This year, November 1st and 2nd, 2014, the Breeders Cup will again be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The annual event attracts the best horses from around the world and includes 15 races with purses of more than $25 million over the two days. The Breeders Cup World Championships mark the year’s end to the racing seasons across the country.
The Breeders Cup has been celebrated for nearly 30 years and Santa Anita Park has showcased the winning jockeys and their mounts seven times already. The inaugural Breeders’ Cup of 1984 was held at Hollywood Park in Los Angeles and consisted of seven races competing for a $10 million in prizes. The highlight for the day was the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Classic that pitted the favorite Slew o’Gold, against Preakness winner Gate Dancer and a 31-1 longshot named Wild Again.
What a race that was with a 68,000 person crowd in attendance. Suddenly, the crowd went wild when a steward’s inquiry flashed across the tote board. An agonizingly long wait of ten minutes took place. You guessed it, the longshot was officially declared the winner and the crowd truly went “wild again” forgive the pun!
Black Chip Stable’s 4-year-old colt Wild Again was a real winner in that wild climax to the first Breeders’ Cup Classic. He bravely held off a furious challenge from Preakness hero Gate Dancer to win by a head under jockey Pat Day. After scrutinizing the photos, Gate Dancer was disqualified by the stewards and placed third for multiple brushings with favorite Slew o’Gold in the stretch. To say that in a horserace anything can happen is surely the understatement for the first Breeders’ Cup!