List of the 10 Best Horse Racing Events in the World

Horse racing is, arguably, one of the most popular sports in the entire world. Elegant, interesting, and severely competitive, it is the cause of excitement for many people – ardent fans, and enthusiastic bettors alike. That’s right – one of the principal reasons why horse racing is so famous is the number of people betting on the outcomes of the races!

From here, it would only make sense that when horse racing competitions take place, tens of thousands of people around the world prick their ears. There are a huge number of horse racing events taking place throughout each year, small horse racing meetings and championships. But the best ones – those with the most followers and those with the best horses and jockeys involved – are the ones everyone’s waiting for.

Rich people only want to show their faces for the richest race, being willing to travel to other continents, even, only to be seen at the most famous horse racing competitions. The royal family, too, has shown up for some of these exciting races! Contrarily, other fans, amongst whom we can count ourselves, huddle in front of their TVs, loudly cheering for their favorites.

And everyone is heatedly looking forward to the best race in the world. But which one would that be?

What were the major horse racing events 2021? What can we expect the following year? Like all years before it, there is a select number of horse racing meetings that could qualify as the best horse races in the world –here are our top 10 picks!

10. The Grand National

It’s best to start off big, and there’s no better option for that than the biggest betting horse racing competition on this list – The Grand National. Taking place on Aintree Racecourse, in Liverpool, England, every year around the beginning of April, the Grand National is one of the, if not the single best-known steeplechase horse racing events.

This horse racing event stands out even among this list when it comes to bettors. There are thousands of people who only bet on horse races during the Grand National specifically. In that sense, the Grand National is, admittedly, quite a challenging race. Known for its atypically positioned fences and distances, the Grand National has 14 double jumps, and 16 overall jumps, while its turf track is more than four miles long.

It is part of a three-day-long festival known as the Grand National meeting, and it was first held back in 1839. As such, it is one of the oldest horse races. Although not the richest horse race, it sports prize money of over $1 million.

9. Preakness Stakes

The second oldest horse race in the USA, only behind the Saratoga Race Track, is Preakness Stakes. First held in 1873, it’s known as “The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans”. Why, you may wonder?

Well, because it takes place in Maryland, Baltimore, at the Pimlico Race Course, on the third Saturday of May, every year. The winner gets to have a blanket made from Black-Eyed Susans – Maryland’s state flower – put on their back.

Preakness Stakes takes place as the second leg of the Triple Crown Races, and has a prize budget of $1 million. This valuable horse racing event stands out among other horse racing championships due to being regularly attended by the United States Naval Academy Glee Club. It is 13/ 16 miles long and is usually held on a curved dirt course.

Interestingly, once the race is over, the track’s weathervane is painted in the colors of the winning horse.

8. The Cheltenham Festival

Another English entry on our list! The Cheltenham Festival, which started back in 1860 and, barring World War I, World War II, and 2001, has been held annually at the Cheltenham Racecourse in Gloucestershire. It lasts for four days every March, and is, undeniably, one of the best horse races in the world.

The most popular with English viewers and incredibly famous with gamblers and bettors, the Cheltenham Festival and, especially the Cheltenham Gold Cup run on the festival’s last day, are the jewel in the crown of the National Hunt horse racing calendar.

Among the 28 races of which consists of this mammoth of an event are the Champion Hurdle and the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Offering a prize purse worth north of $6 million, the Cheltenham Festival also popularized the “Cheltenham Roar”, a recognizable audience cheer during the last race.

This is an incredibly popular horse racing event that all famous horse race fans and bettors should keep in mind.

7. Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby has never really aimed to stand out amongst the competition. Yet, it has always yielded above-average results. Due to its consistency, it always manages to find itself on the best horse races lists.

Held since 1975 on the first Saturday of May, as the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, the Kentucky Derby always takes place on the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky.

With a prize purse of $3 million, and two nicknames – ‘The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,’ and ‘The Run for the Roses’ – the Kentucky Derby has a dirt track that is 11/4 miles long. The stand-out race has to be the US Triple Crown of Thoroughbred, which always prompts the heartfelt singing of My Old Kentucky Home at Churchill Downs. