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The Greatest Horses to win at the Breeders' Cup


American Pharoah winning the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland.

There has been some staggering performances over the years with many of the superstars of the sport having showcased there talent on the top international stage at the Breeders' Cup. So which are the greatest horses to have won at the Breeders' Cup over the years? You can do your own horse racing betting as the jumps season kicks off following another incredible flat season.

American Pharoah was without a doubt one of the most dominating Champions of his generation that resulted in him demonstrating his talent in destroying his elders on his final starts in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The stunning horse trained by Bob Baffert romped to a 6 and a half-length victory, breaking the track record in the process.

American Pharoah finished his racing career with 9 victories and a second in his 11 career starts. He will forever be remembered as the most recent winner of America's Triple Crown since Affirmed back in 1978. He also ran the second fastest time in the Belmont's history behind only Secretariat's memorable victory back in 1973. The horse is now at stud with his first offspring expected to hit the track next season with a tall order ahead of them to emulate the iconic Champion.


Goldikova after winning her third Breeders' Cup Mile in 2010 at Churchill Downs.
Goldikova is one of the historic stars of racing due to her stellar performances around the globe. She finished her career in which she won 17 of her 27 stars and became the only horse to win three Breeders' Cup Mile races. She achieved this incredible feat between 2008 and 2010. Trained by Freddy Head and ridden by Olivier Peslier, she made her final win in the 2010 running of the Breeders' Cup Mile, defeating a stellar field in the process. She tried to win a fourth time in 2011, but finished third.

Goldikova was named the American Champion Female Turf Horse in 2009 and 2010 following this achievement and again entered the record books in 2017 as she was named in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.


Cigar before the 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic at Woodbine.
One of the most popular champions of the past was the 1995 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Cigar. He is known for eclipsing the previous record of 16 consecutive races set by Triple Crown winner Citation with 18. Cigar also at the time became the leading money earner in racing history with earnings of $9,999,815.

Cigar went into the 1995 Classic at Belmont Park having won in his last 11 races and dominated by storming clear from a top field to secure his legacy as one of the greatest Champions of American racing.

He was awarded the U.S Outstanding Older Male Horse award in 1995 and 1996 as well as the United States Horse of the Year throughout the same time. He finished his career with a Timeform rating of 138 which puts him level with the great Nijinsky. Cigar was honoured in the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame back in 2002.


Zenyatta winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.
The final horse to make the list is in many people's eyes the greatest horse to ever do it; this being the great Zenyatta. She finished her incredible racing career with 19 wins and a second in her 20 starts. The only defeat coming unluckily by the smallest of margins to Blame in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic. She was renowned for her stunning turn of foot as she would come from last to first in a matter of strides which ever level of competition she faced.

Sired by Street Cry and ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith on 17 of her 20 starts she ran in three Breeders' Cup races throughout her career. The first of them coming in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic now known as the Distaff as she comfortably claimed the first place purse of $2 million. The following year Zenyatta cemented herself as one of the greatest horses of her generation and one of the top of all time as she won the Classic easily.

Zenyatta finished her career by losing in the Classic but will forever be remembered as one of the stars of Racing that included being named the American Champion Older Female horse between 2008 and 2010.

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