Emotions are sure to run high for trainer Robbie Medina before he starts Praying in the $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Del Mar had long been considered one of horse racing’s most treasured venues, but like Keeneland Race Course its seasonal boutique meets did not seem to be an ideal fit for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. That all changed with an announcement by Breeders’ Cup officials on June 24, 2014.
The $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 1 at Del Mar was always going to be the marquee race of the 2025 World Championships, but this year the stakes seem just a bit bigger.
One of the perennial highlights of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is the Longines Distaff, which brings together many of the best fillies and mares in training to compete for a $2 million purse and boost their chances at being honored as champion older female at the Eclipse Awards.
The 38th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar lived up to expectations in many ways. The year prior, fans were prohibited from attending the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the crowds that made it to the 2021 event at picturesque Del Mar in California were more than ready to celebrate as NBC Sports chronicled the festivities.
