The Breeders Cup 2021 provides a thrilling climax to the core horse racing season in the USA with thoroughbreds from around the world descending on Del Mar this week. This is the second time that the California track has hosted the World Championships after 2017.

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on the West Coast of America is known for its nearby sandy beaches along the Pacific as well as equine action. This year’s Breeders Cup dates are November 5 and 6. The opening day of the meet is all about juveniles with two-year-olds only races on the main card.

Things then really heat up in California culminating in the Breeders Cup Classic that headlines the Saturday schedule. Get the lowdown on everything Breeders Cup 2021 here on SportsLens.

When is the Breeders Cup 2021

The Breeders Cup takes place on November 5 and 6 this year with 14 races across the two days of the meet. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in California is the host venue for the second time in its history. Unlike other horse racing events that have a fixed home, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships move to a different track every year. This only adds to the excitement of the races.

California hosts the Breeders Cup for the seventh time since 2012 but five editions of the Championships have been at Santa Anita Park rather than Del Mar. When this track last had the event onsite in 2017, Gun Runner won the Breeders Cup Classic for jockey Florent Geroux and trainer Steve Asmussen.

What are the Championships

The Breeders Cup is a series of World Championship races for thoroughbred horses taking place on both dirt and turf. Inaugurated in 1984, the meet has grown in size and scope since. A series of win and you’re in races take place all over the world throughout the year. The concept, devised in 1982, was to bring the best Flat thoroughbreds from across the globe to compete in the USA during the fall.

There are a variety of different distances and conditions to the Breeders Cup races. Some events are age or gender restricted, such as the Breeders Cup Distaff being for fillies and mares only. This is something you need to remember when picking out horses, whether it’s on offshore sportsbooks or online betting sites in the USA.

In races where horses of different age groups race against each other, younger ones receive weight for age from their elders. In open races, fillies and mares benefit from a sex allowance from colts and geldings. 

2021 Breeders Cup Schedule

There is a full list of Breeders Cup post times for the 2021 edition of the Championships below. Five races take place on Friday, November 5 with a further nine on Saturday, November 6. All times from Del Mar are EDT per the event’s official website. Distance are in miles and furlongs then in kilometers in brackets:

Race Schedule Day 1 (Friday, November 5)

5:50 – Juvenile Turf Sprint (Grade 2) for 2yos over 5f (1km) 6:30 – NetJets Juvenile Fillies (Grade 1) for 2yo fillies over 1m 1/2f (1.7km) 7:10 – Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 1) for 2yo fillies over 1m (1.6km) 7:50 – TVG Juvenile Presented By TAA (Grade 1) for 2yos over 1m 1/2f (1.7km) 8:30 – Juvenile Turf (Grade 1) for 2yos over 1m (1.6km)

The Friday of the meet is dedicated to juvenile horses competing. That means every race on the first day has an age restriction for two-year-olds only. The World Championships have more open races on the second day, however:

Race Schedule Day 2 (Saturday, November 6)

3:05 – Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1) for 3yo+ fillies and mares over 7f (1.4km) 3:40 – Turf Sprint (Grade 1) for 3yos+ over 5f (1km) 4:19 – Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile (Grade 1) for 3yos+ over 1m (1.6km) 4:59 – Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) for 3yo+ fillies and mares over 1m 3f (2.2km) 5:38 – Qatar Racing Sprint (Grade 1) for 3yos+ over 6f (1.2km) 6:20 – FanDuel Mile Presented By PDJF (Grade 1) for 3yos+ over 1m (1.6km) 7:00 – Longines Distaff (Grade 1) for 3yo+ fillies and mares over 1m 1f (1.8km) 7:40 – Longines Turf (Grade 1) for 3yos+ over 1m 4f (2.4km) 8:40 – Breeders Cup Classic (Grade 1) for 3yos+ over 1m 2f (2km)

With so much top thoroughbred horse racing on show at Del Mar, this equine extravaganza won’t disappoint. Tune in to the Breeders Cup on TV on NBC for live coverage of all the action from California.