With Breeders' Cup celebrating the 40th edition of its World Championships this year, BloodHorse thought it would be a good time to consider the event's 40 greatest horses to date.
After receiving nominations from staff and correspondents, we conducted a vote to determine the top 40. Keep in mind that we allowed voters wide latitude in considering "greatness." While most started with Breeders' Cup winners—and, for that matter, multiple winners—voters also found room to back courageous runners-up, a few especially accomplished horses that just competed, as well as horses that impacted the event from the breeding side.
Here's how we see it in the fall of 2023, beginning with horses 8-1.
8. Miesque
Brilliant overseas, Miesque was also unstoppable in two United States grass starts. At age 3, she defeated older males in the Mile at Hollywood Park, and the next year, she rolled in the same race at Churchill Downs. A Nureyev filly trained by Francois Boutin for owner/breeder Flaxman Holdings, she earned champion turf female honors those two years and retired with a 12-3-1 record from 16 starts.
7. Ouija Board
Lord Derby's Ouija Board, a winner of 10 of 22 races, raced in three consecutive runnings of the Filly & Mare Turf, winning twice—at Lone Star Park in 2004 and Churchill Downs in 2006. Coming between those victories was a runner-up finish in 2005 at Belmont Park. The Edward Dunlop trainee, a daughter of Cape Cross, won five other group 1s everywhere from Great Britain to Hong Kong.
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6. Sunday Silence
Sunday Silence produced an unforgettable season in 1989, winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in the spring and the Classic in the fall over archrival Easy Goer. The latter victory led to him being honored as Horse of the Year. A leg injury in 1990 led to the Halo colt's retirement with a record of 9-5-0 from 14 starts for trainer Charlie Whittingham, who was also a co-owner, and partners Arthur Hancock III and Dr. Ernest Gaillard.
5. Flightline
The unbeaten Flightline culminated his short six-race career with four consecutive grade 1 victories in blowout fashion. After taking the Classic by 8 1/4 lengths, the John Sadler trainee was named the 2022 Horse of the Year and champion older horse. The Tapit colt raced for owners Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and breeder Summer Wind Equine.
4. Cigar
Beginning in October 1994, Allen Paulson's Cigar rattled off 16 consecutive victories for trainer Bill Mott. A 10-for-10 season in 1995 was punctuated by a victory in the Classic. After being thrice beaten in the second half of 1996, including a third in the Classic at Woodbine, the son of Palace Music was retired with a record of 19-4-5 from 33 starts.
3. Tiznow
Cees Stable's Tiznow took consecutive Classics in the highlight performances of his 15-race career. The Jay Robbins trainee won his first Classic in 2000 at Churchill Downs, narrowly defeating Giant's Causeway and earning Horse of the Year honors that season. The Cee's Tizzy colt's heart was again on display at Belmont Park the following year as a 4-year-old in the Classic in outgaming Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sakhee by a nose.
2. Goldikova
Goldikova won three straight renewals of the Mile, the first two at Santa Anita Park in 2008-09 and the third at Churchill Downs in 2010. The Freddie Head-trained daughter of Anabaa bid for a fourth the following year in 2011, but finished third. She was retired with a
record of 17-6-3 from 27 starts and earnings of $7.1 million. Fourteen of her victories were in grade/group 1s for owner/breeders Wertheimer and Frere.
1. Zenyatta
A winner of 19 of 20 starts, late-running Zenyatta also won over the hearts of racing fans. She first captured the 2008 Ladies' Classic before becoming the first female horse to win the Classic in 2009. The next year in the Classic, her rally fell a head short of Blame, her only defeat. The Street Cry mare was named Horse of the Year in 2010 for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs.
