British Success In The Breeders Cup Over The Years
The season-ending Breeders’ Cup is one of the most prestigious events on the horse racing calendar, meaning it is little surprise that trainers from overseas have targeted races at the two-day meet held annually in North America.
There has been considerable success for British and Irish trainers at the meeting, with more runners than ever making the journey overseas in recent history to try and land a big purse on track.
But, who are some of the most memorable British-trained winners to land success at the Breeders’ Cup? Read more about the Cup here: https://www.twinspires.com/breeders-cup/betting/
Pebbles
It didn’t take long for British trainers to land a first success at the Breeders’ Cup, with Pebbles becoming the first winner for the travelling nation in just the second edition of the event. Pebbles was a prominent contender on track as a two and three-year-old, which included success in the G1 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Further history would be made by the Clive Brittain-trained runner in the 1985 season, as she would become the first filly to win the G1 Eclipse Stakes. Pebbles would later cement her place as one of the best horses in training after winning the Champion Stakes.
A final piece of history would be made on her final start, becoming the first British-trained winner of a Breeders’ Cup race after dominating the Turf field. At the conclusion of the 1985 campaign, she was named the British Horse of the Year and the U.S. Champion Female Turf Horse.
Ouija Board
The trend of dominant British fillies and mares would continue into the 2000s when Ouija Board would land victories in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf in both 2004 and 2006.
The Ed Dunlop-trained runner would compete on track for four seasons, winning ten from 22 starts. Seven of her victories would come in Group One company, which included a notable success in the G1 Oaks. Success overseas would also be achieved in between her victories at the Breeders’ Cup, as a victory in the G1 Hong Kong Vase was recorded in 2005.
During her career, she would amass over $6 million in prize money. Following her retirement, Ouija Board would produce notable champions of the future, including 2014 Derby winner Australia.
Enable
One of the most notable recent champions on the turf comes in the form of Enable. The superstar claimed victories in 15 of her 19 starts, which included wins in eleven Group One races for trainer John Gosden.
The 2017 season would be her emergence as a modern great, landing victories in the G1 Oaks, G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Connections deserved credit for keeping her in training as a four-year-old, and they would be rewarded with a further success in the G1 Arc. History was then made in North America, as Enable would become the first horse in history to win both the G1 Arc and G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf in the same season.
A history making third attempt to win the Arc was made in the following seasons, but she finished second in 2019 and sixth in 2020. Enable would be retired at the end of the 2020 season, having won a staggering £10 million in prize money.
Modern Games
European trainers have held a stranglehold on the Breeders’ Cup Mile since 2020, with Charles Appleby training the winner in each of the last three years. Godolphin will be looking for a second straight win in the race this year with Master Of The Seas. However, Modern Games is the team’s most successful recent export to the Breeders’ Cup.
He was widely regarded as one of the world’s best two-year-old’s in 2021, winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf to cap off a memorable season. Further success would be achieved across the globe during his three-year-old campaign, including a French Group One in the form of the Poule d’Essai des Poulains. Modern Games would take his talents back to North American in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup later in the season, dominating another Group One to land the Woodbine Mile.
His final start on track would also result in success, landing the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland. During his career, he would eight races, which included five victories at the highest level.
Big Evs
British success at the Breeders’ Cup has been shared among a number of trainers in recent years, with the most recent first-time Brit to win a race at the meeting coming in 2023.
Michael Appleby emerged as one of the leading trainers for sprinters at last year’s edition of the Breeders’ Cup, as Big Evs secured victory in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint by just under a length from Valiant Force.
Further success on track has followed this term, including wins in the Westow Stakes and G2 King George Qatar Stakes. Connections have already indicated that the three-year-old will be chasing more Stateside success at Del Mar this year, as he is being pointed toward the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.