10 Greatest Breeders' Cup Races

Da Hoss, 1998 Mile

After the bay gelding won the Mile in 1996, eccentric trainer Michael Dickinson shut him down for nearly two years due to hoof and ankle injuries. Dickinson ran Da Hoss only once in advance of the '98 Mile?he won a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va., on Oct. 11. At Churchill Downs on Nov. 7, Da Hoss was overtaken in deep stretch by Irish champion Hawksley Hill (far left), but came back on the rail to win by a nose at odds of 11-1.

Tiznow, 2001 Classic

As a 3-year-old, the big chestnut colt beat European superstar Giant's Causeway by a neck to win the 2000 Classic at Churchill Downs. One year later, Tiznow (pink silks) got up late to edge out European invader Sakhee (6) -- winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe ? by a nose to become the first two-time Classic winner in Breeders' Cup history.

Goldikova, 2010 Mile

The bay Irish mare (10) won three straight runnings of the Mile, in 2008, '09 and '10, when she came flying down the center of the stretch to prevail by daylight. In '11, at the age of 6, she came back to try for a fourth straight win, but finished third.

Cigar, 1995 Classic

He's best known for winning 18 straight races, but arguably the greatest of them was his victory in the 1995 Classic at Belmont Park. Cigar (foreground, blue cap) came into the race having won 11 races in a row, including all nine of his starts in '95. After rating off the lead in the early stages of the race, Cigar swept to the lead around the far turn and never looked back.

Ferdinand, 1987 Classic

The 1986 Kentucky Derby (6) winner prevailed in an epic stretch duel to win the Classic. Alysheba (9), the '87 Derby winner, came flying late but Ferdinand held him off at the wire by a nose.

Sunday Silence, 1989 Classic

The rivalry between dark bay colt and Easy Goer (far left) is one of the greatest in the history of racing. The two traded blows during the '89 Triple Crown, with Sunday Silence (right) holding off Easy Goer in both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness before the big chestnut romped in the Belmont. Their meeting in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 4 did not disappoint. Sunday Silence ran near the front before taking a late lead, then held off the charging Easy Goer to win by a neck.

Arazi, 1991 Juvenile

The bay colt had won six of his seven starts in Europe before coming to Churchill Downs to run in the Juvenile. Arazi (far left) announced himself as the favorite for the 1992 Kentucky Derby with a blowout victory over the best 2-year-olds in the U.S., winning by five lengths. Knee injuries derailed his training, however, and he finished eighth in the Run for the Roses the following May.

Zenyatta, 2009 Classic

The first female to win the Classic was also the first horse to win two different Breeders' Cup races, having prevailed in the '08 Lady's Classic (previously the Distaff). Her '09 win came in her usual come-from-behind style. Zenyatta (4) went from last to first in the Santa Anita stretch to overtake Gio Ponti by a length. She tried to duplicate her Classic victory one year later at Churchill Downs, but came up short by a nose to Blame. It was the only loss of her 20 career starts.

Personal Ensign, 1988 Distaff

The bay filly came into the race undefeated in 12 career starts, but looked beaten midway through the race over the muddy Churchill Downs track. Winning Colors, just as she had in winning the Kentucky Derby in May, had gotten loose on the lead, and Personal Ensign (far left) trailed by nine lengths as the field ran down the backstretch. But she mounted a furious charge in the homestretch to catch Winning Colors (near left) at the wire. Personal Ensign won by a nose and capped off her perfect 13-race career.

Alysheba, 1988 Classic

The 1987 Derby winner had narrowly lost the Classic the year before to '86 Derby winner Ferdinand at Hollywood Park. But Alysheba had followed up that defeat with victories in six of his eight starts in '88. At Churchill Downs on Nov. 5, rain had turned the track muddy, and darkness was about to fall when the gates opened for the Classic. Alysheba (6) got bumped at the start, but got up to stay near the lead before taking over in deep stretch and holding off Seeking the Gold. Alysheba finished his career that day as racing's all-time leading money winner, with $6,679,242.