Where Are the Champion Horses of the Breeders’ Cup Now?
Catch up with the most iconic Thoroughbreds of years past ahead of the 42nd annual Breeders’ Cup taking place Oct. 31 to Nov. 1.
There’s a reason people call them Legends of the Turf.
Breeders’ Cup horses aren’t just fierce competitors. They inspire wonder, make you cheer, and have remarkable life stories. Sports fans love the thrill of the race—and bettors hope for hefty payouts. The Breeders’ Cup World Championships are the richest horse events in the U.S., with a single race—the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1—offering a staggering $7 million purse.
But after the intense training is over and the glitz and the glamour are gone, where do the Thoroughbreds go for retirement?
To the rolling hills and lush pastures of Kentucky Bluegrass country.
Ahead of the 2025 Breeders’ Cup, airing live on USA Network Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, we checked on the legends of the past. Get acquainted with these retired champions who traded the racetrack for ranch life.
Tiznow
Famous for his come-from-behind victories, Tiznow is the only horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic twice, in 2000 and 2001. Nicknamed “America’s Race Horse” after an epic international win post-9/11, the Bay colt is now biding his time on 2,500 picturesque acres at Kentucky’s WinStar Farm, along with 2021 champion, Life is Good.
Beholder
Behold one of the greatest female racehorses in U.S. history, famed for outrunning her colt competitors. This mare holds a special place in Breeders’ Cup lore for winning the Championships three times—one of only two horses to do so. Now at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, she spends her days with champs like Monomoy Girl, Authentic, Goldenscents, and Mitole.
American Pharoah
In 2015, American Pharoah won the triple crown—Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont—something no horse had done in 37 years. He then added a win at the Breeders’ Cup Classic that same year, becoming the only horse to achieve a “Grand Slam.” Today, he’s munching on carrots at his Bluegrass retirement home, Coolmore’s Ashford Stud, where several Juvenile winners reside, including Corniche, Golden Pal, and Uncle Mo.
Zenyatta
This iconic mare mesmerized crowds, danced in the paddock on her way to the track, graced magazine covers, and had a 19-race winning streak. She ran to victory in the Breeders’ Cup in 2008 and again in 2009, becoming the only female to prevail in the Breeders’ Cup Classic against males. Now in retirement, she hung up her horseshoes at Lane’s End, the legendary 50-year-old farm in Versailles.
Ashado
Hall of Famer Ashado had a star turn in the 2000s, rarely missing the board. She was the Breeders’ Cup Distaff champion in 2004 and sold for a record $9 million to Godolphin the next year. She now hangs with fellow champ Round Pond, grazing in the fields at Godolphin’s Kentucky farm.
Round Pond
While not quite as famous as Zenyatta or Ashado, this classy mare made headlines for her victory in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs. Her son, Highland Falls, is competing in the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 and is one to keep an eye on.
Knicks Go
This horse is fast, and would you expect anything less with a name like Knicks Go? The 2021 American Horse of the Year won the Breeders’ Cup Classic and set a track record in the Breeders’ Dirt Mile in 2020. Now he’s cooling his hooves at the family-owned Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky, where he happily greets visitors.
Where to Watch The Breeders’ Cup 2025
Prepare to sprint to the TV as some of the best horses and jockeys in the world descend on Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in San Diego County, California, for two days of racing. The 42nd annual Breeders’ Cup World Championships takes place from Oct. 31 through Nov. 1, and will be broadcast live across USA Network, NBC, and Peacock.
