The Best Horse Races to Look Forward To in 2012

There are hundreds of horse races all over the world and racing enthusiasts are gearing up for them in 2012. Here are the biggest three races  to look forward to watching and betting on this year.

Kentucky Derby 2012

For this year, 2012, the Kentucky Derby will be held on May 5. It is expected to be watched by approximately 150,000 people, with tens of millions watching its live TV coverage. Wagering on the race is again estimated to exceed $100 Million for this year.

It must be noted that only three fillies had won the race through the years: Regret in 1915; Genuine Risk in 1980; and Winning Colors in 1988.  Enthusiasts of this race are wondering if there will be a fourth filly to win the race this year.

Among the popular horses that will take part in this year's Kentucky Derby, the following are picked to win the race: Sky Kingdom, Union Rags, Gemologist, Algorithms, Hansen, Discreet Dancer, Alpha, Out of Bounds, Liaison, Consortium, Creative Course, and Sabercat.

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses. It is held annually in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday of May as the last race capping the two-week Kentucky Derby Festival. The Kentucky Derby is  a one and quarter mile race.

The Kentucky Derby is the first race of the US Triple Crown, followed by the Preakness Stakes, and culminated by the Belmont Stakes. A horse must win all three races to win the much coveted Triple Crown.

The Belmont Stakes

The Belmont Stakes is held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York as the final leg of the Triple Crown races. It is held five weeks after the Kentucky Derby, the first race in the Triple Crown, and three weeks after the Preakness Stakes, the second race in the Triple Crown. Being the final race of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes is regarded as the most challenging race, most likely because of the mile and half long dirt track which most three year old horses find daunting.

The Belmont Stakes even become more challenging because of the close succession of three very competitive racing events.

For the 2012 Belmont Stakes that will be held on June 9, the Purse Structure for the $1 Million prize will be broken down as follows:

Winner will get 62% of the purse or $620,000

Second Placer will get 20% of the purse or $200,000

Third Placer will get 10% of the purse or $100,000

Fourth Placer will get 5% of the purse or $50,000

Fifth Placer will get 3% of the purse or $30,000

There will be several stakes during this exciting day at the Belmont Park. The Acorn Stakes will be held at 2:34 p.m. The True North Stakes at 3:15 p.m. At 3.59 p.m., the Woody Stephens Stakes will be run. The Just a Game Stakes will be run at 4:43 p.m. with the Woodford Reserve Manhattan Stakes to be run at 4:39 p.m. And then, at 6:35 p.m., the race of races, the Belmont Stakes will be run by thoroughbreds who are aspiring the set another world record in horse racing.

The Breeders Cup

This fall, Breeders Cup 2012 will be galloping back to one of its darling homes, Santa Anita Park in Arcadia California. The cup will commence on Friday November 2 and cap off on Saturday, November 3. This comeback is quite unique in that it jump starts the Breeders Cup’s five year commitment to Santa Anita Park. Arcadia has played host to the Breeders Cup for a total of sixth occasions.

The record for highest record of wagers and attendance was set In Santa Anita. The decision to come back was made after an extensive review, with several racing venues offering for the Breeders Cup location this year.

Many of the horse breeders in California has expressed how honored they are that the legendary Breeders Cup 2012 will be stationed in the state. Its coming back is perceived it as a great challenge to top the race as homage to Santa Anita.

The Breeder’s Cup horse race was inaugurated as a means to celebrate the culmination of American thoroughbred running via a championship race. Despite the cup’s home being the United States it has garnered a huge following with competing parties from all over Europe vying a spot for this prestigious game. People from all over the world place their bets on this annual assembly and celebrate the best of the best as American thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious.