While the Triple Crown races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes) often dominate the spotlight, there are many other prestigious horse races in the United States that attract top talent and enthusiastic crowds. Here are some of the most famous U.S. horse races outside the Triple Crown series:
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Breeders’ Cup World Championships: Rather than a single race, the Breeders’ Cup is a two-day event held each fall (usually in late October or early November) that features multiple Grade 1 races and crowns year-end champions. The Breeders’ Cup started in 1984 and has since become one of the premier events in international horse racing. The showcase race of the event is the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a 1¼-mile race often deciding Horse of the Year honors by bringing together the best horses from around the world. The Breeders’ Cup is hosted at different tracks each year, rotating among venues like Santa Anita Park, Churchill Downs, and others. Its races like the Classic, Distaff, Turf, and Sprint are considered championship contests for each category (classic distance, top female horses, turf specialists, sprinters, etc.), making this event akin to a “Super Bowl” of horse racing at season’s end.
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Kentucky Oaks: Held at Churchill Downs on the day before the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks is the premier race for three-year-old fillies (young female horses). This 1⅛-mile race has been run since 1875 (the same year as the first Derby) and carries its own rich traditions. The winner is draped in a garland of lilies (hence its nickname, “Lilies for the Fillies”) and the race draws a large crowd, though slightly more local and less frenzied than Derby day. In recent years the Oaks attendance has also surged, becoming a major event in its own right. The Oaks showcases the best fillies in the country and often, the fillies that perform well here go on to face older mares in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff or other major races. It’s a key part of Derby week and a beloved event for racing fans, particularly those who follow the female side of the sport.
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Travers Stakes: Known as the “Mid-Summer Derby,” the Travers Stakes is a prestigious race for three-year-olds held at Saratoga Race Course in New York, typically in late August. First run in 1864, the Travers is actually older than the Kentucky Derby and is the highlight of the summer racing season at the nation’s oldest track. It usually features horses that ran in the Triple Crown races earlier in the year, often serving as a rematch among top three-year-olds or a chance for late bloomers to shine. Winning the Travers carries great cachet; its roll of winners includes legends like Man o’ War (1920), Whirlaway (1941), and more recently champions like Arrogate (2016) and Tiz the Law (2020). The race is named after William R. Travers, one of the founders of Saratoga, and the winner’s trophy is a gold-plated canoe (with the names of past winners painted on real canoes that adorn the infield pond). The Travers, run at 1¼ miles, is a true test and a summer staple that racing fans circle on the calendar.
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Pegasus World Cup: A newcomer to the racing scene, the Pegasus World Cup was inaugurated in 2017 at Gulfstream Park in Florida. It was initially advertised as the richest horse race in the world, with a purse of $12 million (later restructured in subsequent years). The Pegasus is run at 1⅛ miles and is open to older horses (four-year-olds and up). Scheduled in late January, it effectively extended the racing calendar for top horses, giving stars of the previous year (like Breeders’ Cup winners or prominent three-year-olds turning four) a high-profile, lucrative race to aim for in winter. Winners of the Pegasus include notable horses such as Arrogate (2017) and Gun Runner (2018). In a short time, it has become a prominent fixture, drawing international entries and huge fan interest, especially due to its hefty purse and glitzy, entertainment-focused event atmosphere.
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Santa Anita Handicap: Often referred to as “The Big ’Cap,” the Santa Anita Handicap is one of the most storied races for older horses (age four and up) in the U.S. First run in 1935 at Santa Anita Park in California, it gained fame as the first race to offer a $100,000 purse, a staggering sum at the time (earning it the nickname “Hundred-Grander”). The race is contested at 1¼ miles, the same distance as the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic, and it traditionally takes place in late winter or early spring. Over the years, the Santa Anita Handicap has been won by a who’s who of champions—Seabiscuit famously won it in 1940 in a storybook ending to his career, and other greats like Spectacular Bid (1980) and John Henry (who won it twice in the 1980s) have added to its lore. Winning the Big ’Cap has long been considered the west coast’s stamp of excellence for older horses. Even with the advent of newer rich races, the Santa Anita Handicap’s history and prestige ensure it remains a race everyone in California wants to win.
Each of these races contributes to the rich tapestry of American horse racing. They offer high stakes, historical significance, and thrilling competition that extends beyond the Triple Crown season. Fans and bettors alike look forward to these events each year, knowing they’ll witness some of the best the sport has to offer. Whether it’s under the twin spires at Churchill Downs or the towering redwoods at Saratoga, these famous races keep the excitement of horse racing alive year-round.