By Brock Sheridan

Florida-breds added to their hefty Breeders’ Cup statistics with five Thoroughbreds from the Sunshine State making the trek to Southern California for the Thoroughbred World Championships, this year held at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Nov. 1-2.

The 2024 Florida contingent included Arthur’s Ride in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade 1), Bentornato and Federal Judge in the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), Nooni in the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Cagliostro in the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

That brings the all-time number of Florida-bred Breeders’ Cup starters to 395 during the 41-year history of the event, more than any other state, province or country outside of Kentucky and Ireland.

Great Britain sits behind Florida with 280 Breeders’ Cup starters followed by California (135), Canada (131), France (100), New York (94) and Virginia (54).

In fact, breeders from Florida with their five participants and New York (with two starters in 2024) are alone among states and provinces with more than one Breeders’ Cup starter this year.

Further illustrating the dominance of Florida breeders at the Breeders’ Cup, there are 59 Florida-breds with more than one start in the World Thoroughbred Championships, led by Firenze Fire with five Breeders’ Cup appearances.

Firenze Fire sits behind only Channel Maker (Ont) with six Breeders’ Cup starts and is tied for second with Better Talk Now (Ky), California Flag (Ca), Kona Gold (Ca) and Obviously (Ire).

Florida-breds also maintain a similar position in Breeders’ Cup victories with 30, behind only Kentucky and Ireland. Runners bred in Great Britain have won 26 Breeders’ Cup races followed by Canada, Argentina and Maryland with seven each; and California and Pennsylvania with six each.

Florida-breds have won the Distaff, Sprint and Juvenile Fillies five times each followed by the Mile, Juvenile and Classic three times, Turf and Filly and Mare Sprint twice and the Juvenile Turf and Turf Sprint once.

Golden Pal is the lone Florida-bred with more than one Breeders’ Cup victory, having won the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) in 2020 and the Turf Sprint (G1) in 2021.

Led by Leon King Stable Corp.’s Bentornato and his second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Florida-breds racked up $470,000 in Breeders’ Cup earnings this year, pushing the total Breeders’ Cup earnings by Sunshine State runners to $46,733,538 for average earnings per Breeders’ Cup starter of $118,313.

Bentornato also became the 184th Florida-bred millionaire with his $340,000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint paycheck and now stands at $1,131,830 in career earnings. (See full story on page 21 of this issue.)

So with another Breeders’ Cup in the books, Florida breeders can—and should—continue to boast of their excellence on any stage—regional, national or international. Florida-breds this year not only maintained their lofty position among Breeders’ Cup leaders, but stretched their lead in many categories.