Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the world that dates back to ancient times. Due to the fast-paced action that provides a lot of excitement for viewers, it has grown in popularity over the years. Nowadays, horse racing is an international sport where different organisers are setting up racing events all over the world.
Most sports are organised by season, which means that we usually get a pause from our favourite sport during the winter and summer season, where athletes get their well-deserved rest. This is not the case with horse racing just because we have a new exciting race every month.
With that said, let’s highlight some of the best upcoming horse racing events to be excited about for the second part of 2021.
September
September is not the highlight of horse racing, but there are some exciting events that are worth the watch.
Pennsylvania Derby
This is a thoroughbred horse race that is organised at Parx Racing and Casino previously known as Keystone Race Track. This horse racing event dates back to 1979 and each year it becomes more prestigious and exciting for the fans.
It is open to horses at age three with a running distance of 1.125 miles on a dirt surface. When it comes to the prize purse, there have been some changes in the past increasing the purse to $1.25 million, but that was only in 2016, and because of the presence of the winners of two of the three Triple Crown Races.
This year the purse is set for $1 million and the event is scheduled for September 18.
American Pharoah Stakes
American Pharoah Stakes is a thoroughbred horse race that is usually run at the end of September, and it is a Grade I event that is a major Breeders’ Cup trial. The race is open to two-year-old horses and it is held on a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles.
With a modest purse of only $300,000 it doesn’t promise a lot for the participants, but it is still a great racing event to get warmed up for the upcoming major races.
October
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes
Here we have another Grade I American thoroughbred horse race that is open to three-year-olds and older. The event is organised on Keeneland Race Course over a distance of one mile on the turf surface.
This event dates back to 1986, where it was first organised as Keeneland Breeder’s Cup Stakes, after being receiving a new sponsor in 1999.
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes is scheduled for October 2, with a purse of $750,000, where if you win, you get the chance to participate in Breeder’s Cup Mile.
Jockey Club Gold Cup
This is one of the oldest races in the United States horse racing calendar, dating back to 1919. Over the years, the event changed its name a couple of times and made some rules adjusting, but overall it has always been a three-year-old and up horses on a 1¼ Miles dirt surface.
The Gold cup is attractive for jockeys due to its hefty prize purse of $1 million, and this year, the event is scheduled for October 9.
November
Breeders’ Cup World Championship
This is obviously the highlight of the second part of 2021, and probably the most exciting upcoming horse race scheduled for November 5 & 6. Breeders’ Cup was first organised in 1984, and since then it grew to be an international event that everyone wants to participate in.
It is a Grade I thoroughbred horse race that is organised at different location. This year the series comes to San Diego’s Iconic racing venue Del Mar. Until 2006 it was a single-day event after organisers expanded it into two days.
The Breeders’ Cup is a very popular event that is usually packed with fans. The highest two-day attendance was in 2016 where around 120,000 people visited the event in two days.
Since it is a two-day event, the prize purse varies from $1 to $6 million and it is one of the most prestigious races that every horse racing fan must watch.
Check out more details about the race and the Del Mar race track https://www.twinspires.com/race-tracks/del-mar.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/.