Sunday, October 21, 2018

Breeders Cup Races 2018 at Churchill Downs

The 2018 Breeders Cup races are 12 days away, being run on Friday and Saturday, 2 and 3 November at Churchill Downs, outside of Lexington, Kentucky.  This year, the schedule has been shaken up a bit - I used to get angry because they ran all the fillies and mares races on Friday, when there was less attendance and a smaller betting handle.  This year, the races for the juvenile horses, all 2-year-olds, will all take place on Friday, and Friday is now designated as "Future Stars Friday" at the Breeders Cup.
   On Friday, 2 November, the first Breeders Cup race will be the Juvenile Turf Sprint.   Listed below are the post times (Eastern Daylight Time), the name of the race, the length of the race, and the amount of the guaranteed purse.
 3:21 p.m.      Juvenile Turf Sprint         5.5 furlongs        $1 million
 4:00 p.m.      Juvenile Fillies Turf          1 mile                $1 million
 4:40 p.m.      Juvenile Fillies                   1 1/16 mile       $2 million
 5:22 p.m.      Juvenile Colts Turf            1 mile                $1 million
 6:05 p.m.      Juvenile Colts                     1 1/16 mile       $2 million

  Two other stakes races will be run on Friday, the Street Smart Stakes, for 3-year-olds, run at 8 furlongs (1 mile); and the Marathon Stakes, a Grade II event, for 3-year-olds and up, run at 14 furlongs (1 3/4 miles),

On Saturday, nine Breeders Cup races will be run, all for 3-year-olds and up, starting at 12 noon EDT.  Listed below are the post times, the name of the race, the length of the race, and the amount of the guaranteed purse.
 12:00 p.m.     Fillies and Mares Sprint     7 furlongs          $1 million
 12:38 p.m.     Turf Sprint                          5.5 furlongs       $1 million
  1:16 p.m.      Dirt Mile                              1 mile               $1 million
  2:04 p.m.      Fillies and Mares Turf          1 3/8 miles       $2 million
  2:46 p.m.      Sprint                                  6 furlongs          $ 2 million
  3:36 p.m.      Turf Mile                              1 mile               $2 million
  4:16 p.m.      Distaff  (Fillies & Mares)     1 1/8 miles       $2 million
  4:50 p.m.      Turf                                       1 1/2 miles       $4 million
  5:44 p.m.      Classic                                  1 1/4 miles       $ 6 million
Of course, Justify, the colt who won the Triple Crown this year, has been retired and will not compete in the BC Classic, which is a disappointment.  However, he was retired due to a recurrent filling of fluid in his foreleg, and was retired to avoid a possibly life-threatening injury....

  Two other stakes races will be run on Saturday, the Runhappy Stakes, for 3-year-olds, run at 7 furlongs on the main track, and the Chilukki Stakes, for fillies and mares, aged 3 and up, at 8 furlongs (1 mile) on the main track.

  As these races get closer, I'll write more about who is entered, jockeys, trainers, etc.

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