The Biggest Horse Races in 2023
The new year is almost upon us, and 2023 is set to be another big year of racing around the world. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the biggest horse races set to take place next year.
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is one of the biggest horse racing events in the world. It takes place at the beginning of May each year, and is the first leg of what is known as one of the biggest tests of three-year-old thoroughbreds – the US Triple Crown. The Kentucky Derby takes place over one and a quarter miles, or 2,000 metres, and has a list of previous winners which boasts some of the biggest names in the sport’s history. In 2023, the Kentucky Derby will take place on the 6th of May.
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup has long been perhaps the biggest test for thoroughbreds in the world. Having started way back in 1861, this historic race is run over a gruelling 3,200 metres at Melbourne’s famous Flemington Racecourse. Previously won almost exclusively by Australian and New Zealand horses, this century has seen a massive rise in the number of talented internationals making the trek across the Pacific to compete, many of whom have ended the two-mile race victorious. Recent changes to improve safety for horses will likely see this dip, but nonetheless even competing in this race is a major coup for runners both from Australia and abroad. The race is always held on the first Tuesday in November, which means it will fall on the 7th of November in 2023.
The Everest
Sticking with Australian races, The Everest hasn’t got nearly the history of its Melbourne-based counterpart, but it is quickly becoming one of the biggest in the world courtesy largely of the enormous pay checks with which it is associated. In 2023, there will be a huge $15 million AUD up for grabs, helping to justify its tag as the ‘world’s richest race on turf’. As mentioned, the history of this race is in stark contrast to the Melbourne Cup – it was first held in just 2017 – and the race itself is pretty different, too, being run over just 1,200 metres. The Everest takes place at the famous Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, and in 2023 will be held on the 21st of October.
Saudi Cup
The Saudi Cup the most lucrative race in the world with a massive $20 million on offer, of which $10 million goes to the winner. With that in mind, it’s understandable why the race attracts so many quality horses. Held at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Cup has been held just three times, having first taken place in 2020. Winners in those three years have been Maximum Security, Mishriff and Emblem Road, who were first past past the post in the 1,800 metre race held on a dirt track. In 2023, the Saudi Cup will take place on the 26th of February, making it one of the first major race events of the year.
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous horse races on the planet, and is comfortably the biggest in Europe. The race is run over 2,400 metres, or one and a half miles, at the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, and takes place typically on the first Sunday in October. This race was first run a little over a century ago, in 1920, and since then has seen some of the biggest horses and jockeys in the sport’s history etch their name into the record books by being first past the post. In 2023, this iconic race will take place on the 1st of October.
Breeders’ Cup Classic
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is another North American race, and is another which can easily claim to be among the biggest races in the world. The Breeders’ Cup is a two-day race meet which takes place at different race tracks in the USA, and this is the most famous race there. It first took place in 1984 and has gradually grown ever since, and takes place over 2,000 metres, or one and a quarter miles. This is a weight for age race for horses aged three years old and up, and has only once in history been won by the same horse twice – that horse being Tiznow. In 2023, the Breeders’ Cup will take place at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California over the 3rd and 4th of November.
Horse racing is a popular sport around the globe, both for lovers of the sport itself and for those partaking in horse racing betting, and the varying parts of the planet in which some of the biggest races take place is indicative of this. 2023 will see a number of big races take place in all different parts of the world, from the USA to Australia, Europe to the Middle East, and the above list goes into detail about some of the biggest races set to take place in the new year.
