This race for horses three years old and up features the world’s best grass milers competing around two turns on the turf. Since its inception in 1984, the Breeders Cup Mile has been held annually as part of the Breeders’ Cup World Championship.
In 1984, Royal Heroine became the first Breeders’ Cup Mile winner. She started as the race favorite at 8-5 odds. The Mile has the most multiple winners of any Breeders’ Cup race, including Miesque (1987, 1988), Lure (1992, 1993), Da Hoss (1996, 1998), Goldikova (2008, 2009, 2010), and Wise Dan (2012, 2013).
Horses can qualify for the event either through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re in” or through a selection process. If there are more than 14 nominees (oversubscribed), the BC Challenge Series winners will get spots and the next seven are determined by points based on the following formula. Win, place and show horses in Grade I stakes earn ten, six, and four points, respectively. The top three finishers in Grade II stakes earn six, four, and two points respectively, and in Grade III races the points earned are four, two, and one, respectively.
| RACE QUALITY | WIN | PLACE | SHOW |
| Grade 1 | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Grade 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Grade 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
The horses remaining after the BC Challenge winners and 7 entries based on points will be ranked in order of preference by the Panel. The Panel will be free to establish its own criteria or ranking so that high-quality horses of demonstrated ability will have the opportunity to participate in Championship Races regardless of earlier participation in graded events.
Breeders’ Cup Mile Win and You’re In Races
| DATE | RACE NAME | GRADE | TRACK | DISTANCE | WINNER | VIDEO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 8th | L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate | 1 | Kenilworth Racecourse | 1 Mile | Jet Dark (SAF) |  |
| May 29th | Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella | 1 | Club Hipico Falabella | 1 1/4 Miles | Viejos Tiempos (CHI) | |
| May 30th | Shoemaker Mile | 1 | Santa Anita Park | 1 Mile | Count Again | |
| Jun 5th | Yasuda Kinen | 1 | Tokyo Racecourse | 1 Mile | Songline | |
| Jun 14th | Queen Anne Stakes | 1 | Ascot Racecourse | 1 Mile | Baaeed | |
| Jul 27th | Qatar Sussex Stakes | 1 | Goodwood Racecourse | 1 Mile | Baaeed | |
| Aug 13th | The Fourstardave | 1 | Saratoga | 1 Mile | Casa Creed | |
| Aug 14th | Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois | 1 | Deauville Racecourse | 1 Mile | Inspiral | |
| Sep 17th | Ricoh Woodbine Mile | 1 | Woodbine | 1 Mile | Modern Games | |
| Oct 8th | Coolmore Turf Mile | 1 | Keeneland | 1 Mile | Annapolis | |
| Oct 15th | Queen Elizabeth II Stakes | 1 | Ascot Racecourse | 1 Mile | Bayside Boy | |
Records
Most wins:
3 – Goldikova (2008, 2009, 2010)
Most wins by a jockey:
3 – Olivier Peslier (2008, 2009, 2010)
3 – John R. Velazquez (1998, 2012, 2017)
Most wins by a trainer:
3 – Freddy Head (2008, 2009, 2010)
Most wins by an owner:
6 – Flaxman Holdings / Niarchos family (1987, 1988, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2014)
3 – Wertheimer et Frère (2008, 2009, 2010)
Breeders’ Cup Mile Past Winners
| YEAR | WINNER | AGE | JOCKEY | TRAINER | OWNER |
| 2022 | Modern Games | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin | |
| 2021 | Space Blues (IRE) | 5 | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin |
| 2020 | Order of Australia (IRE) | 3 | Pierre-Charles Boudot | Aidan O’Brien | Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor, & Anne -Marie O’Brien |
| 2019 | Uni (GB) | 5 | Joel Rosario | Chad C. Brown | Khalid Abdullah |
| 2018 | Expert Eye (GB) | 3 | Frankie Dettori | Michael Stoute | Khalid Abdullah |
| 2017 | World Approval | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Mark E. Casse | Live Oak Plantation (Charlotte C. Weber) |
| 2016 | Tourist | 5 | Joel Rosario | Bill Mott | Winstar Farm |
| 2015 | Tepin | 4 | Julien Leparoux | Mark E. Casse | Robert E Masterson |
| 2014 | Karakontie (JPN) | 3 | Stéphane Pasquier | Jonathan Pease | Flaxman Holdings |
| 2013 | Wise Dan | 6 | Jose Lezcano | Charles Lopresti | Morton Fink |
| 2012 | Wise Dan | 5 | John R. Velazquez | Charles Lopresti | Morton Fink |
| 2011 | Court Vision | 6 | Robby Albarado | Dale Romans | Spendthrift Farm |
| 2010 | Goldikova (IRE) | 5 | Olivier Peslier | Freddy Head | Wertheimer et Frère |
| 2009 | Goldikova (IRE) | 4 | Olivier Peslier | Freddy Head | Wertheimer et Frère |
| 2008 | Goldikova (IRE) | 3 | Olivier Peslier | Freddy Head | Wertheimer et Frère |
| 2007 | Kip Deville | 4 | Cornelio Velásquez | Richard E. Dutrow Jr. | IEAH Stables et al. |
| 2006 | Miesque’s Approval | 7 | Eddie Castro | Martin D. Wolfson | Live Oak Plantation (Charlotte C. Weber) |
| 2005 | Artie Schiller | 4 | Garrett Gomez | James A. Jerkens | Timber Bay Farm/Denise Walsh |
| 2004 | Singletary | 4 | David R. Flores | Don Chatlos | Little Red Feather Stables |
| 2003 | Six Perfections (FR) | 3 | Jerry Bailey | Pascal Bary | Flaxman Holdings |
| 2002 | Domedriver (IRE) | 4 | Thierry Thulliez | Pascal Bary | Flaxman Holdings |
| 2001 | Val Royal (FR) | 5 | Jose Valdivia Jr. | Julio Canani | David S. Milch |
| 2000 | War Chant | 3 | Gary Stevens | Neil Drysdale | Irving & Marjorie Cowan |
| 1999 | Silic (FR) | 4 | Corey Nakatani | Julio Canani | J. Terrence Lanni |
| 1998 | Da Hoss | 6 | John R. Velazquez | Michael W. Dickinson | Prestonwood/Wallstreet Stables |
| 1997 | Spinning World | 4 | Cash Asmussen | Jonathan E. Pease | Flaxman Holdings |
| 1996 | Da Hoss | 4 | Gary Stevens | Michael W. Dickinson | Prestonwood/Wallstreet Stables |
| 1995 | Ridgewood Pearl (GB) | 3 | Johnny Murtagh | John Oxx | Anne Coughlan |
| 1994 | Barathea (IRE) | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Luca Cumani | Sheikh Mohammed/G. W. Leigh |
| 1993 | Lure | 4 | Mike E. Smith | C. R. McGaughey III | Claiborne Farm |
| 1992 | Lure | 3 | Mike E. Smith | C. R. McGaughey III | Claiborne Farm/The Gamely Corp. |
| 1991 | Opening Verse | 5 | Pat Valenzuela | Richard J. Lundy | Allen E. Paulson |
| 1990 | Royal Academy | 3 | Lester Piggott | Vincent O’Brien | Classic Ire Stable |
| 1989 | Steinlen (GB) | 6 | José A. Santos | D. Wayne Lukas | Daniel Wildenstein |
| 1988 | Miesque | 4 | Freddy Head | François Boutin | Stavros Niarchos |
| 1987 | Miesque | 3 | Freddy Head | François Boutin | Stavros Niarchos |
| 1986 | Last Tycoon (IRE) | 3 | Yves Saint-Martin | Robert Collet | Richard C. Strauss |
| 1985 | Cozzene | 5 | Walter Guerra | Jan H. Nerud | John A. Nerud |
| 1984 | Royal Heroine (IRE) | 4 | Fernando Toro | John Gosden | Robert Sangster |
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