, Big Brown, due to injury.

That said, spectators - both at the track and off - can at least find some consolation in the fact that 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, has definitely been confirmed as an entry for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic on the Saturday, undoubtedly the most highly anticipated of all the Breeder's Cup races this year.

While Big Brown was billed as the 'main attraction' in the Classic, racing fans and bookies alike were holding thumbs that the connections of Curlin - majority owner Jess Jackson and trainer Steve Asmussen - were going to enter the colt in the race which, to the relief of race organizers and punters - they did.

But what makes this year's Breeders' Cup so exciting is that for the first time in its 25 year history all the main races will be run over a synthetic track, in this case Santa Anita's newly laid Pro-Ride surface. It'll be interesting to see how many of the dirt specialists - including Curlin - will handle the Pro-Ride.

Come next weekend horseracing fans will be able to enjoy watching the best horses in the United States and many from further afield doing battle under what will hopefully be a warm and sunny Californian skies. It will certainly be a treat to watch the most famous and talented runners digging deep for victory.

These include Go Between, Colonel John, Casino Drive, Duke of Marmalade, Champs Elysee, Henrythenavigator, Raven's Pass, Better Talk Now, Ginger Punch, Indian Blessing, Kip Deville, Midnight Lute, Red Rocks, Ginger Punch, Indian Blessing, Mast Track, Awesome Gem, Tiago and plenty more.

Other Articles:

Excitement Building for Breeders Cup Classic 08 - 10-21-08

Samantha Miss To Hit In The 2008 Cox Plate - 10-20-08

2008 Breeders Cup Turf Loses Talented Runner - 10-20-08

2008 Melbourne Cup Runner Profound Beauty Injured - 10-19-08

New Approach Going for Third Gr 1 Victory Today - 10-18-08

Acoma Making Kentucky Bluegrass Debut in Pin Oak - 10-17-08

Our Giant to Defend Charity Mile Title at Turffontein - 10-17-08

Former Gold Cup Winners set for Battle at Punchestown - 10-16-08


2012/04/02 06:43:39 AM