The 1989 Breeders’ Cup

The first Breeders’ Cup ever held in Florida featured the greatest rivalry of the 1980’s when Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Sunday Silence from California met Belmont Stakes winner Easy Goer from New York in the Classic for the Horse of the Year title. Earlier in the day, Easy Goer’s trainer, Shug McGaughey, had already won two races, the Sprint with Dancing Spree and the Juvenile with Rhythm. Prized, who had defeated Sunday Silence earlier in the year on dirt, made his first ever grass start, and won the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Now all eyes focused on the Classic. Sunday Silence raced near the front throughout and edged away to take the lead on the far turn. Easy Goer released one final surge in the stretch, but fell short by a neck as Sunday Silence claimed victory and the title of Horse of the Year.