2014 Breeders' Cup World Championships to Be Held at Santa Anita Park

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 10, 2013) - The Breeders’ Cup announced today that Santa Anita Park, in Arcadia, Calif., has been selected as the site for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The 31st Breeders’ Cup, Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international year-end event, consisting of 14 races with purses and awards totaling $27 million, will be held on October 31 and November 1, 2014, and brings the event to Los Angeles for the third consecutive year.

Santa Anita Park, which is the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup on November 1-2, has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships six times, most recently last year’s edition. The 2014 Breeders’ Cup will be televised by the NBC Sports Group. The 2013 Breeders’ Cup will also be televised by the NBC Sports Group with the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic shown live in primetime on NBC from 8-9 p.m. ET.

“Santa Anita has proven to be an outstanding host for our Championships, providing horsemen and fans around the world with a first class facility and one of the greatest experiences in sports. We are delighted to extend our partnership with Santa Anita for a third consecutive year,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO. “We also value our relationship with the Southern California business and entertainment community, who have demonstrated long time dedication and support of the Breeders’ Cup since our inception in 1984."

The 2014 running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships marks the 11th time that the event will be held in Southern California and the eighth time that Santa Anita will host the Breeders’ Cup, after hosting the event in 1986, 1993, 2003, 2008 and 2009, 2012, and this year.

Breeders’ Cup officials indicated that no decisions have been made on host sites beyond 2014 and that the organization remains open to visiting markets that can accommodate the two-day event during its traditional fall timing, provide world class hospitality for its participants and guests and showcase the world’s best Thoroughbred racing.

"To be chosen as the host site for a third consecutive year is a clear indication of Santa Anita's standing in the worldwide racing community,” said Keith Brackpool, Chairman of the Los Angeles Turf Club. “We look forward to hosting this year's two-day event in November and following that, we'll immediately begin planning for 2014. On behalf of our fans, horsemen and employees, we look forward to again celebrating the very best our sport has to offer."

“In addition to being the two-greatest days in Thoroughbred racing, hosting the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita for the next two years provides us with the opportunity to further develop the Breeders’ Cup brand as a world class entertainment and lifestyle platform,” said Drew Sheinman, Breeders’ Cup Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “We look forward to forging new sponsor and business relationships in the community.”

“The Breeders’ Cup is a world-class spectacle and we are delighted that it will be returning to Santa Anita in 2014,” said Alan Rothenberg, chairman of the Los Angeles Sports Council. “Visitors from all over the world will enjoy our many first-class hotels, restaurants and attractions, and this prestigious international sporting event will boost our local economy by bringing tens of millions of dollars in economic impact to the region.”

Said Jon Miller, President of Programming, NBC and NBC Sports Network: “We are excited that the Breeders’ Cup has chosen to return to Santa Anita. The backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains at dusk makes for a beautiful setting for a great two days of the world's best racing, topped off by the Breeders’ Cup Classic in primetime on NBC.”

Mickey Segal, the Mayor of the City of Arcadia commented: “The City of Arcadia is extremely proud to be the host city for the 2014 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Santa Anita Park and horse racing are very important to our community, and the Breeders’ Cup provides Arcadia with an opportunity to showcase both the city and the racetrack to the world. People from all over will come here and celebrate racing in the most beautiful setting in America. As the Mayor of the City of Arcadia, I encourage racing fans from everywhere to come to Arcadia and share this incredible experience with us.”

“The Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau and businesses in the area are thrilled to have the prestigious Breeders’ Cup returning to Santa Anita Park in 2014,” said Michael Ross, CEO, Pasadena Center Operating Company. “Past Breeders’ Cups have made a significant impact on Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley area’s economy by filling our hotels, restaurants and shops. Even our museums have benefited from hosting parties and VIP events.”

Over the years, some of the greatest moments in Breeders’ Cup history have taken place at Santa Anita, including the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic when the great Zenyatta became the first female ever to win the Classic. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup, witnessed by 89,742 over the two days, featured winners representing a cross-section of horses from the US and overseas, highlighted by Fort Larned winning the Classic and the 5-year-old Wise Dan capturing the Breeders’ Cup Mile, which later earned him the 2012 Horse of the Year title.

About Santa Anita and The Stronach Group

Santa Anita Park, located in Arcadia, California, is among the most iconic sports venues in the world and has been the proving ground for some of the greatest racehorses in history from Seabiscuit to Zenyatta. Santa Anita is owned by the Stronach Group, a privately-held consortium that owns and operates a number of leading businesses in a wide range of industries, including: Thoroughbred racing and gaming; Thoroughbred horse breeding; agriculture; electric and hybrid vehicle technologies, medical technologies. The Stronach Group also owns a number of premier development properties and real estate assets in North America and Europe.

About Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2013 World Championships will be held at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., on Nov. 1-2, and will be televised live on the NBC Sports Network and NBC in the US. The $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic will be shown live and in primetime on NBC. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.