RECORDS • Timeline Important Dates in the Breeders’ Cup Program April 23, 1982 | At the annual January 2, 1984 | The split October 22, 1984 | Breeders’ November 2, 1985 | The second Kentucky Derby Festival divisions of the La Prevoyante Cup unveils its permanent Breeders’ Cup is run before “They’re Off” awards luncheon Handicap at Calder Race Course trophy, a 1,850-pound bronze and 42,568 at Aqueduct Racetrack. in Louisville, Kentucky, John in Florida become the first races marble reproduction of the Torrie Total wagering (on-track and R. Gaines announces plans for to offer Breeders’ Cup Premium horse, an ecorche or flayed horse simulcast) of over $28 million multi-race, multimillion-dollar Awards. designed by the 16th-century establishes a single-day North Breeders’ Cup Series. sculptor Giambologna. American record. January 4, 1984 | A point May 3, 1982 | Board of Directors system based on first-, second-, October 30, 1984 | Seventy- December 9, 1985 | BCL named for Breeders’ Cup and third-place finishes in North seven horses are pre-entered for Board of Directors votes to Limited (BCL), the nonprofit American Graded Stakes to be the seven Breeders’ Cup races. run the Breeders’ Cup for two administrative organization for used to determine starters in consecutive years (1986 and November 5, 1984 | Aqueduct the Breeders’ Cup. Breeders’ Cup races if any of the 1987) in Southern California. Racetrack in New York is named races are oversubscribed. July 27, 1982 | Breeders’ Cup host track for the 1985 Breeders’ December 13, 1985 | BCL stakes race program outlined January 17, 1984 | The Cup, with the event scheduled announces the creation of 36 as a one-day, seven-race series graded stakes panel of the for November 2, 1985. new added-money Special with purses totaling $13 million. Thoroughbred Owners and Stakes races to be run November 10, 1984 | The Series to be known as “Racing Breeders Association announces throughout the United States and inaugural Breeders’ Cup is run International’s Championship their unprecedented decision to Canada. Funding of $3 million before 64,254 at Hollywood Program.” assign grade I status to all seven to be provided by the Breeders’ Park. Chief’s Crown wins the Breeders’ Cup races. Cup from Premium Award September 2, 1982 | After first Breeders’ Cup race, the money that has gone unpaid reviewing proposals from eight February 4, 1984 | Ollie Cohen’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and during that program’s first two different racing associations, Eillo, eventual winner of the longshot Wild Again wins the years. Breeders’ Cup Track Selection inaugural Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Breeders’ Cup Classic in a Committee chooses Southern named first Breeders’ Cup Horse thrilling stretch duel with Slew o’ April 3, 1986 | Hollywood Park California as locale for inaugural of the Month. Gold and Gate Dancer. will host the Breeders’ Cup in Breeders’ Cup Championship in 1987. March 6, 1984 | Frank E. (Jimmy) February 8, 1985 | Breeders’ 1984. Kilroe is named chairman Cup creator John R. Gaines May 1, 1986 | Anheuser-Busch, February 24, 1983 | Hollywood of the five-member Racing receives the Eclipse Award of Inc., for its flagship Budweiser Park in Inglewood, California, Directors/ Secretaries Panel, Merit and NBC Sports receives brand, has agreed to title selected as site for inaugural which will select starters for the the Eclipse Award for National sponsorship of the $3 million Breeders’ Cup - November 10, Breeders’ Cup races if fields are Television Achievement for its Special Stakes Program, now 1984. oversubscribed. Breeders’ Cup telecast. Seven to be known as the Breeders’ of the 10 horses honored Cup Budweiser Special Stakes April 15, 1983 | BCL announces May 8, 1984 | BCL announces with Eclipse Awards for 1984 Program. the nomination of 1,083 stallions, the official names for the seven participated in Breeders’ Cup representing more than $10.9 Breeders’ Cup races, now slated June 10, 1986 | NBC Sports Championship races. million in fees. with a total purse and nominator extends its contract for the awards value of $10 million. October 1, 1985 | BCL approves exclusive television rights to June 8, 1983 | $10 million Oak Tree Racing Association Breeders’ Cup through 1989. Breeders’ Cup Premium Awards August 29, 1984 | Major as host for 1986 Breeders’ Program announced, with corporate sponsorship is July 31, 1986 | BCL and Fair Cup races. Event scheduled for allocations slated for 90 racing secured for three of the seven Hill Race Course announce November 1, 1986, during the associations in 22 states and five Breeders’ Cup races. Sponsors the creation of the $250,000 Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Canadian provinces. are Mobil Oil Corporation, De Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase, Park in Arcadia, California. Beers Consolidated Mines the world’s richest steeplechase September 13, 1983 | NBC Ltd. and Chrysler Corporation October 21, 1985 | One hundred event. The