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There are plenty of stories coming from the Breeders’ Cup Mile run at Del Mar on Saturday.
Goldikova was a great one taking it three times. What does the 2024 Breeders' Cup Mile (1609m) at Del Mar on Saturday have in store?
2024 BREEDERS' CUP MILE - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Breeders' Cup Mile is a Grade 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for three year olds and up conducted by the Breeders' Cup Limited.
In 2024 the races were run at Del Mar.
The Breeders' Cup Mile is run over a mile (1609m) on turf. It was first run in 1984 and won by Royal Heroine.
The concept of the Breeders' Cup was inaugurated in 1984. It was an idea based around being a so-called World Championships and is moved around leading American race tracks on a rotational basis.
The Breeders' Cup has been held at many tracks since its inception in 1984. Hollywood Park, Aqueduct, Santa Anita Park, Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park, Belmont Park, Woodbine, Arlington Park, Lone Star Park, Monmouth Park, Keeneland and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club have all held the meeting.
The Breeders' Cup Mile, like the other international features, is designed to see mainly the Europeans take on the locals. The issue of running on the anti-bleeding medication Lasix is always a factor.
The race record is held by Tourist at Santa Anita Park at 1:31.71.
Top American mare Tepin won this race in 2015 then had a top next American campaign before heading to Royal Ascot where she won the Queen Anne Stakes.
Two of the best milers in the world have five wins between them. Wise Dan was a sensational gelding who won 17 of 22 starts. His two wins are only topped by the grand French mare Goldikova won the race for three consecutive years starting at 2008.
In a great achievement, Aidan O'Brien ran the trifecta in 2020 with the outsider Order of Australia holding on.
Modern Games won the race in 2022. He has now won G1s in the USA, France, Canada and England.
Three jockeys have won the race on three occasions – Olivier Peslier, John Velazquez and William Buick.
Frankie Dettori won it on Barathea in 1994 and then again in 2018 on Expert Eye.
Freddy Head has equal most wins at three all coming via Goldikova. He also rode two Mile winners. He now shares it with Charlie Appleby.
The Breeders' Cup Mile was worth US$2,000,000 in 2024.
Some famous Breeders' Cup Mile winners include Last Tycoon (1986), Miesque (1987/1988), Royal Academy (1990), Lure (1992/1933), Barathea (1994), Da Hoss (1996/1998), Spinning World (1997), War Chant (2000), Artie Schiller (2005), Goldikova (2008/2009/2010), Wise Dan (2012/2013), Karakontie (2014), Tepin (2015), Space Blues (2021), Modern Games (2022) and Master Of The Seas (2023).
The 2023 Breeders' Cup Mile was won by Master Of The Seas from Mawj and Casa Creed.
