Kentucky Cup

Due to budget constraints, the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions has not been scheduled for 2010. More info.

2009: The 16th Running of the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions
Furthest Land upsets Classic; Gomez sweeps Cup stakes
Champion jockey Garrett Gomez flew in from California to ride the Kentucky Cup stakes and flew out with all three trophies,
taking the Classic aboard Furthest Land, the Distaff with Indescribable, and the Sprint with El Brujo.

Classic recap and video | Distaff recap and video | Sprint recap and video | Jockey and trainer quotes (PDF)

Left: Furthest Land (7) powers past Dubious Miss in late stretch to win the Classic by a neck.
Center: Indescribable draws off to a comfortable win the Distaff.
Right: El Brujo (1) rockets up the middle of the track to stun Brass Bay in the Sprint.
(Photos: Pat Lang Photography)

Established in 1994 as a lead-in to the Breeders' Cup World Championships and year-end honors, the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions prepped seven Breeders' Cup winners, six Eclipse Award champions, and three Canadian champions before the series was shelved after 2009. The most recent of that illustrious company was Furthest Land, winner of the 2009 Kentucky Cup Classic and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. The series was known for drawing top horses to Turfway each fall.

Originally six races, the Kentucky Cup series was reduced to five when the Kentucky Cup Starter Stakes was dropped after 2000. The Juvenile (G3) and Juvenile Fillies (listed) were last run in 2008. The Classic (G2), Distaff (G3), and Sprint (G3) were last run in 2009. See more Kentucky Cup history.

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

Furthest Land, 1st in 2009 Kentucky Cup Classic: 1st in 2009 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
Fatal Bullet, 1st in 2008 Sprint in track-record time: 2nd in 2008 Breeders' Cup Sprint; Canadian Horse of the Year
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 (fourth consecutive BC Classic)
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