race will be run Sports and the BCL announce (Chrysler-Plymouth Division). By and ten horses are pre-entered November 1, 1986, at the Elkton, an exclusive, multiyear contract Breeders’ Cup day two additional for the seven Breeders’ Cup Maryland course and broadcast to broadcast all seven Breeders’ sponsors had signed on: First races. as a feature by NBC Sports Cup races live to a worldwide Jersey Securities and Michelob during the seven-race Breeders’ audience in a four-hour television (Anheuser-Busch, Inc.). Cup program. special. (continued) Records 18 RECORDS • Timeline November 1, 1986 | A Breeders’ $1 million in funds, making this November 2, 1989 | Officials of March 19, 1992 | BCL and Cup record crowd of 69,155 national series of added-money BCL and the European Breeders’ NYRA announce the creation attend the third running of races worth a total of $5 million. Fund (EBF) announce a new, of the Belmont Breeders’ Cup Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita five-year agreement for renewal Special on October 10, 1992. February 11, 1988 | The distance Park and wager $15,410,409 on of cross-registration between the Coverage of the Breeders’ Cup of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff is the day’s races ($12,510,109 two programs. Steeplechase and five NYRA shortened from 11/4 miles to 11/8 on Breeders’ Cup races alone), races were televised by NBC miles. March 1, 1990 | Officials of BCL establishing a North American Sports. change the name of racing’s single-day on-track handle April 28, 1988 | James E. $10 million day from Breeders’ April 13, 1992 | Lady’s Secret record. Total wagering (on-track Bassett III is appointed as Cup Day to Breeders’ Cup becomes the first Breeders’ Cup and simulcast of $34,884,790) president of Breeders’ Cup Championship. champion to be elected to the establishes a single-day North Ltd. Bassett, who succeeds C. National Museum of Racing and American record. Census wins Gibson Downing as president, April 16, 1990 | Belmont Park is Hall of Fame. the inaugural running of the is Chairman of the Board of the selected as the site of the 1990 Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase at Keeneland Association. Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase, October 10, 1992 | The Belmont with the race scheduled to be Breeders’ Cup Preview attracts Fair Hill Race Course. May 4, 1988 | Fair Hill Race run on October 20, 1990. the country’s top horses January 3, 1987 | Breeders’ Course has once again been prepping for the $10 million Cup Budweiser Special Stakes selected as host for the third June 14, 1990 | Fair Hill Race Breeders’ Cup Championship Program expands to 49 races running of the $250,000 Course in Elkton, Maryland, is three weeks later. A crowd of throughout the United States and Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase, chosen as the site of the 1991 over 32,000 watch Highland Bud Canada, with total Breeders’ Cup to be run Saturday, October 29, Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase, win his second Breeders’ Cup funding increased to 1988. with the race set to be run on Steeplechase. October 19, 1991. $4 million. May 26, 1988 | Gulfstream Park February 26, 1993 | Sites for the July 16, 1987 | Churchill Downs in Hallandale, Florida, is named October 20, 1990 | Morley Street 1994, 1995 and 1996 Breeders’ in Louisville, Kentucky, is named host track for the 1989 Breeders’ (Ire) wins the $250,000 Breeders’ Cup Championship are selected. host track for the 1988 Breeders’ Cup. Cup Steeplechase by 10 lengths Churchill Downs will host the Cup, to be run November 5, at Belmont Park. October 29, 1988 | English- event in 1994, Belmont Park in 1988. bred Jimmy Lorenzo wins the February 28, 1991 | Gulfstream 1995 and Woodbine in 1996. August 31, 1987 | Order of the third running of the $250,000 Park in Hallandale, Florida, is April 14, 1993 | The NBC Breeders’ Cup races changed Breeders’ Cup Steeplechase at selected as the site of the 1992 Sports telecast of the Breeders’ for 1987: Sprint, Juvenile Fillies, Fair Hill Race Course. Breeders’ Cup Championship, Cup Championship is named Distaff, Mile, Juvenile, Turf and with the races scheduled to be November 3, 1988 | NBC Sports the Outstanding Live Sports Classic. run on October 31, 1992. extends its contract for the Special of 1992 at the 14th October 31, 1987 | French-bred exclusive television rights to March 8, 1991 | BCL changes its Emmy Awards for Sports annual Gacko wins the second running Breeders’ Cup through 1994. purse distribution (paying to fifth- ceremony. of the $250,000 Breeders’ Cup rather than sixth-place), points April 7, 1989 | Far Hills Race July 15, 1993 | BCL and NBC Steeplechase at Fair Hill Race system and selection process for Meeting Association in Far Sports announce new five-year Course. the Breeders’ Cup Championship Hills, N.J., is selected as the contract televising the Breeders’ races. November 21, 1987 | A crowd site of the 1989 Breeders’ Cup Cup Championship through 1999.