Famous Horse Racing Events

Horse racing is one of the oldest and most popular sports
there is, not to mention one of the most exciting. There are
many different racecourses around the world with literally
thousands of horse races taking place throughout the year. The
sport has a long association with gambling and horse race
betting is very common, so the majority of horse races attract a
fair amount of attention, even if it’s just from betting
enthusiasts. There are certain horse races and events that
really stand out, and these regularly command large
international audiences.

The most famous horse races are huge sporting events;
sizable prize money is often at stake for the winners, along
with a great deal of prestige and glory. Jockeys and trainers
look forward to competing in such races, and owners love nothing
more than seeing their horses run. These are the major races
that are most often watched and bet on by people who only have
an interest in horse racing a couple of times of year. Such is
their great appeal. Below we provide information on the most
famous horse racing events in the world:

US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing

The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States
is a series of three races, arguably the three most famous in
the country. The series starts each year in early May with the
Kentucky Derby, a horse race with a long tradition dating back
to the nineteenth century. Later in the same month, the
Preakness Stakes is run at the Pimlico Racecourse in Maryland.
The third and final race in the series is the
Belmont Stakes,
which takes place in June in New York.

These three races are also known collectively as the American
Classic Races, and any horse that wins all three in the same
year is said to have won the Triple Crown. This is a feat that
has been achieved by very few.

There’s actually a number of horse racing triple crowns
around the world. For more details, please visit the following
page:
Horse Racing Triple Crowns.

Other Horse Races in the United States

The three horse races mentioned above are widely considered
to be the most prestigious in the United States. There are many
other races that take place each year in America, however, and
many are Grade I: the highest standard of race in the country.
Some particularly well-known races are the Hollywood Derby, the
Kentucky Oaks, the Arkansas Derby, and the Florida Derby. These
races do not attract quite the same attention as the Triple
Crown races, but they are important in their own right.

There’s one other American race that warrants specific
mention, and that is the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This
Thoroughbred race has the highest prize purse of all US horse
races, currently at $5 million, and is one of the richest races
in the world. It takes place annually as part of the Breeders’
Cup World Championship, which is held at a different racecourse
each year. For detailed information on this high profile race,
please visit the
Breeders’ Cup Classic page.

UK Horse Racing Triple Crown

The English Triple Crown Series was the original Triple Crown
and is older than the US version. It was first recognized back
in 1853 and was the inspiration for other Triple Crown series in
various parts of the world. The three races that make up the
English, or British, Triple Crown are among the most famous flat
races not just in Britain, but internationally.

The series begins with the
2,000 Guineas Stakes, which takes
place at Newmarket Racecourse in late April or early May. The
next race is the
Epsom Derby in June, run at the Epsom Downs
Racecourse. Finally, in September, comes the
St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse. Just like the US Triple Crown, the British
Triple Crown is not often won. The last horse to do so was
Nijinsky II back in 1970, and that was only the 14th time it had
ever been done.

British Classics

The three horse races that make up the UK Triple Crown are
all also British Classics, a collective term referring to the
five major flat races that take place each year. The 1,000
Guineas Stakes is also a British Classic and takes place at the
same race meeting as the 2,000 Guineas Stakes each year. The
final British Classic is the Epsom Oaks, which takes place in
early June as part of the Epsom Derby Festival.

Other UK Racing Events

Horse racing has a rich history in the United Kingdom, and
there are several world famous horse racing events that take
place each year in this region.
The Grand National, for example,
is one of the most well-known jump races in the world that takes
place at Aintree Racecourse each year. The
Cheltenham Festival
is an annual race meeting that practically has cult status, and
the Cheltenham Racecourse attracts tens of thousands of
spectators during the four-day event. Hundreds of thousands more
watch these races on television, particularly the main one being the
Cheltenham Gold Cup. Other popular horse racing festivals in the
UK include the
Royal Ascot Festival and
Glorious Goodwood.

The Melbourne Cup

Horse racing is huge in Australia, and horse races don’t
come a lot bigger than the Melbourne Cup. It has been held
annually in Australia since 1861, and it’s one of the biggest
sporting events in the country. Taking place in November, the
Melbourne Cup Day is a national holiday. For further information
on this race, please visit the following page:
The Melbourne
Cup.

The Dubai World Cup

The Dubai World Cup has not been around for very long
compared to most other classic horse races, but it has
established itself as one of the most important races in the
world today. This is due in no small part to the fact that it’s
the richest horse race in the world with a prize pool of $10
million. It’s run annually on a synthetic surface at the Meydan
Racecourse. For more details, please see the following page:
The
Dubai World Cup.

Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is a French horse race held at
the Longchamp Racecourse in early October each year.
Affectionately known by many as The Arc, this race has a prize
pool of around $5 million. This flat race has been run since
1920, and it attracts an international audience in the millions. For
more information on this race, please visit
Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe.

More Famous Horse Races

The races we have discussed above are without question some
of the most famous horse races in the world, but there are many
more. In Ireland, for example, there are a number of major races
each year, such as the Irish Grand National, the Guinness Gold
Cup, and the Irish Derby. We have already mentioned the
Melbourne Cup, but Australia is host to other big races such as
the Australian Cup, the Australian Derby, and the Australian
Oaks.

In the same part of the world, you also have the New Zealand
Derby in Auckland, New Zealand. Horse racing has also become
much more high-profile in Asia; many countries in the region
are home to some big races. For example, the Japan Cup is run at
the Tokyo Racecourse each year with a prize pool of several
million dollars.