Horse racing is often called the sport of kings and is one of the oldest sports in existence today. The first modern horse race took place in England in 1776, the St. Leger. The race proved so popular that the Oaks and the Derby were founded in 1779 and 1780, respectively. Today, thousands of horse races occur throughout the calendar year, but only a handful gain legendary worldwide status.
The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is one of North America’s most famous horse races and has run almost every year since 1875. Traditionally, the Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday of May. The 2023 edition, the 149th edition, is scheduled for Saturday, May 6, at the world-famous Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.
A $3 million purse attracts some of the best horses, trainers, and jockeys to the Kentucky Derby; a cool $1,860,000 is reserved for the eventual champion. Some of horse racing’s renowned horses have won the Kentucky Derby, not least Secretariat and Seattle Slew, with the former holding the record time at 1:59.4. The horse on everyone’s lips right now and the favorite in the 2023 Kentucky Derby betting markets online is the three-year-old Todd A. Pletcher-trained Forte.
The Kentucky Derby is the first leg in American horse racing’s Triple Crown, with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes making up the trio of coveted titles.
The Grand National
With a £1,000,000 purse, including a £500,000 first-place prize, the Grand National is Europe’s most valuable jump race and arguably the most famous horse race on the planet. First run in February 1839, the Grand National is something of a British institution, with millions of viewers tuning into the live free-to-air broadcast while tens of thousands pack into Aintree Racecourse to watch the race in the flesh.
The Grand National is a grueling race over 4 miles 514 yards, and it is common for only one-third or fewer entrants to finish the course. Officials have made dozens of alterations to the jumps over the years in an attempt to improve horse and jockey safety.
Winners of the Grand National become instantly famous in the horse racing world. Ambush II won the 1900 Grand National, a horse owned by His Royal Highness Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII. Other famous Grand National winners include Red Rum (the only horse to win the race three times) and Tiger Roll. The horse Minella Times, the winner in 2021, will always be remembered because Rachael Blackmore became the first female jockey to win the race aboard the eight-year-old.
The Dubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup was only formed in 1996, making it one of the newest major horse racing meets, but it is one of the wealthiest races globally. The Dubai World Cup takes place at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and has awarded a staggering $12 million in prize money since increasing the purse in 2019. A cool $7.2 million of the pot goes to the eventual champion. A new race, the Saudi Cup, launched in 2020 and features a $20 million purse, with the winner collecting $10 million. Only the Dubai World Cup comes close to those mind-boggling figures.
Some of the most iconic horses of a generation have triumphed in the 2,000-meter Dubai World Cup, including Cigar, Dubai Millennium, Pleasantly Perfect, Arrogate, and California Chrome.
Aside from the racing, the Dubai World Cup offers spectators entertainment from the music industry. The likes of Toni Braxton, Seal, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, and Janet Jackson have all performed during what is the equivalent of the Super Bowl’s halftime show!
