A new year means a new set of horse racing events to look forward to. If you’re a horse racing fan, you should already know that every huge racing championship takes place annually. Thus, many bettors, fans, and casuals wait for their favorites yearly. However, if you’re new here and trying to figure out what horse racing events you can look forward to in 2023, here are five huge championships you can look into.
Kentucky Derby
To start this list, the Kentucky Derby is the first leg out of three legs of the American horse racing’s Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. The event usually takes place every first Saturday of May in Louisville, Kentucky. The field for the Kentucky Derby runs for one and a quarter miles, approximately ten furlongs or two kilometers.
To participate in this race, the racehorse must be a three-year-old male or female and only be eligible to run for the derby once in their lives. So many of the thoroughbred horses attempt to make a racing debut in this event. However, they must first be nominated for the Triple Crown, then qualify for the derby through accumulated points by participating in a series of races that adds up to their award points.
Preakness Stakes
The second leg of the Triple Crown is the Preakness Stakes, and most Kentucky Derby runners then attempt their luck in this field. Two weeks after the derby, the stakes occur on the third Saturday of May each year. This makes the Triple Crown one of the top horse racing events every bettor could dream of. It’s because the hype never dies down, and you can expect to see more horses play in the next huge championship.
Furthermore, of the three legs of the Triple Crown, this event is the shortest race with only nine and a half furlongs (1 3/16 miles). The Preakness Stakes occur in Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, and invite three-year-old thoroughbred colts to participate. This horse racing event only limits to 14 horse participants, and the only way they can run for Preakness is by their earnings in previous races, closely similar to the Kentucky Derby.
Belmont Stakes
The last and final leg for the Triple Crown is the Belmont Stakes, which is also called The Test of Champions. This is considered the two races’ most challenging and exclusive event. It’s also the oldest and longest of the three classic horse races, which boasts a one-and-a-half-mile field (12 furlongs).
The Belmont Stakes occur every first or second Saturday of June, just three weeks after the Preakness Stakes. Additionally, the horses run at Belmont Park, known as The Championship Track, because of its relatively large, wide sweeping turns and long stretch.
Furthermore, the only way the horse can earn the Triple Crown is when they’re able to bag home all the winnings from Kentucky Derby to the Belmont Stakes. So far, only 13 horses have been able to do so since its foundation, with Justify as the most recent winner in 2018. Looking forward to who will be the next Triple Crown winner is another reason you should anticipate in 2023.
Breeders’ Cup World Championship
Another prestigious horse racing event in this list is the Breeders’ Cup World Championship. It’s a horse racing event that’s on a global scale with several international participating horses. The Breeders’ Cup also presents 13 different events in its two-day celebration.
The championship commences at the latter part of the year annually, making this an end-of-the-year highlight. Moreover, this championship’s most famous race event is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which has the biggest bags out of all the events.
The horses can keep joining the Breeders’ Cup for several years as long as they qualify via either the points system or by winning a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race.
Pegasus World Cup
The Pegasus World Cup is a relatively new American horse racing event in this list, starting its first race last January 28, 2017. Since then, many fans and bettors usually start their year with this prestigious event. It also easily became one of the most anticipated events annually.
Additionally, this race also reported a pretty huge bag for its winner. Life Is Good, the winner of the Pegasus World Cup 2022, claimed to have won a staggering three million for this invitational event. This only proved how huge this event could be. However, this world cup is an invitational event where horses can only run if invited. So far, a few runners are expected to run, including Cyberknife and Simplification.
The Pegasus horse race 2023 will take place on January 28 (Saturday) in Gulfstream Park. Tickets are now available online for everyone who is planning to attend.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Unlike the other races in this list, Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe takes place in France. It’s a thoroughbred race that accepts runners from three years old and older and is the world’s most prestigious all-aged horse racing event. Racehorses run at the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, a 2,400 meters field.
Many participating horses through the years are highly acclaimed racehorses, and their winners are usually the champions. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe takes place on the first Sunday in October each year. So, you can casually look out for the 2023’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and forecast how the horses will perform in their following races. Betting on this event can also guarantee hefty bags.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of what horse racing event you watch or bet in, you will always be in for a surprise. No events are the same because of the difference in fields and runners. Although you can’t predict how it will end, that makes betting and watching horse races more fun. So, if you’re planning to participate this year, you can expect a very eventful year.
