The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) is a relative newcomer as it is the only existing series in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships races that was not a part of the original seven Breeders' Cup races group begun in 1984.
In July 1998, the Breeders' Cup board of directors voted on the decision to fill an obvious gap in the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships lineup by creating this $1 million series for fillies and mares. The first Filly & Mare Turf was held in 1999 at Gulfstream Park.
Until that time, the female turf division had no definitive championship race, and distaffers were forced to race in open company. The audacious misses had to settle for competing against their male counterparts in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) and the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). Back then, the ladies already more than held their own at the Breeders' Cup races, beginning with Royal Heroine (Ireland). She was the only filly in the field when she triumphed in the very first running of the Mile in 1984, and in the process, set a new course record at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, California.
Following Royal Heroine's footsteps, Miesque snagged back-to-back wins at the Mile in 1987 and 1988, while Ridgewood Pearl (Great Britain) captured the 1995 running, moving the Mile championship for the misses up to four of the first 12 runnings. The females performed just as well in the Breeders' Cup Turf, notably, with Pebbles (Great Britain) who took the 1985 running and Miss Alleged who triumphed in 1991.
The Breeder's Cup Filly & Mare Turf was first run in 1999 at 1 3/8 miles, owing mainly to Gulfstream Park's grass course configuration, and was again contested like so in the following year. Come 2001, the distance was then shifted to 10 furlongs.
Ever since the initial running in 1999, the newer series has fulfilled its intended purpose. Phillips Racing Partnership's Soaring Softly snagged an Eclipse Award as champion turf female with a three-quarter-length victory on that first year.
In 2000 at Churchill Downs, Stronach Stable's Perfect Sting won by the same margin, 3/4 length, over Tout Charmant. Perfect Sting was subsequently voted champion turf female.
The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) was first run in 1999 at 1 3/8 miles, but the distance was then shifted to 10 furlongs.
European interests in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf eventually broke through in 2001 at Belmont Park, when Juddmonte Farms' French-based Banks Hill (Great Britain) won by 5 1/2 lengths. That year, the Filly & Mare Turf was run at 1 1/4 miles for the first time, which is its prescribed distance when course configurations permit.
In 2003, the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf may have finally put the overseas runners at the fore of the Breeders' Cup map as European-trained horses swept the first three positions and European-bred horses bagged the top five. 3-1 favorite Islington stalked the pace in sixth early under Kieren Fallon, then at the top of the stretch came on strong and duelled with 47-1 shot L'Ancresse down the stretch to win by a neck in a time of 1:59. It was 2 ½ lengths back to 14-1 shot Yesterday while England-bred Heat Haze finished fourth.
2004 continued the European streak when race favorite Ouija Board of Great Britain won the championship at 0.90 odds with jockey Kieren Fallon. The runnerup was Film Maker at 16.50 odds with jockey John Velasquez while third place went to Wonder Again at 10.70 odds with jockey Edgar Prado.
Breeders' Cup race betting at OTB online racebook.
Breeders Cup World Thoroughbred Championships
| Breeders' Cup Race | Grade | Purse | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders' Juvenile Sprint | $500,000 | November 4 | |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | II | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | I | $1,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic | I | $2,000,000 | November 4 |
| Breeders' Cup Marathon | II | $500,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | I | $1,000,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Sprint | I | $1,500,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | II | $1,000,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Juvenile | I | $2,000,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Mile | I | $2,000,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | I | $1,000,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Turf | I | $3,000,000 | November 5 |
| Breeders' Cup Classic | I | $5,000,000 | November 5 |
| Today's Highest Rebate is 12% | |
| Race Tracks | Time (EST) |
| Assiniboia Downs | 8:05 PM |
| Australia A | 10:00 PM |
| Australia B | 10:10 PM |
| Bangor Raceway | 6:01 PM |
| Belmont Park | 12:52 PM |
| Buffalo Raceway | 6:42 PM |
| Cal Expo | 9:00 PM |
| Canterbury Park | 8:04 PM |
| Charles Town | 7:17 PM |
| Chester Downs Harrahs Philly | 12:48 PM |
| Delta Downs | 7:47 PM |
| Emerald Downs | 9:14 PM |
| Evangeline Downs | 6:45 PM |
| Fairmount Park | 8:30 PM |
| Finger Lakes | 12:36 PM |
| Freehold Raceway | 12:37 PM |
| Golden Gate Fields | 4:15 PM |
| Hazel Park | 7:37 PM |
| Hollywood Park | 10:05 PM |
| Indiana Downs (TB) | 6:59 PM |
| Lone Star Park | 7:36 PM |
| Los Alamitos | 10:15 PM |
| Louisiana Downs | 2:27 PM |
| Maywood Park | 8:16 PM |
| Meadowlands (H) | 7:02 PM |
| Mohawk | 7:14 PM |
| Mountaineer Park | 7:01 PM |
| Northfield Park | 7:09 PM |
| Northlands Park (TB) | 8:00 PM |
| Penn National | 6:05 PM |
| Pimlico | 12:02 PM |
| Pocono Downs | 6:35 PM |
| Prairie Meadows (TB) | 7:30 PM |
| Preakness Advance | 10:30 AM |
| Preakness Double | 5:51 PM |
| Preakness Jockey Challenge | |
| Presque Isle | 5:26 PM |
| Remington Park | 7:01 PM |
| Rideau Carleton | 6:30 PM |
| River Downs | 3:03 PM |
| Sam Houston | 8:00 PM |
| Saratoga Harness | 7:11 PM |
| Scarborough Downs | 4:02 PM |
| Scioto Downs | 6:37 PM |
| SunRay Park | 5:04 PM |
| Thistledown | 1:53 PM |
| Tioga Downs | 6:53 PM |
| Vernon Downs | 6:57 PM |
| Woodbine (TB) | 1:06 PM |
| Yonkers Raceway | 7:15 PM |
Our resident handicappers are going head-to-head this week on the Preakness and we're posting both viewpoints below. Take a look and then log in to the Racebook to check our horse racing odds and place your Preakness Stakes wagers.
