European shippers have been central to the Breeders’ Cup identity as a true world championship since its 1984 inauguration at Hollywood Park.
The “Euros” have dominated turf races and while remaining largely peripheral on dirt, some impressive notable dirt wins have been turned in by international shippers.
Challenges for Europeans shipping to America include the logistics of transatlantic travel, brief quarantine periods and surface transitions. There are stark differences in not only training style but also racing, the European emphasis being on distance, stamina and tactical positioning versus American’s attention to sprinting and early speed.
More than 4,800 horses have started in the Breeders’ Cup since its first running in 1984 and roughly 25% were based in Europe.
Europeans have historically performed well in California, specifically at Santa Anita and particularly during the synthetic years, and on firm turf courses.
The addition of travel allowances, “Win and You’re In” challenge races beginning in 2007 have eased some barriers and European participation has increased overall.
The inaugural Breeders’ Cup featured the first European-trained winner when England-bred and France-based Lashkari, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupré and ridden by Yves Saint-Martin, upset the field -- including Horse of the Year All Along -- in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1). This early success and a commitment to the fledgling event by major European owners such as the Aga Khan and Sheikh Mohammed, validated the event’s international appeal.
From the outset, the “founding fathers” of the Breeders’ Cup recognized that attracting top European talent was essential.
The historical win rates for European shippers in the Breeders’ Cup Turf have hovered around 60% or higher across the race’s history (with Euros taking the majority of recent editions), reflecting the suitability of the 1 ½-mile distance and the way European horses are conditioned for longer distance and rating-oriented events.
The Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) has produced roughly a 40% European strike rate, heavily influenced by French runners.
The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and especially the Juvenile BC Turf (G1), which was introduced in 2007 have also been highly favorable for foreign shippers, with the latter often exceeding 70% European success in its early years and remaining a European stronghold.
Expansion of the card to include more turf races, particularly for juveniles, significantly increased opportunities and overall European participation and success.
Iconic performances have defined the European impact.
Miesque, trained by François Boutin, became the first dual Breeders’ Cup winner by taking the Mile in 1987 in course-record time at Hollywood Park and again in 1988 at Churchill Downs.
France-based Goldikova, trained by Freddy Head – ironically Miesque’s former jockey – went further by winning the Mile in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and she is still the only horse to capture the same Breeders’ Cup race three times.
High Chaparral, trained by leading Irish conditioner Aidan O’Brien, became the first dual Turf winner, first at Arlington Park in in 2002 and again Santa Anita in 2003, the latter in a dead-heat with hometown star Johar.
Conduit, who was trained by Sir Michael Stoute, won the Turf in both 2008 and 2009.
Ed Dunlop trained Ouija Board, who won the Filly & Mare Turf in 2004 and again in 2006.
The fan-favorite Enable completed a rare Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) – Breeders’ Cup Turf double in 2018 for John Gosden.
Other standout European shippers include Daylami, Found, Highland Reel, and more recent stars such as two-time Turf winner Rebel’s Romance (2022 and 2024) and Auguste Rodin in 2023.
The Andre Fabre-trained Arcangues remains the sole European-trained winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic on traditional dirt, scoring a 133-1 shocker at Santa Anita in 1993. He remains the longest-priced winner in Breeders’ Cup history.
Raven’s Pass won the 2008 Classic for John Gosden on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita.
Johannesburg made an impression by winning the 2001 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on dirt at Belmont Park after a dominant European turf campaign, giving trainer Aiden O’Brien his first Breeders’ Cup victory. The colt handled the surface switch effectively despite never having raced on it before.
Irish-based trainer Aidan O’Brien has become the most successful trainer in Breeders’ Cup history overall having saddled 21 winners, surpassing the legendary American Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas.
He made this mark primarily through the BC Turf with seven winners and the BC Juvenile Turf with eight.
Other notable Europe-based trainers with multiple Breeders’ Cup wins include Charlie Appleby (13), Sir Michael Stoute (8), André Fabre (5), and Freddy Head (3).
John Gosden, who has saddled five winners, holds a unique place in Breeders’ Cup history, having trained a winner at the very first event in 1984 (Royal Heroine in the Mile).
Head is the only trainer to win the same Breeders’ Cup race three times with one horse. As a jockey, though, he rode Miesque to victories in the 1987 and 1988 Mile, making him the first person to win Breeders’ Cup races both in the saddle and as a trainer.
Joseph O’Brien is the only other person to have won a Breeders’ Cup race both as a jockey and as a trainer. As a trainer, he saddled Iridessa to win the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at age 26, making him the youngest trainer to win a Breeders’ Cup race.
He rode St Nicholas Abbey to win the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Turf (at age 18 he is also the youngest jockey ever to win a Breeders’ Cup race.)
European jockeys have a strong resume at the Breeders’ Cup, especially on the grass.
Ryan Moore has ridden 16 winners from 104 mounts, connecting at a roughly 15% clip. He is most well-known for partnering with Aidan O’Brien.
The finally retired Frankie Dettori has 15 wins from 129 mounts. He holds the record for most Breeders’ Cup appearances by a jockey having ridden in 31 world championships.
William Buick has ridden nine winners from roughly 39 mounts for a very high win rate. He has been particularly successful in partnership with Charlie Appleby.
Olivier Peslier and Mick Kinane have booted home four winners each, Christophe Soumillon, Oisin Murphy, Pat Eddery, and Yves Saint-Martin have ridden two each.
European shippers have produced some of the Breeders’ Cup’s largest win payouts, driven by unfamiliar form, surface questions, and American betting skepticism, while at the same time also delivering short-priced successes on turf.
The single biggest payout in Breeders’ Cup history remains the aforementioned Arcangues, who returned $269.20 in 1993. The tote board at Santa Anita maxed out at 99-1, so exact odds weren’t known until results were made official.
The inaugural European winner Lashkari went off at 53-1 in the Turf and paid $108.80. The victory was an early signal that European form could be overlooked.
Aidan O’Brien’s 73-1 shot Order of Australia won in the Mile in 2020 after drawing in as an also-eligible and returned $148.40. This is the highest payout in Mile history and the second-highest overall Breeders’ Cup win payoff. O’Brien-trained runners finished 1-2-3, producing massive exotic payouts (the $1 trifecta paid over $8,000).
In the 2025 Turf at Del Mar, Ethical Diamond won at roughly 27-1 and paid $57.40 for trainer Willie Mullins.
On the other end of the spectrum, highly regarded European turf horses have frequently gone off as favorites or near-favorites and paid modest prices.
Enable won the 2018 Turf as a short-priced favorite at odds of 4-5. High Chaparral in 2002 was less than even-money (but was nearly 6-1 in his 2003 win) and Conduit, who was 5-1 in 2008, paid just $3.80 for his win in 2009.
Ouija Board was 4-5 in her first Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf win in 2004, was nearly 5-2 when she was upset by Intercontinental in 2005 and when she returned to win in 2006, she was the 7-5 favorite.
In the Mile, Goldikova was favored in her winning years.
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
