There is no event in Thoroughbred racing quite like the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Beautiful Del Mar (Eclipse Sportswire)

While other horse racing events feature a compelling full day of racing, they are almost always built upon one major race. The Breeders’ Cup, on the other hand, is a two-day event with 14 championship races across multiple divisions that helps crown myriad champions and highlight the best of the best in the sport.

The Breeders’ Cup lures the top horses, trainers, jockeys, and owners from across the world; it draws celebrities from coast to coast; and it combines sport with fashion, food, and fun.

This year’s host track is Del Mar, the picturesque seaside racetrack near San Diego that is one of the beloved venues in horse racing. Think about it: what better place to go as winter approaches than Southern California for a weekend spent watching horse racing blanketed by the warm breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean?

While attending a Breeders’ Cup is a bucket-list item, not every racing can fit a trip into their budget or schedule. So, why not make the most of watching from home by throwing a party for friends and family?

If you can’t visit Del Mar, bring San Diego to your guests with a day (or two) of terrific food and drink plus world-class horse racing!

A Warm Welcome

Striking the right tone is a key component to a great party. You want your guests to feel special and welcome, and that starts with the décor.

Pick up a couple of these great rocks glasses!

The signature colors for the Breeders’ Cup are purple and gold, which is a great starting point for decorations like tablecloths, and napkins and cutlery. Start with these Spirit of Racing Cups from the Breeders’ Cup store, a perfect touch for your party, then add some purple accents with balloons or streamers.

If purple doesn’t fit your style or home décor, never fear, lean into the ocean vibe with some soft blues and sandy brown hues. Grab an ocean waves tablecloth and some beach party tableware add some seashells and transport your guests to the West Coast.

There also are plenty of horse racing-themed decorations as well that you could opt for or use to accompany a purple theme. We love these racing-themed cutouts for the front door to let family and friends know you mean business. Pick up some racing plates and napkins, tack up a horse racing string banner and a “place your bets” banner and the race is on …

Ready to take the decorations to the next level? Check out the Breeders’ Cup store for some items that can add a touch of elegance if you have a few dollars to spice things up. Check out these rocks glasses for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup from an amazing selection of glassware – but be sure to order soon if you want to get them on time.

Define Your Style

Shop Breeders' Cup!

Nobody likes to show up to a party and stick out because they are under- or over-dressed, so the key here is to communicate to your guests whether it’s a casual soiree or a more formal affair.

My friend group is casual and coming for the food, booze, and gambling. But if your friend group prefers to make an event of it, encourage your guests to dress to the nines and break out the dresses and fascinators or nice jacket and tie for the gents. Nothing brings the west to a party like a great pair of boots, and Breeders’ Cup partner Lucchese has something for just about any event.

If you plan your party to trend to the dressier side, the Breeders’ Cup store offers all sorts of charming accessories to add some flair to your fit: add a nice scarf or pick up the perfect racing-themed tie or some silver horse cufflinks to finish your look.

For a casual party, there are all sorts of fun T-shirts and sweatshirts in the Breeders’ Cup store, including this great Old Smoke Surf shirt. This old soul found his beach vibe in the form of a great Del Mar Tie Dye Hoodie.

Craft Up a Cocktail (Or Two!)

The great thing about the Breeders’ Cup is they have two official drinks, and unlike the Kentucky Derby’s official drink, the Mint Julep, these taste great and will leave your guests wanting more … and the recipe.

ABR’s Dan Tordjman interviewed expert mixologist Mark Tubridy, who concocted the Torrie Cup and the Garland, and he provided one key tip to remember for the amateur mixologist preparing drinks for their friends:

“These drinks were designed to be made in batches, so ratios and measurements are very important! Make sure you keep track of how much you’re pouring of each ingredient.”

Check out the recipes below and be sure to take the time and effort to measure out the recipes correctly for a perfect batch of cocktails.

Torrie Cup

• 1 1/2 parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
• 3/4 part Sweet Vermouth
• 1 ½ parts Orange Juice
• 2 parts Lemonade (Simply or Tropicana)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker; add ice, shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice in a fancy wine glass or goblet. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

The Torrie Cup (Courtesy of Breeders’ Cup )

The Garland

• 1 part Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• 1 part Triple Sec
• 1 part Honey-Green Tea (Honest or Pure Leaf)
• 1/2 part Fresh Lemon Juice

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker; add ice, shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice in a highball glass. Garnish with edible purple flowers.

SoCal Flavor

With Del Mar hosting the 2024 Breeders’ Cup, try building a menu with a distinctive SoCal flair. I’m a big taco guy; I could live on just tacos! Shrimp tacos with mango salsa are my go-to for hosting, but fish tacos might fit the Del Mar theme just a bit better. (Full Disclosure: I love the shrimp taco recipe I linked to, but I have not tried the fish taco recipe.) Make sure you have plenty of snacks available for munching during a long day of racing and a great place to start is with some amazing guacamole and/or fresh salsa.

If you want to really elevate your menu, Breeders’ Cup has partnered with Michelin-starred Chef Curtis Stone, who curates exclusive menus for premium dining areas at Breeders’ Cup. A native of Australia, Stone is a world-renowned chef, restaurateur, author, media personality, and businessman and owns the critically acclaimed Gwen and Maude restaurants in Los Angeles.

Stone has provided a couple of great recipes for at-home chefs to craft up for their guests this Breeders’ Cup — spring bruschetta and shrimp appetizers.

BRUSCHETTA WITH SPRING PEA PESTO AND BURRATA

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 8 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt
• 4 1/2-inch-thick slices ciabatta bread
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh English peas (from 1 1/2 lb. peas in the pod)
• 4 oz. burrata or fresh mozzarella, at room temperature
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. 


