It is a true wonder that horse racing isn’t the most popular sport in the world but trails the likes of tennis, basketball, football, and baseball. After all, it was a thing some 2700 years ago. That’s right, horse racing was a sport 700 years BC. While it didn’t retain its status acquired a few millennia ago, there’s no need to mourn over it. For those who know its value horse racing remains the Sport of Kings. The ten races we’re going to list below speak of horse racing greatness as it stands today.
The Everest
While not a top tier name in the world of horse racing we’re talking about the richest race on turf. Everest is a horse race in its infancy as far as horse racing goes. It was established in 2017 and it does not yet fulfil the requirements to be in that Grade/Group 1 race status company. Yet, the prize money it provides to the winner and other participants gives it enough status to be on this list. We’re talking about a race that requires an entry fee, as it is a weight-for-age 1,200-meter race. It has 12 slots at the starting gate, each worth $600,000 summing on the last racer. If we have your attention this race is on schedule on the second or third Saturday in October at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia. The purse we mentioned currently stands at $15 million.
Epsom Derby
We’re sure that if you’re even remotely into horse racing, you already have the first Saturday in June booked for the Epsom Derby. Its home is at the Epsom Downs, Surrey, England, and those who participate are not motivated only by the pedigree of this race but with its $1,125,000 purse. Unlike the Everest here we have a historically valuable event as its inaugural race was held in 1780. The second leg of the English Triple Crown is also called Derby Stakes or Cazoo Derby and it has the Group 1 flat race status. It is a 2,240 meter long race reserved for three-year-old colts. What makes the Epsom Derby so great is the fact that it is the richest flat race in the United Kingdom which hosts the members of the Royal family each June. It is the race that inspired the entire sport.
Melbourne Cup
By now, you have noticed that horse racing is rather popular in the land down under. The annual race in Melbourne, dubbed as the Melbourne Cup is an event reserved for Thoroughbred horses, and it is the biggest race of its kind in Australia. Its nickname is ‘the race that stops the nation.’ That’s how important the Melbourne Cup is for the Aussies. As far as turf-races go, this is the second most expensive one, behind Everest, standing at $8 million purse. Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia is the home venue for this event every first Tuesday in November, where three-year-old Thoroughbreds race for glory and prestige at the 3,200 meter turf. The race which was established in 1861 is a part of the so-called Melbourne Cup Carnival. It is a race that often has surprise winners as in the past four horses with odds higher than 100-1 have managed to win it which also makes it an event worth following at your favourite crypto casino if you don’t have a chance to go and watch the race live.
Prix De L’arc De Triomphe
You could argue that the French have a horse for the top 10 horse races in the world. Their favourite is the Prix De L’arc De Triomphe race established in 1920 with a home venue at Longchamp Racecourse, Paris, France, and a purse worth $5.49 million. As far as Europe goes, this is the richest event that horse racing has to offer on the Old Continent. It is another Group 1 weight-for-age race 2,400 meter long, open to all three-year old and older, but not for geldings. What also sets this race apart from others on this list is that the quality of the field on which it’s held is of the highest standards in the universe of horse racing.
Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes is another high-stake horse race scheduled for June. It is usually reserved for the first or sometimes the second Saturday of June. It is one of the top American horse races and its venue is at Belmont Park, Elmont, New York. The inaugural race was held way back in 1867, and by today its purse has grown up to $1.5 million. It is a Grade 1 race for Thoroughbreds, and it fills the spot of one of the top five most attended horse racing events in the North America region. All fans of horse racing, and especially those who are into horse racing betting, and see the races through Horse Racing Odds, tune into the Belmont Stakes when the Triple Crown is on the line. Belmont Stakes is a dirt surface race, 1 1/2 miles long, reserved for three-year-olds.
Preakness Stakes
While horse racing culture reached the shores of the US later than it did to some other corners of the globe, and managed to grow deep roots on the US soil. Events such as the Preakness Stakes are proof of this. Every third Saturday in May is reserved for this race at the Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland. The first ever event at this ground was recorded back in 1873 and it has been going strong since. It is the second leg of the US Triple crown. It holds a purse worth $1 million and the winner needs to go first through the finish line of the track along some 1 3/16 miles. This event is so popular in the United States that in terms of attendance it trails only the Kentucky Derby and that means a lot in the world of horse racing. The race is also funnily called The Run for the Black-Eyed Susan.
