Breeders Cup
Breeders’ Cup Mile 2023 Angles
By Jarrod Horak
The Breeders’ Cup Mile is one of the original seven races, dating all the way back to Hollywood Park in 1984. The 2023 renewal will be held at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, Nov. 4, and they will be traveling one mile on the turf course.
Recent Breeders’ Cup Mile Results
Modern Games (IRE) broke from post 4 and rallied from off the pace to win the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland for William Buick and Charles Appleby. He was exiting a runner-up finish in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in Great Britain.
Space Blues was the 2021 BC Mile winner at Del Mar and the overseas invader was exiting a win in the Prix de la Foret (G1) at Longchamp in France.
At Keeneland in 2020, Order of Australia lit up the tote at $148.40. He was exiting a 9th place finish in a Group 3 at the Curragh in Ireland. Uni took this race at Santa Anita Park in 2019 and she was exiting a score in the First Lady (G1) at Keeneland.
Expert Eye was the 2018 winner under the Twin Spires and he was third in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) in his final Breeders’ Cup prep. World Approval captured the BC Mile at Del Mar in 2017. He was exiting back-to-back Grade 1 wins in the Fourstardave and Woodbine Mile.
Tourist took the Mile at Santa Anita in 2016 and he was third in his final prep in the Shadwell Mile (G1) at Keeneland. Tepin was the 2015 winner at Keeneland and she won her final prep in the First Lady (G1) at that same venue.
The Santa Anita Years
This event has been held at Santa Anita Park ten times. Four of the Santa Anita winners had their final Breeders’ Cup Mile prep at Keeneland, and three winners last raced at Longchamp in France.
The chart below shows all 10 winners of the BC Mile at Santa Anita, and it includes winning riders, trainers, post positions, running styles, win payoffs, and final preps.
Jockeys to Watch
Olivier Peslier guided the great Goldikova (IRE) to three consecutive Breeders’ Cup Mile victories.
John Velazquez has won this race three times (Da Hoss, Wise Dan, World Appeal).
William Buick booted home the winners of this event in 2021 and 2022 (Space Blues, Modern Games).
Joel Rosario won this event in 2016 with Tourist and in 2019 aboard Uni.
Mike Smith was aboard for both of Lure’s victories in this race in 1992-93.
Trainers to Watch
Charles Appleby saddled the last two winners of the BC Mile (Space Blues, Modern Games).
Pascal Bary saddled the winner of the BC Mile twice (Domedriver, Six Perfections).
Shug McGaughey saddled Lure to back-to-back BC Mile wins in 1992-93.
BC Mile Trends
The last ten years, domestic runners won the BC Mile five times and overseas shippers captured five editions (Karakontie, Expert Eye, Order of Australia, Space Blues, Modern Games). Overseas invaders hold the recent edge with four wins in the last five runnings.
The Breeders’ Cup Mile is a race for flat mile specialists. Miesque won back-to-back runnings in 1987-88. Lure won in 1992 and repeated in 1993. Da Hoss struck in 1996, missed all of 1997 for Michael Dickinson, and won the BC Mile again in 1998 following a single allowance prep at Colonial Downs. Goldikova (IRE) pulled off the hat trick in this race in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Wise Dan was the last repeat winner. He pulled off that feat in 2012 and 2013. Last year’s chalky winner Modern Games (IRE) also won the BC Juvenile Turf in 2021. He was retired earlier this year.
Check out these other Breeders’ Cup 2023 articles:
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint 2023 Angles
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies 2023 Angles
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf 2023 Angles
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf 2023 Angles
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile 2023 Angles
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile 2023 Angles