Welcome to the OTB Free Belmont Park Picks page where you can find free horse racing handicapping picks for Belmont Park race track in Queens, New York! Get Full Card Belmont Selections and Horse Betting Analysis for all Saturday horse races this season at Belmont Park.
The Grade 2 Hendrie Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, May 19th from Woodbine Racetrack. Fillies and mares four years old and upward are featured in this 6 1/2 furlong race as the entries vie for their share of the $150,000 purse on Woodbine’s Polytrack surface.
The Grade 2 Marjorie L. Everett Handicap (formerly known as the Milady Handicap) comes our way from Betfair Hollywood Park this Saturday, May 19th. Fillies three years old and upward will be racing 1 1/16 miles on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $150,000 purse.
The Grade 3 Railbird Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Betfair Hollywood Park. Fillies three years old will go seven furlongs on Hollywood Park’s all-weather track in search of their share of the $100,000 purse.
The Grade 2 Dixie Stakes is on tap for Pimlico this Saturday, May 19th – site of the Preakness Stakes that is to be run later that day. Horses three years old and upward will be after their share of the $300,000 purse when they go 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s turf track.
The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes comes our way this Saturday May 19th from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. Three year olds will chase the second jewel in the Triple Crown over 1 3/16 miles on Pimlico’s main track. $1 million is on the line for the entries as well as the prestige of winning one of horse racing’s biggest prizes.
OffTrackBetting.com is offering a free contest for a chance to win up to $100 by picking the top 3 finishers (in order) for the 137th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 19th, 2012. Show off your Preakness Stakes Handicapping skills and pick up a free $100.
The Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes comes our way this Friday, May 18th from Pimlico, scene of the Preakness Stakes that will be run Saturday. Three year old fillies will race 1 1/8 miles on Pimlico’s main track in search of their share of the $300,000 purse.
The one-time Grade 1 Pimlico Special Stakes returns this Friday May 18th to Pimlico after a brief three year hiatus. Now a Grade 3 event, horses three years old and upward will go 1 3/16 miles in search of their share of the 300,000 purse.
Pletcher pair takes aim at 7-5 Favorite Mamma Kimbo in Grade 2 Test For Three-Year Old Fillies. On the one hand, trainer Todd Pletcher is looking for redemption. On the other, it’s all about progression. Pletcher will saddle both Disposablepleasure and In Lingerie in the 88th renewal of the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on Friday at Pimlico Race Course.
The 137th running of the Preakness Stakes is on Saturday, May 19 at Pimlico, with Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another looking to win the second leg in horse racing’s Triple Crown. As we get ready for Preakness betting, let’s consider the post position history, prices and trainers to keep an eye on.
Bet on the 2012 Preakness Stakes at OffTrackBetting.com - The 137th running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes is the the second leg of the US Triple Crown, and each year, on the 3rd Sunday in May, thousands of horse racing fans gather at legendary Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland to experience one of sport's most amazing events.
One of the best months of the season in horse racing is the month of May as the race for the Triple Crown begins. At OffTrackBetting.com you can place bets on the Preakness Stakes, which is held two weeks after the Kentucky Derby, along with the Belmont Stakes.
UP TO $150 IN REWARDS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS. OTB will give $100 for horseplayers setting up an account and placing wagers totaling $300. This is a special bonus for new customers only and is subject to terms and conditions.
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