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.

40. Easy Goer

A great rivalry played out in the sixth edition of the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Gulfstream Park, where Triple Crown rivals Sunday Silence and Easy Goer would throw down in the stretch, with Sunday Silence prevailing by a neck. That memorable effort, a runner-up finish to Is It True in the 1988 Juvenile, and a Hall of Fame career land Easy Goer on this list.—Frank Angst

39. High Chaparral

We’d love to say that High Chaparral dead-heated for 39th, but alas, that’s not how the vote went. On the track his back-to-back victories in the 2002 and 2003 Breeders’ Cup Turf earned him champion grass horse honors in each of those seasons. That 2003 effort — the final race of the Epsom Derby/Irish Derby winner’s career — would prove memorable as the event’s only dead-heat win, to date, in Breeders’ Cup history. He and Johar both rallied through the Santa Anita Park stretch before hitting the wire together.—Frank Angst

38. Songbird

In two Breeders’ Cup starts, Songbird proved spectacular in victory and defeat. She looked the winner every step of the 2015 Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland, drawing off to a 5 3/4-length win. That graceful effort displayed her enormous talent; a display of her considerable grit would follow. As a 3-year-old in the Distaff a year later, Songbird hooked up with Beholder more than a quarter-mile from the wire at Santa Anita before her older rival prevailed by a nose in one of the great races in Breeders’ Cup history.—Frank Angst

Knicks Go winning 2021 Classic. (Eclipse Sportswire)

37. Knicks Go 

Speaking of overwhelming talent, Knicks Go dropped jaws with front-running scores by 3 1/2 lengths in the 2020 Dirt Mile at Keeneland and by 2 3/4 lengths the following year in the Classic. Don’t forget that at 2, Knicks Go — at 40-1 — finished second to Game Winner in the 2018 Juvenile at Churchill Downs.—Frank Angst

36. Azeri

Azeri entered the 2002 Distaff off of six straight wins and still managed to save something special for the 1 1/8-mile test at Arlington International Racecourse. She drew off in the stretch to post a five-length victory, which would be the most decisive stakes win of her career. Azeri would land Horse of the Year honors in 2002, see her win streak stretch to 11 in 2003 (all graded stakes including eight Grade 1s), and stride into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2010.—Frank Angst

35. All Along

While All Along finished second to Lashkari in the first edition of the Turf, the presence of the future Hall of Famer made it abundantly clear that top international runners would support this event. Campaigned by Daniel Wildenstein, All Along won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1983, earned 1983 Horse of the Year honors off of three Grade 1 wins in North America after that Arc win, and entered the 1984 Turf three starts after finishing third in that year’s Arc.—Frank Angst

34. Favorite Trick

As an early look at potential classic horses, the Juvenile would quickly become one of the glamour races of the World Championships. Favorite Trick completed an undefeated eight-race season with a 5 1/2-length score in the 1997 Juvenile to not only lock down a divisional championship but also land Horse of the Year honors — the first 2-year-old to earn that latter accolade since Secretariat in 1972.—Frank Angst

33. Ferdinand

There’s extra shine on the Classic in years that Kentucky Derby winners make it to the World Championships in good form. The 1987 race would feature two Derby winners and they would fully oblige the pre-race hype by dueling to the wire where Ferdinand prevailed by a nose over Alysheba. The outcome would lock up Horse of the Year for the victor and prove to be the lone Breeders’ Cup win for riding legend Bill Shoemaker.—Frank Angst

32. Arazi

Before Favorite Trick earned Horse of the Year honors off his 1997 Breeders' Cup Juvenile victory (see above), Arazi dazzled in 1991. Entered off three straight Group 1 wins in France—and six straight stakes wins overall — Arazi blitzed 13 rivals in the Juvenile at Churchill Downs to register a five-length score in his first United States start and first start on dirt. The electric effort would help him land European Horse of the Year honors at 2.—Frank Angst

31. Daylami

As BloodHorse put it, Godolphin's Daylami provided "a mix of gray and glory," "a blend of majesty and sheer force," in winning the 1999 Breeders' Cup Turf by 2 1/2 lengths. The performance, his lone North American start that season, impressed enough to land Daylami Eclipse champion grass horse honors while helping him secure European Horse of the Year.—Frank Angst

Monomoy Girl winning 2020 Distaff. (Eclipse Sportswire)

30. Monomoy Girl

While she famously drew outside for many of her biggest races, Monomoy Girl made her own luck by seemingly always finding a good stalking position. She won the 2018 Kentucky Oaks from post 14 before drawing the outside post of 11 fillies and mares in that year's Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill. Facing older rivals would not be a problem as she stalked early, then drew off to a clear victory in the stretch. It all looked so easy. For good measure Monomoy Girl served up a virtual replay in the 2020 Distaff at Keeneland, drawing widest in the field of 10 before delivering another decisive win.—Frank Angst

