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Sports Nov 03, 2023
| Photo courtesy of the Breeders' Cup World Championships/Facebook
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Thousands of horse-racing aficionados, curious spectators and enthusiastic bettors will descend Friday on Santa Anita Park in Arcadia for the beginning of the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships, one of the sport’s most prestigious gatherings of horses, trainers and owners from around the world.
For Santa Anita, this year’s gathering marks the record 11th time the track has hosted the event.
“Santa Anita’s outstanding reputation and scenic venue provide us with the ideal setting to continue to grow our audience by combining the best that racing, hospitality, and entertainment have to offer,” Breeders’ Cup President/CEO Drew Fleming said last year when announcing the track would be hosting the 2023 event.
Organizers said a report prepared in 2017 showed that the event can have a nearly $100 million impact on the local economy, given its worldwide industry attraction.
Santa Anita last hosted the event in 2019. In 2021 it was at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in San Diego County. Last year’s event was at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.
Organizers said 175 horses were entered for the 40th Breeders’ Cup World Championships, with races scheduled over two days, anchored by the $6 million Longines Classic on Saturday.
Friday’s first post is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., beginning with four undercard races. The first Breeders’ Cup race Friday will be the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint, set for about 2 p.m., followed by the $2 million Juvenile Fillies, the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf, the $2 million Juvenile and the $1 million Juvenile Turf. A total of 10 races are on the schedule for Friday.
Saturday’s 12-race card is set to begin at 10:10 a.m., with the first Breeders’ Cup race being the third post at about 11:30 a.m. — the $1 million Dirt Mile. Also on tap Saturday are the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf, the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint, the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile, the $2 million Distaff, the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Turf and the marquee race, the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, expected around 3:40 p.m. It will be followed by the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
USA Network and FanDuel TV will provide coverage of Friday’s races. USA will provide early coverage Saturday, giving way to NBC and Peacock starting at 12:30 p.m. Saturday covering five races, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic. The races will also stream on BreedersCup.com and other social media channels affiliated with the event.
The week leading up to the big event has been marred by a pair of horse deaths.
On Wednesday, Geaux Rocket Ride — a 3-year-old colt who was set to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic — was euthanized after failing to recover from surgery to repair a leg injury suffered while training at Santa Anita last weekend.
On Tuesday, Practical Move, a 3-year-old colt that was entered in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, died at Santa Anita of what is suspected to have been a cardiac event. Practical Move was returning from a workout on the track when the event occurred.
Another Breeders’ Cup Classic entry, Arcangelo, dropped out of the race Tuesday due to an issue with the colt’s left hind foot. In remarks posted on social media from Santa Anita, trainer Jena Antonucci confirmed the issue with the horse’s foot that “he’s not fully resolving, and we’re running out of time” to successfully treat the problem before the race.
Kentucky Derby winner Mage had been expected to run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but never made the trip to Santa Anita “after spiking a fever last weekend,” ESPN reported.
Breeders’ Cup officials insisted in a statement last weekend that they’ve taken all necessary safety precautions for the event.
“Leading up to the World Championships, the Breeders’ Cup has been working closely with Santa Anita Park, the California Horse Racing Board, and our veterinary team to ensure every Breeders’ Cup runner is fit to race,” organizers said.
“The Breeders’ Cup Veterinary Team also coordinated with regulatory and track veterinarians across the country to thoroughly review the veterinary records associated with all potential Breeders’ Cup runners starting in early October. This expanded veterinary review protocol is designed to ensure, to the extent possible, every horse that made the trip to Santa Anita Park for the World Championships was sound to race and train. …
“Safety always comes first, which is why Breeders’ Cup and industry leaders like the CHRB and 1/ST Racing have been longtime advocates for the uniform safety and integrity reforms that eventually became part of HISA. We are constantly evaluating and updating our safety and screening measures so we can continue to provide the safest possible racing environment.”
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