2007 Breeders’ Cup Expands To 11 Races
(AFP) - The Breeders’ Cup, billed as the richest day in racing, is expanding its program to 11 races over two days, beginning with this year’s edition in October, organizers said.
The board of directors of Breeders’ Cup Limited approved the move at its meeting on Friday, and it must still get approval from the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to go into effect in 2007 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey.
That would make the dates for 2007 Friday October 26 and Saturday October 27. Total purses for the 11 races will increase to 23 million dollars.
The three new races - the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf - will be held on Friday.
“Today’s announcement, along with other previously announced changes over the course of the last year, provides the framework for unprecedented growth of the Breeders’ Cup,” Breeders’ Cup board chairman Bill Farish said.
“There will be more races, more purse money and more nominator participation than at any time in the event’s history, all designed to attract the best horses from around the world to compete in the Breeders’ Cup.”
In addition to the three Breeders’ Cup races, there will be three other stakes races on the Friday card and each will carry a purse of 250,000 dollars.
The 2006 Breeders’ Cup was held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, where Invasor upset even-money favorite Bernardini in the showcase event, the five million-dollar Breeders Cup Classic.