29. Galileo

His sixth place in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Classic may provide some good trivia on a Saturday night but he makes this list as the most prolific sire in Breeders' Cup history. From 63 Breeders' Cup starters, his runners have earned just under $16 million. He's led by winners Found (2015 Turf), Highland Reel (2016 Turf), Line of Duty (2018 Juvenile Turf), Magician (2013 Turf), Red Rocks (2006 Turf), and Tuesday (2022 Filly & Mare Turf) .—Frank Angst

28. Da Hoss

We'll resist the temptation of having Tom Durkin do all our work for this story by repeating his famous calls throughout the years, but in this case, "This is the greatest comeback since Lazarus," says it all of the two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner who posted those Breeders' Cup victories in 1996 and 1998—with just a single start in between those efforts.—Frank Angst

27. Unbridled

In the spring of 1990 ABC cameras told the story of what winning the Kentucky Derby can mean better than any words as they captured trainer Carl Nafzger describing the action to 92-year-old owner Frances Genter before erupting with "He's a winner, he's a winner!" and then "You won the Kentucky Derby!" But after that effort, victory eluded Unbridled in his next four stakes races before he again delivered on the biggest stage, rallying from 13th to win the Classic at Belmont Park. For good measure, he would finish third in the 1991 Classic.—Frank Angst

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26. Midnight Lute 

The Breeders' Cup Sprint may be the most unforgiving of the now two-day World Championships — one bit of bad luck, one wrong decision, and the opportunity may be lost. So there's something to be said for repeating in this race, as Midnight Lute did, splashing home for a 4 3/4-length win in 2007 at Monmouth Park and then scoring on a fast track a year later at the Oak Tree Meet at Santa Anita. He rallied from eighth of 10 in 2007 and last of eight in 2008.—Frank Angst

25. Giant's Causeway

For years after his duel with Tiznow in the 2000 Classic at Churchill, the game's most coveted fashion statement would be Ashford Stud jackets promoting Giant's Causeway as The Iron Horse. While the six-time group 1 winner finished a neck behind Tiznow in the Classic, that gallant performance ensured he would be fondly remembered, as would his three titles as North America's leading sire and three Breeders' Cup winners as sire: Bricks and Mortar  (2019 Turf), Man of Iron (2009 Marathon), and Take Charge Brandi (2014 Juvenile Fillies) .—Frank Angst

24. Gun Runner 

After a second-place finish in the 2016 Dirt Mile, Gun Runner fired big to post a 2 1/4-length victory in the $6 million Classic at Del Mar in 2017, a performance that landed him Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male honors. As a stud at Three Chimneys Farm since 2018, Gun Runner is a record-breaking young sire whose progeny includes 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Echo Zulu.—Karen M. Johnson

23. Inside Information

It seemed only fitting that a rainbow would appear as future Hall of Famer Inside Information coasted to a dazzling 13 ½-length win in the 1995 Distaff at Belmont Park. Her margin of victory remains a Breeders’ Cup record. The Distaff was the final race for the Ogden Mills Phipps homebred who always showed up ready to perform, as evidenced by her 14-1-2 record from 17 career starts.—Karen M. Johnson

22. Arrogate

In Arrogate’s nearly perfect dream season as a 3-year-old, he was 5-for-6. The colt’s handling of older rivals in the 2016 Classic decided champion 3-year-old male honors following his half-length win over 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome. Arrogate had a thirst for taking down lucrative purses and, after adding wins in the 2017 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Dubai World Cup, he retired as North America’s richest Thoroughbred.—Karen M. Johnson

2015 Mile winner Tepin. (Eclipse Sportswire)

21. Tepin

As one of the most decorated turf runners in recent history, two-time champion and Hall of Famer Tepin regularly stuck it to her male rivals, including her romp in the 2015 Mile when Keeneland hosted the Breeders’ Cup for the first time. She gave the Mile another whirl the following year in California, but settled for second after coming up a half-length short of catching Tourist.—Karen M. Johnson

20. Lure

Following in the footsteps of two-time Mile winner Miesque (1987-’88), Lure became the second horse to double up in the same Breeders’ Cup race. The speedy colt treated his connections to a front-running victory in the 1992 Mile at Gulfstream Park while establishing a course record on Halloween. He roared back a year later to successfully repeat in the Mile at Santa Anita Park. A third appearance, in the 1994 Mile, yielded a ninth-place finish as the favorite for this future Hall of Fame inductee.—Karen M. Johnson

19. Skip Away

Skip Away, the six-length winner of the 1997 Classic, represented a family affair. Owned by Carolyn Hine and trained by her husband, Sonny, who bought her the colt as a birthday gift, Skip Away was celebrated for his racing achievements. He earned several Eclipse Awards, including 1998 Horse of the Year, which came despite finishing sixth in that year’s Classic. Sonny Hine, who died in 2000, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. A year later, Skip Away joined his trainer as a Hall of Famer.—Karen M. Johnson