In small food processor, combine basil, mint, 5 tbsp. of oil, the lemon zest and juice, and process until nearly smooth. Season to taste with salt. Leave mixture in food processor. 


Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle 1 tbs. oil over ciabatta and season with salt. Grill ciabatta for about 3 mins per side, or until lightly toasted and grill marks form. Transfer to a plate. 


Heat medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tbs. oil, then add shallot and garlic and sauté for about
2 mins, or until tender and translucent. Add peas and cook for about 5 mins, or until they are cooked through but still crisp-tender. Remove from heat.

Add half of warm pea mixture to pesto and pulse until peas are coarsely chopped. Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in remaining warm pea mixture. Season with salt. 


Divide burrata among bruschetta and season with salt and pepper. Spoon pesto over, sprinkle with Parmesan, and serve immediately. 


Bruschetta and shrimp appetizers (Courtesy of Breeders’ Cup )

SHRIMP WITH GAZPACHO COCKTAIL SAUCE

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½-oz piece (about one 1/2-inch-thick slice) ciabatta bread, split
• 1 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes, halved crosswise
• 1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded (if desired), coarsely chopped
• 1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 2 pieces lemon peel (about 2x1 inches; removed with vegetable peeler, avoiding white pith)
• 2 inner pale celery stalks with leaves, stalks finely chopped, leaves reserved for garnish
• 24 uncooked large shrimp, peeled

Directions: Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, add bread and toast, turning once, for about 6 mins, or until bread is charred on both sides. Tear charred bread into pieces.

Using a spoon and working over a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, scrape out seeds from tomatoes. Using back of spoon, press out as much juice as possible that collects in sieve. Reserve tomato liquid in bowl (about 1/2 cup) and discard seeds.

In a blender, combine bread, tomato flesh, tomato liquid, bell pepper, chile, shallot, garlic, oil, lemon juice, lemon peel, and half chopped celery. Blend well until very smooth and thick. Season gazpacho sauce with salt and more lemon juice, if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare shrimp. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add shrimp and cook for about 1 min, or just until opaque. Drain, spread shrimp on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until cold, about 20 mins.

Spoon 1/4 cup sauce into each of 8 frozen small shallow bowls. Place 3 shrimp in each. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining chopped celery, celery leaves, sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with a spoon.

Watch From Comfort of Home

The two-day championship event will be shown live across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, and FanDuel TV on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2.

Future Stars Friday on Nov. 1 features all five Breeders’ Cup World Championships races for 2-year-olds. There will be five undercard races preceding the first Breeders’ Cup race on Friday’s 10-race program with the first race post time at 2:35 p.m. ET.

If you can't make it to Del Mar, watch from home! (Eclipse Sportswire)

USA Network and FanDuel TV will televise the Friday action, with USA Network coverage taking place from 4-8 p.m. ET and including two undercard races and four Breeders’ Cup races, concluding with the $2 million $2 million FanDuel Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance at 7:45 p.m. ET. FanDuel TV coverage will begin at 2 p.m. ET with the first undercard race and will conclude with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at 8:25 p.m. ET. 

Championship Saturday features nine Breeders’ Cup World Championships races on a 12-race card with first post time at 1:05 p.m. ET. Three undercard races precede the first Breeders’ Cup race, the $2 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which will have a post time of 3 p.m. ET.  

USA Network begins its live Saturday coverage from 2-3:30 p.m. ET, followed by 2 1/2 hours on NBC from 3:30-6 p.m. ET. Coverage on NBC concludes with the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and live coverage continues on USA Network from 6-8 p.m. ET.   

There will be four Breeders’ Cup World Championships races after the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, as follows: $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at 6:25 p.m. ET; $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at 7:05 p.m. ET; $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund at 7:45 p.m. ET; and the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint at 8:25 p.m. ET.   

Continuous coverage of all Breeders’ Cup World Championship races on Friday and Saturday will stream live on Peacock both days. Additionally, all undercard and World Championship races, except the Classic, will be shown live on FanDuel TV as part of the Breeders’ Cup Players’ Show coverage, which is also available on BreedersCup.com and mobile app, all major ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities around the world.  Breeders’ Cup in the UK and Ireland will be telecast on ITV4, Sky Sports, and Racing TV; and racing fans in Japan can follow the action on Green Channel.

Bet and Win!

For anyone new to horse racing, our Beginner’s Guide to the Breeders’ Cup is a great place to get your feet wet.

When throwing a party, it’s good to remember that watching a horse race is always a little more exciting when you have some skin in the game. It could be as simple as putting the names of the horses in a hat for each Breeders’ Cup race and offering guests a chance to pick names for $1 or $5, and the person with the winning horse takes the pot. Maybe you pick up a few party gifts and give one of those out to the guest with the winning horse’s name.

Nothing beats cheering home a winner! (Eclipse Sportswire)

If friends and family prefer a more serious gamble, remember pari-mutuel betting is available online – and rather than betting against the house, you are betting against other gamblers. The best part is, it’s never been easier to set up an online account. You can bet from home using what is called an advance-deposit-wagering platform. Using an “ADW” requires signing up for an account and depositing money in advance that can be used to bet online. Sometimes, it can be a bit of a process to start up, so don’t wait until the last minute if you are hoping to place some bets on the Breeders’ Cup. Set up the account at least a few days in advance.

FanDuel is the official betting partner of Breeders’ Cup, and for big-events like the World Championships they often run promotions for people interested in starting an account. You can also use America’s Best Racing’s handy gambling calculator to figure out how much your bets will cost in advance.

The Breeders’ Cup is the best betting weekend of the entire year in horse racing – why not make it a party?