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Breeders' Cup
World Championships Wrap Up

The walking ring behind the grandstand at Del Mar on Tuesday morning.

The 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships held on Friday and Saturday, November 5 and 6, 2021, at Del Mar in San Diego County, California are now in the record books. Due to coronavirus restrictions, attendance was limited, with an official tally of 47,089 through the turnstiles over the two days, but unlike last year at Keeneland, any fan could purchase a ticket. Total handle for the two-day event was a new record of $182,908,409, a 4.7% increase over the previous record handle of $174,628,986 set at Santa Anita in 2019 and a whopping 14% jump from last year at Keeneland ($160,472,893) where attendance was restricted to essential horsemen, owners, and officials, with limited media granted credentials.

Breeders' Cup CEO Drew Fleming said, “We had an extraordinary two days of racing showcasing the best Thoroughbreds from around the world and we want to thank our partners here at Del Mar, who did an amazing job, and the greater San Diego community, our gracious hosts this week. The Breeders’ Cup is a truly global event with winners this weekend bred, raised and raced on three different continents.”

Del Mar president and CEO Josh Rubinstein added, “Our team at Del Mar was thrilled to host this year’s renewal of the Breeders’ Cup. We want to extend our congratulations to all of this weekend’s participants. They put on an amazing display of world-class competition.”

This year was the second time the Breeders' Cup has been held at Del Mar, after the first time in 2017. The Breeders' Cup returns to Keeneland in 2022.

Jockey Yuga Kawada and trainer Yoshito Yahagi celebrate their first Breeders' Cup win (and first from Japan) with Loves Only You in the Filly and Mare Turf. Kawada and the connections are all performing the Heart Hands emoji as part of their celebration.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. won the Bill Shoemaker Award for the fourth year in a row, given to the most outstanding rider at the Championships. The Shoemaker Award goes to the jockey who won the most races in the 14 World Championship races this weekend with the tiebreaker being a 10-3-1 point system for second- through fourth-place finishes.  Ortiz's victories came on Twilight Gleaming (Juvenile Turf Sprint), Golden Pal (Turf Sprint) and Life Is Good (Dirt Mile). He finished second on Broome (Turf).

William Buick also won 3 races but had no other top-4 finishes. He won on  Modern Games (Juvenile Turf), Space Blues (Mile) and Yibir (Turf). Joel Rosario and Jose Ortiz each had two wins; Rosario on Knicks Go (Classic) and Echo Zulu (Juvenile Fillies), Ortiz on Pizza Bianco (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Aloha West (Sprint). Mike Smith's winning ride on Corniche (Juvenile) extends his record to 27 career wins in the Breeders' Cup. Bill Shoemaker remains the oldest Cup winner when he was 56 years 3 months 2 days old riding Ferdinand to victory in the 1987 Classic. It is worth noting Smith is a week younger than Shoemaker was when he rode Ferdinand at Hollywood Park in 1987, so that record may fall as early as next year at Keeneland.

Godolphin became the first owner and breeder to win three races at one championship, with Modern Games (Juvenile Turf), Space Blues (Mile), and Yibir (Turf). Also worth noting, all three Godolphin winners were sired by Dubawi, trained by Charlie Appleby, and ridden by William Buick.

Oisin Murphy celebrates his first ever Breeders' Cup win aboard Marche Lorraine (Distaff)

The Breeders' Cup lived up to its "World Championships" billing as 4 winners were based in Kentucky (Twilight Gleaming in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, Golden Pal in the Turf Sprint, Aloha West in the Sprint. and Knicks Go in the Classic), 3 from New York (Echo Zulu in the Juvenile Fillies, Pizza Bianca in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Life Is Good in the Dirt Mile), 2 from California (Corniche in the Juvenile and Ce Ce in the Filly and Mare Sprint), 3 from Europe (Modern Games in the Juvenile Turf, Space Blues in the Mile, and Yibir in the Turf). and Japan finally broke its losing streak, taking 2 events, Loves Only You in the Filly and Mare Turf and the huge upset by Marche Lorraine in the Distaff.

There were several jockeys and trainers who had their first wins in the Breeders' Cup this year: Japan's Yuga Kawada scored with his second ever Cup mount, Loves Only You (Filly and Mare Turf), while it took Irishman Oisin Murphy eleven tries before getting a win, aboard Japanese filly Marche Lorraine in the Distaff. Similarly, Japan's Yoshito Yahagi won with his first two starters, Loves Only You (Filly and Mare Turf) and Marche Lorraine (Distaff). However, New York-based Frenchman Christophe Clement had to wait 24 years for his first win, with Pizza Bianca (Juvenile Fillies Turf)

• Jockeys
  • Yuga Kawada aboard Loves Only You in the Filly and Mare Turf
  • Oisin Murphy aboard Marche Lorraine in the Distaff

• Trainers
  • Christophe Clement with Pizza Bianca in the Juvenile Fillies Turf
  • Yashito Yahagi with Loves Only You in the Filly and Mare Turf

Two more horses add to the previous four who have won two different Championship races. 2020 Dirt Mile winner Knicks Go came back to win the Classic this year, and 2020 Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Golden Pal came back to win the Turf Sprint. The others were Zenyatta (2008 Distaff and 2009 Classic), Beholder (2012 Juvenile Fillies, 2013 and 2016 Classic), Stephanie's Kitten (2011 Juvenile Fillies Turf and 2015 Filly and Mare Turf), and Secret Circle (2011 Juvenile Sprint and 2013 Sprint)

Yibir sets the only new track record of the Championships in the Turf.

