Major Horse Racing Events 2022
Whether you are passionate about horseback riding or appreciate the atmosphere of horse races, these major horse racing events in 2022 might be for you. From the venue to the dates, learn about the top four tournaments here.
1. Kentucky Derby
Starting at the top of the major horse racing events in 2022, we have the most storied horse racing track of them all. The Kentucky Derby has always held a special place in horse racing since its creation in 1875. The Derby take place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. It is annually held in the month of May, taking place in extremely hot conditions. With the winner of each Derby bringing home over 1.5 million dollars, it is a race every rider has dreamed of winning. This track is approximately 1.25 miles in distance.
Kentucky Derby has earned itself many nicknames including The Run for the Roses and The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports. The roses nickname originates from the winning horse being wrapped in a beautiful array of roses.
Attendance for horse racing events is the highest at the Kentucky Derby and for good reason. Finishes over the course of history have been closer than you could imagine. Bets on horse racing entries attract the biggest wallets across the country. It’s a beautiful race that keeps you on the edge of your seat, especially if you have money wagered on a horse. This is one of three legs necessary for the Triple Crown.
2. Preakness Stakes
Immediately following the Kentucky Derby every year, the Preakness Stakes is the next race on the schedule. The Preakness takes place in Baltimore, Maryland and is another one of the most storied horse racing tracks known. The Secretariat holds the fastest lap ever recorded here and is the only one under two minutes.
The only horse race that surpasses the Preakness Stakes in yearly attendance is none other than the Kentucky Derby. The winning horse and its rider take home a hefty 1.5 million dollars while the other is wrapped in a bed of Maryland’s state flowers. This is how the Preakness Stakes earned its nickname The Race for the Black-Eyed Susans.
Preakness is another one of the three legs a horse needs to bring home the Triple Crown. All three races take place in the same time frame as the others. The Triple Crown is the most prestigious award in all of horse racing. However, just winning the Preakness Stakes is a life-long accomplishment in its self. By winning this race, as well as the Derby, a horse and their rider will set themselves up beautifully for the Triple Crown headed into Belmont.
3. Belmont Stakes
Nicknamed the third Jewel of the Triple Crown, Belmont Stakes is a place where Triple Crown winners are born. If a horse is able to win the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, they now have the ability to win the Triple Crown by winning the Belmont Stakes as well. But for a Triple Crown winner to be crowned, it has to happen at Belmont.
Belmont Stakes takes place in Elmont, New York. Since its creation in 1867, it has been a host for three-year-old thoroughbreds to race competitively. The last winner of the Triple Crown came in 2015 from American Pharaoh. When American Pharaoh accomplished this feat, he was the first horse to do so in over 40 years. As you can tell, Triple Crown winners don’t happen too often. Pharaoh placed himself in the record books forever after his finishing performance at the Belmont Stakes back in 2015. This race always takes place in June, immediately following the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.
4. Breeder’s Cup
Separate from the Triple Crown, the Breeder’s Cup stands in a class of its own. This race’s location varies from year to year. It was held at Churchill Downs last year. With the race being unaffiliated with the Triple Crown, the same championship-like players still compete here on a yearly basis. A winning purse ranging anywhere from 1 to 6 million dollars gives horse riders every reason to come and compete at the highest level in the Breeder’s Cup.
This cup has never had an issue bringing in attendance. Reaching highs of 100,000 plus, fans are always intrigued by this unique and ever-changing race. Some races for this cup are on turf and some are on dirt. The surfaces range as well as the purse. With such uncertainty around many factors, the most unexpected turn of events happens every year here at Breeder’s. This event takes place November 4, 2022.