18. Enable

Enable, a 4-year-old filly at the time, is the first horse to win both the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and Breeders’ Cup Turf in the same year during her glorious 2018 campaign for trainer John Gosden. European champion Enable, a fourth-generation Juddmonte homebred, gave Gosden his fifth victory at the Breeders’ Cup.—Karen M. Johnson

17. A.P. Indy

In what began as a rocky 3-year-old season for A.P. Indy, the sensational ridgling shrugged off the disappointment surrounding his day-of scratch from the 1992 Kentucky Derby as the second choice because of a hoof ailment to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic in October. The four-time Grade 1 winner — he also won the Belmont Stakes — was retired after the Classic and created a legacy at Lane’s End Farm as a breed-shaping sire whose stud fee once reached $300,000. He died at the age of 31 in 2020.—Karen M. Johnson

16. Bayakoa

Bayakoa won her first Distaff in 1989 for trainer Ron McAnally and owners Janis and Frank Whitham. Then in 1990, the daughter of Consultant’s Bid added another in a race marred by the breakdown of Go for Wand. Bayakoa earned consecutive Eclipse Awards as champion older female in 1989-’90 and ultimately retired with a 21-for-39 record.—Byron King

15. American Pharoah 

Remembered for ending racing’s 37-year Triple Crown drought in 2015, American Pharoah capped that year with a victory in the Classic. The bay son of Pioneerof the Nile, owned by Zayat Stables and trained by Bob Baffert, was Horse of the Year in 2015, which followed 2-year-old male championship honors a year earlier.—Byron King

14. Wise Dan

Horse of the Year in 2012-’13, Wise Dan also won Eclipse Awards for champion older male and champion male turf horse those years, becoming the first horse to win the same three Eclipse Awards in consecutive years. Of the Wiseman’s Ferry gelding’s 23 victories from 31 starts, 19 came in graded stakes — including back-to-back editions of the Mile in 2012-’13 for trainer Charlie LoPresti and owner-breeder Morton Fink.—Byron King

Ghostzapper wins the 2004 BC Classic. (BloodHorse photo)

13. Ghostzapper 

Bred by owner Frank Stronach at Adena Springs, Ghostzapper won Grade 1 stakes from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, taking the Classic in 2004. The Bobby Frankel-trained son of Awesome Again retired to stud with a 9-0-1 record from 11 starts and earned champion older male and Horse of the Year honors in 2004.—Byron King

12. Alysheba

After winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, Alysheba capped a memorable 1987 campaign with a nose defeat to Ferdinand in his first Classic appearance. A year later, the Alydar colt would be victorious over Seeking the Gold in the Classic. The Jack Van Berg trainee, owned by Dorothy and Pamela Scharbauer, won multiple Eclipse Awards, including Horse of the Year in 1988.—Byron King

11. Personal Ensign

Chasing 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors in that year’s Distaff, Personal Ensign got up in the final stride to win by a nose in one of the great races in Breeders’ Cup history. With that victory, the Private Account filly retired undefeated in 13 starts for owner-breeder Ogden Phipps and trainer Shug McGaughey. As a broodmare, she would later produce 1995 Juvenile Fillies winner My Flag, dam of 2002 Juvenile Fillies winner Storm Flag Flying.—Byron King

10. Beholder

Since 1976, Spendthrift Farm’s Beholder is the only horse to win at least one Grade 1 race every year from ages 2 through 6. The Richard Mandella-trained daughter of Henny Hughes won four Eclipse Awards and became only the second horse to win three Breeders’ Cup races. Of her 18 wins, 11 came in Grade 1s, including the Distaff in 2013 and 2016, and the Juvenile Fillies in 2012.—Byron King

9. Curlin 

A Preakness Stakes and Classic victory led to championship 3-year-old male honors for Curlin in 2007 and a Horse of the Year title. Though the Smart Strike colt would later run fourth in the 2008 Classic, his stellar season that year at age 4 led to more championships and Horse of the Year glory for owner Stonestreet Stables and trainer Steve Asmussen.—Byron King

Miesque's second Mile win. (BloodHorse Library)

8. Miesque

Brilliant overseas, Miesque was also unstoppable in two United States grass starts. At age 3, she defeated older males in the 1987 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.—Byron King

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.—Byron King

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 nine wins and five seconds from 14 starts for trainer Charlie Whittingham, who was also a co-owner, and partners Arthur Hancock III and Dr. Ernest Gaillard.—Byron King

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 ¼ lengths, the John Sadler trainee was named the 2022 Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male. The Tapit colt raced for owners Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, breeder Jane Lyon’s Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing.—Byron King

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.—Byron King

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.—Byron King

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 owners-breeders Wertheimer and Frere.—Byron King

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.—Byron King