Five of the 14 Breeders' Cup races were won by the betting favorite. The winning favorites were Echo Zulu (Juvenile Fillies), Corniche (Juvenile), Golden Pal (Turf Sprint), Life Is Good (Dirt Mile) and Space Blues (Mile). Echo Zulu and Life Is Good were odds-on choices

Only one time record was set this Championships, as Yibir set a new course record in the Turf. Wesley Ward has won there Juvenile Turf Sprints in a row, with Twilight Gleaming joining Four Wheel Drive (2019) and Golden Pal (2020). Three other trainers have also attained the feat of three-peating a BC race, D. Wayne Lukas (twice, with the 1985-1987 Distaffs and 1986-1988 Juveniles), Chad Brown (2016-2018 Juvenile Fillies Turf), and Bob Baffert (2014-2016 Classic). Two horses made their 5th appearance at the Championshps: Channel Maker (Juvenile Turf and 4 Turf appearances) and Firenze Fire (Sprint this year after the Juvenile and Dirt Mile). Gun Runner is the 10th Classic winner to sire a Breeders' Cup winner, when Echo Zulu won the Juvenile Fillies; it is worth noting both father and daughter won at Del Mar. Breeders' Cup Two-Day Attendance and Handle history

The Torrie Horse statue, the permanent Breeders' Cup trophy near the Del Mar fountain behind the grandstand
2021   Del Mar                 47,089    $182,908,409
2020   Keeneland Race Course      0      $160,472,894
2019   Santa Anita Park       109,054    $174,000,574
2018   Churchill Downs        112,667    $157,445,842
2017   Del Mar                 70,420    $166,077,486
2016   Santa Anita Park       118,484    $156,861,811
2015   Del Mar Race Course     94,652    $149,869,035
2014   Santa Anita Park        98,319    $151,158,813
2013   Santa Anita Park        94,628    $160,704,877
2012   Santa Anita Park        89,742    $144,272,332
2011   Churchill Downs        105,820    $161,512,867
2010   Churchill Downs        114,353    $173,857,697
2009   Santa Anita Park        96,496    $153,271,176
2008   Santa Anita Park        86,588    $155,740,328
2007   Monmouth Park           69,584    $129,197,262

Breeders' Cup World Championships Leading Jockeys

(by wins)                       (by earnings)
Jockey               Wins        Jockey               Earnings
Mike Smith            27         Mike Smith           $37,794,605
John Velazquez        18         John Velazquez       $34,230,275
Jerry Bailey          15         Joel Rosario         $26,762,535
Joel Rosario          15         Frankie Dettori      $25,851,862
Frankie Dettori       14         Pat Day              $23,033,360
Irad Ortiz Jr.        14         Jerry Bailey         $22,006,440

Breeders' Cup World Championships Leading Trainers

(by wins)                       (by earnings)
Trainer              Wins        Trainer              Earnings
D. Wayne Lukas        20         Bob Baffert          $38,275,000
Bob Baffert           18         Aidan O'Brien        $27,725,590
Chad Brown            15         D. Wayne Lukas       $22,672,520
Aidan O'Brien         13         Todd Pletcher        $22,508,030
Todd Pletcher         12         Chad Brown           $21,020,690
Bill Mott             10         Bill Mott            $20,396,900

Breeders' Cup quick links:

• 2021 Breeders' Cup Entries - Final entries have closed for the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar and post positions have been drawn.
• Official Program - view online, download, or print the offical programs with past performances for both days from Breeder's Cup
• Breeders' Cup Free Past Performances - for all 13 races from BRISnet.com
• Breeders' Cup Weather - Check out the latest weather forecasts for the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar
• Breeders' Cup Hits and Near Misses - Who has won multiple times or just missed a second win plus winners who are parents of winners.
• Breeders' Cup Field Selection Rules - how they decide who gets in if a Championship race is oversubscribed at pre-entry time.
• 2020 Breeders' Cup Saturday Results - The feature race was the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic won by Authentic. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 9 races here.
• 2020 Breeders' Cup Friday Results - Friday was headlined by the $2 million Juvenile won by Essential Quality. Get the results, charts, and photos for all 5 races here.
• Satellite photo of Del Mar from Google Maps
• The Breeders' Cup Championship Day - The official page for the Breeders' Cup championship races. Just about anything you need to know about it: results, video clips, and race calls for past years, and eventually nominations, entries, and results.
• Free Prep Replays - for major prep races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge.
• Breeders' Cup Challenge - all the win and you're in races with results.
• Points Standings - from the Breeders' Cup
• Breeders' Cup Postcards - Breeders' Cup theme virtual postcards to send your friends including many past winners
• Breeders' Cup Supplemental Entries - The old official policy on supplemental entries plus all the supplemental entries and how they fared, mostly it was a losing proposition. There are no more supplements now, only late nominations making it impossible to track since the change.
• America's Best Racing Breeders' Cup Special - News, lifestyle, and more
• Blood Horse Breeders' Cup Special - Entries, news, history and more
• Daily Racing Form coverage - Full coverage with lots of news, stats, and other info. Also news for each division is available here.
• A History of Dosage in the Breeders' Cup - from Chef-de-Race.com including dosage and pedigree info.
• European News - the latest on the Euro Entries from Sporting Life
• Send this page to a friend - know someone who would like to see this page? Click here to send them the URL.

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