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The Europeans often dominate the Breeders’ Cup Turf run at Del Mar on Saturday.
Auguste Rodin got home to win last year. Who takes the 2024 Breeders' Cup Turf (2414m) at Del Mar on Saturday?
2024 BREEDERS' CUP TURF - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Breeders' Cup Turf 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 Turf is run over a mile and a half (2414m) on turf. It was first run in 1984 and won by Lashkari.
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 Turf, 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. This race sees most European success.
The race record is held by Little Mike at Santa Anita Park at 2:22.83.
Races around the world that have gained a horse automatic entry include the Gran Premio 25 de Mayo (Argentina), the Grande Prêmio Brasil (Brazil), the Takarazuka Kinen (Japan), the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (England), the Arlington Million (USA), the Juddmonte International (England), the Del Mar Handicap (USA), the Sword Dancer Invitational (USA), the Grosser Preis von Baden (Germany), the Irish Champion Stakes (Ireland) or the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (USA).
The only multiple winners of the race are Conduit and High Chaparral, who dead heated second time around with Johar.
Enable became the first Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner to follow up with success at a Breeders' Cup fixture.
Bricks And Mortar made it seven wins in a row to beat the Europeans home in 2019.
Derby winner Auguste Rodin scored a great win courtesy of a superb rails hugging ride by Ryan Moore in 2023 to cap his 3yo year.
Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore share most wins at five.
The trainer with most wins is Aidan O'Brien with seven of them.
The Breeders' Cup Turf was worth US$5,000,000 in 2024. It is the second richest race on the Breeders' Cup weekend.
Some famous Breeders' Cup Turf winners include Pebbles (1985), In The Wings (1990), Pilsudki (1996), Daylami (1999), Kalanisi (2000), Fantastic Light (2001), High Chaparral (2002), High Chaparral/Johar (2003), Red Rocks (2006), Conduit (2008/2009), St Nicholas Abbey (2011), Found (2015), Highland Reel (2016), Talismanic (2017), Enable (2018), Bricks And Mortar (2019), Tarnawa (2020) Yibir (2021) and Auguste Rodin (2023).
The 2023 Breeders' Cup Turf was won by Auguste Rodin from Up To The Mark and Shahryar.
