The 2019 Breeders’ Cup entries were drawn late Monday with a total of 100 Kentucky-bred horses among the 159 horses drawn into the body of the 14 races to be run over Nov. 1-2.
While most of the races have a majority of horses from the Bluegrass State, the $2 million Juvenile’s (G1) field of nine were all bred in Kentucky. The Juvenile Turf (G1), with 11 of the 14 starters, and Juvenile Fillies (G1), with seven of nine, also are dominated by Kentucky-sired runners.
Saturday’s races feature nine Breeders’ Cup events, capped by the $6 million Classic, which has 10 of its 11 horses from Kentucky. Only one horse in the Dirt Mile’s (G1) field of 11 is from outside of Kentucky, while the Sprint (G1) and Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) have all but two of their runners from other jurisdictions.
Kentucky-bred horses won 39 of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races leading up to this year’s event. Should one win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it would mark the 25th time in 36 runnings that the winner came from Kentucky.
The Breeders’ Cup action at Santa Anita kicks off on Friday at 1:12 p.m. PT with the $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2). After five races for the 2-year-olds on Friday, things pick back up on Saturday with nine more races, starts with the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at 11:55 p.m. PT and culminating with the $6 million Classic at 5:44 p.m. PT.
The Breeders’ Cup can be seen on NBS Sport Network on Friday, then on that same network and NBC on Saturday. TVG, YouTube and Facebook and the Breeders’ Cup Mobile App will also have special coverage.