Breeders' Cup Schedule Includes 14 Races
Five Televised Contests Friday, Nine On Saturday; Using Pro-Ride
Oct 1, 2008
Five of 14 Breeders' Cup races will be televised on Friday by ESPN 2, begining at 3:30 pm on October 24; on Saturday coverage begins at 1:30 pm on ABC, then switches to ESPN at 3:30 pm.
Fillies and mares will get the first nod to compete in this season's Breeders' Cup World Championships as they line up for the first of five scheduled races on Friday at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California.
The championships' dirt contests will be run on the new Pro-Ride surface which replaced the park's drainage-challenged Cushion Track. Heavy rainfall in January and February spelled trouble for the Santa Anita Cushion Track surface when it was unable to expell the excess water. Pro-Ride (Australia) was contracted to repair the surface enough to get the track open for the winter racing schedule.
The entire surface got an overhaul with Pro-Ride during the summer; successful tests on the grip of the surface and its drainage capacity were conducted in August.
First Artificial Meet for Breeders' Cup
This marks the first year a synthetic surface will be used for the Breeders' Cup, but year two is just around the corner. Santa Anita will host the event for a second straight year in 2009. The synthetic technology called Pro-Ride will get a good test with 14 races on the two-day schedule featuring competitors from around the world.
By the second year, the jury should be well engaged with opinions from the four corners of the globe on whether Pro-Ride in particular, and synthetic surfaces in general, are the true future in replacing old dirt, weather-beaten tracks.
A Quick Look at The Two-Day Race Schedule
Friday --- Sentient Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, 7 furlongs, three-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, $1 million purse.
Friday --- Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1), 1-1/16 miles, two-year-old fillies, $2 million.
Friday --- Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, 1 mile on turf, two-year-old fillies, $1 million.
Friday --- Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1), 1-1/4 miles on turf, three-year-olds and up, $2 million.
Friday --- Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1), 1-1/8 miles, three-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, $2 million (6:15 pm post time).
Saturday --- Breeders' Cup Marathon, 1-1/2 miles, three-year-olds and up, $500,000.
Saturday --- Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, 1 mile on turf, two-year-olds, $1 million.
Saturday --- Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, 1 mile, three-year-olds and up, $1 million.
Saturday --- Sentient Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, 6-1/2 furlongs on turf, three-year-olds and up, $1 million.
Saturday --- Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), 1-1/16 miles, two-year-old colts and geldings, $2 million.
Saturday --- Breeders' Cup Sprint, (G1), 6 furlongs, three-year-olds and up, $2 million.
Saturday --- Breeders' Cup Mile (G1), 1 mile on turf, three-year-olds and up, $2 million.
Saturday --- Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), 1-1/2 miles on turf, three-year-olds and up, $3 million.
Saturday --- Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), 1-1/4 miles, three-year-olds and up, $5 million (6:45 pm post time).
Exact post times for all races other than the two Classics will be announced at later dates.
