The 41st running of the Breeders Cup Thoroughbred World Championships begins on November 1, 2024 hosted by the Del Mar racetrack in Southern California.
History of the Breeders Cup
The Breeders’ Cup was first introduced in 1982 at a Kentucky Derby luncheon by the owner of Gainesway Farm, John Gaines. He envisioned showing the top horses of the year running against each other. In 1984 the first Breeders’ Cup race day took place at Hollywood Park with seven championship races. In 2024, the best thoroughbreds race over two days in 14 races with over $30 million in combined purse money.
The road to the Breeders’ Cup comes by nominations on studs, foals, or racing age horses. One of the different ways for a horse to be eligible to run in the Breeders’ Cup is by winning a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race. Another way to become eligible is based on a points system from Graded Stake races. Lastly, they can be chosen by the experts.
Preparing Horses for the Breeders Cup
Horses preparing for the races will be given an exercise plan developed by their trainer. Each trainer will determine the best program for their horse. They will also look at the dietary and physical needs of each horse.
The trainer will give their horse a balance of carbohydrates, forage, fats, vitamins, and minerals that are fed multiple times a day, which aligns with a horse’s natural digestive system. These horses are also given supplements that provide them with the extra support their bodies need to keep them performing at their best.
Horses will also have their physical needs met with daily training programs combined with targeted grooming routines. Daily training programs consist of jogging, galloping, and workouts at faster speeds to build up fitness and stamina. Grooming routines are used after exercise to help with recovery and often include the use of liniments, salves, or poultices.
Finish LineⓇ Horse Products: Roots in the Racing Industry
For nearly 50 years Thoroughbred Trainers have used Finish LineⓇ Horse Products to help keep their horses on top of their game. Finish Line’s founder and his father both trained horses. They used natural remedies with herbs and botanicals on their own horses and introduced the products to other trainers. Fast forward to today and our products are found in almost every barn on racetracks.
Finish Line’s Endorsers have a long-standing history with the Breeders Cup. A few of our endorsers who have run in the Breeders’ Cup include Claude “Shug” McGaughey, Barclay Tagg, Fausto Gutierrez, Larry Jones and Richard Mandella who won an unprecedented four Breeders’ Cup races in one day in 2003. They all regularly use Finish Line products to help support their equine athletes.
XBLⓇ Ultra is a popular supplement among these trainers, as it promotes healthy circulation, respiratory function, and capillary strength in the lungs—all vital functions for racehorses. This product was made for horses in heavy training and performing at the highest levels of their sport.
Iron PowerⓇ, a supplement that supports healthy blood counts within horses, is also an endorser favorite. When horses have optimal red blood cell counts and hemoglobin levels, trainers typically see an uptick in immunity, performance, and overall well-being.
Performance Builder™ is a favorite of Hall of Fame Thoroughbred trainer Shug McGaughey. It supports the muscle mass of horses in heavy training, like racehorses, and results can be seen in 2 – 3 weeks. It’s also helpful for trainers with younger Thoroughbreds who are still growing, as it assists with muscle development.
Many trainers also love Stretch Run Plus™, as it helps muscle and metabolic function, which provides power for strenuous exercise and helps with faster recovery times.
After a long race or intensive training session, trainers use products like EZ-Willow™ Poultice or Kool-Out™ Poultice to aid in the temporary relief of minor stiffness and soreness due to overexertion. Both products are a favorite of Barclay Tagg, and have worked for him when he says other poultices just weren’t enough.
The 41st Breeders’ Cup, once again, will be an International Day of Racing. Horses have been bred and raced around the world from Ireland, Japan, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina, Great Britain, South Africa, and the United States of America.
Finish LineⓇ would like to wish all the horses, riders, and their teams the best of luck at the Breeder’s Cup! May the best horse cross the finish line first.