Dubai World Cup
A World Cup in the true sense of that word. Even the birds on the trees know that the Dubai World Cup is scheduled for the last Saturday in March. The prize for this one-of-a-kind race is set at staggering $12 million making it one of the richest races in the world. The Inaugural race for the Dubai World Cup was held in 2026 and today, almost 30 years later it is one of the most prestigious races in the world. It belongs in the Group 1 tier of races on dirt. It is reserved for the Northern hemisphere Thoroughbreds aged more than four years. For the Southern Hemisphere Thoroughbreds the age limit is set at three years and up. All horses compete on the dirt track, which is 2,000 meters. The Dubai World Cup is only one of the races that are held as a part of the Dubai World Cup Night of Races.
As we said, the race is 29 years old, which is rather young compared to some other ones on this list. But thanks to the major investment in this race, and the hype only Dubai is able to produce, this race quickly managed to find itself among the top ones in the universe of horse racing. Things will be like this when the winner takes home $12 million, but other participants can come out rich as in 2022 the total amount of prize money amounted to $30.5 million. If you claim to love horse racing, you ought to spend at least one day at Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Gold Cup at Ascot
Yup, you got it right, this is yet another historically significant race, established back in 1807 held in the presence of the Royal family since the early days of its inception. Gold Cup at Ascot is usually held during the middle or to the back end of June at the Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, England. The purse is set at $495,231 which shows that this race is more about the prestige and not so much about the money. As far as the Brits go, this is their most esteemed event reserved for horses who are specialized in long distances. The Group 1 race is only for horses older than four years, held at a distance of 4,041 meters.
The race is long enough for every spectator to show off their fashion style, as this race is not only about horse racing, but it is also partly about the presences of high society from both Britain and other parts of the world. The most interesting part is the fact that this racecourse is only a few miles away from the Windsor castle and that the thoroughbreds raised by the Queen herself participated and even won races at Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, England. Great Britain is well known for its loyalty to traditions and this is best seen through their dedication to their horse racing events that have been held for centuries.
Breeders’ Cup Classic
Here we have a top-tier horse race that comes with a few tweaks making it rather different from all other events on this list. For one, this race doesn’t have a fixed venue. Instead, what we have are rotating venues every year. This has been the case with the Breeders’ Cup Classic since 1984. A Grade 1 weight-for-age race is reserved for Thoroughbreds aged three and up and it is seen as one of the most prestigious races in both North America and the rest of the world with a purse of $6 million. It is the fourth and final leg of the horse racing Grand Slam. In the history of the Grand Slam only one horse has managed to achieve all four wins in a single calendar year and that was American Pharaoh in 2015.
The pure of $6 million and high attendance every year put this race high up our list with only the Kentucky Derby standing above. As far as attendance goes it sometimes drops below Preakness, and Kentucky Oaks, but it usually remains close to the top. To win it, a horse needs to be the first at the line after the 1 1/4 mile track. While all of the races we listed have prestige, history, tradition, and longevity to an extent, none comes close to the eventual winner:
The Kentucky Derby
Since the dawn of age the first Saturday in may is a day that belongs to the Kentucky Derby. Held at the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky this race has been a feature in the world of horse racing since 1875. With a purse of $3 million it is not one of the most expensive events in the world, but as far as horse racing goes it is the most prestigious. Among the fans it is often dubbed as the “the fastest two minutes in sports.” Those who have horse racing as a major part of their lives call it the “Run for the Roses.” It is the longest continuously-run sports event in the United States, and as far as the US crowd is concerned the most anticipated horse racing event of the year.
While not having the Royal family in attendance, the Kentucky Derby is a home to many celebrities during the first Saturday of May. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown, and it is the biggest reward for any three-year-old Thoroughbred to win this 1 1/4 mile race at the Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is not only one of a kind event in the world of horse racing but in the sports in general. It is one of those events that you should experience once in a lifetime if given an opportunity.
There you have it, the list of ten must-see events in the world of horse racing. Each of these races has its charm, and all of them come with history and tradition. If given an opportunity, you need to view at least one of these races live, to be able to realize the magnitude of horse racing as a sport.
