Kentucky Cup

Silver Charm and Wild Rush dead heat for win in 1998 Classic.

The 16th running of
The Kentucky Cup Day of Champions
Fall 2009: Date TBA

With 15 years of proof on the books, the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions is firmly established as a top stop on the way to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and Eclipse awards. Since its first running in 1994, Kentucky Cup Day has prepped six Breeders' Cup winners, six Eclipse Award winners and numerous Grade I winners and stakes-placed competitors.

The Kentucky Cup Races

Classic (G2), 3yo and up, 1 1/8 miles, $350,000

Juvenile (G3), 2yo, 1 1/16 miles, $100,000

Juvenile Fillies (listed), 2yo fillies, 1 mile, $100,000

Sprint (G3), 3yo, 6 furlongs, $100,000

Distaff (G3), 3yo and up, fillies and mares, 1 1/16 miles, $100,000

A sixth race, the one-mile Kentucky Cup Starter Stakes for 3-year-olds and up, was run from 1994 through 2000.

Kentucky Cup Stars
Notable Kentucky Cup runners and their subsequent top achievements:

Fatal Bullet, 1st in 2008 Sprint in track-record time: 2nd in 2008 Breeders' Cup Sprint
Hard Spun, 1st in 2007 Classic: 2nd in 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic
Premium Tap, 5th in 2006 Classic after clipping heels: 3rd in 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic; 1st in 2006 Clark Handicap; 1st in 2007 King's Cup; 2nd in 2007 Dubai World Cup
Roses in May, 1st in 2004 Classic: 2nd in 2004 Breeders' Cup Classic, 1st in 2005 Dubai World Cup
Perfect Drift, 1st in 2003 Classic and 2nd in 2006 Classic: 3rd in 2005 Breeders' Cup Classic (his fourth consecutive start in that race)
Congaree, 2nd in 2003 Classic: 1st in 2003 Cigar Mile
Cajun Beat, 1st in 2003 Sprint: 1st in 2003 Breeders' Cup Sprint
Vindication, 1st in 2002 Juvenile: 1st in 2002 Breeders' Cup Juvenile; 2002 Eclipse Award, champion two-year-old male
Repent, 1st in 2001 Juvenile: 2nd in 2001 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Spain, 1st in 2000 Turfway Breeders' Cup: 1st in 2000 Breeders' Cup Distaff; retired in 2002 as then all-time leading female with earnings of $3,540,542
Caller One, 1st in 2000 Sprint: 1st in 2001 Dubai Golden Shaheen, 1st in 2002 Dubai Golden Shaheen
Point Given, 1st in 2000 Juvenile: 2nd in 2000 Breeders' Cup; 1st in 2001 Santa Anita Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes; 2001 Eclipse awards as champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year
Captain Steve, 1st in 2000 Classic: 3rd in 2000 Breeders' Cup Classic; 1st in 2001 Dubai World Cup
Cat Thief, 3rd in 1999 Classic: 1st in 1999 Breeders' Cup Classic
Silver Charm, 1st in 1998 Classic (dead heat with Wild Rush): 2nd in Breeders' Cup Classic
Reraise, 1st in 1998 Sprint: 1st in 1998 Breeders' Cup Sprint; 1998 Eclipse Award, champion sprinter
Boston Harbor, 1st in 1996 Juvenile: 1st in 1996 Breeders' Cup Juvenile; 1996 Eclipse Award, champion 2-year-old male
Atticus, 1st in 1996 Classic: 1st in 1997 Oaklawn Handicap
Thunder Gulch, 1st in 1995 Classic: 1995 Eclipse Award, champion 3-year-old
Editor's Note, 1st in 1995 Juvenile: 3rd in 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile; 1st in 1996 Belmont Stakes
Serena's Song, 2nd in 1995 Turfway Breeders' Cup: 1st in 1995 Beldame; 1995 Eclipse Award, champion 3-year-old female; 1st in 1996 Santa Monica Handicap, Santa Maria Handicap, and Ogden Phipps Handicap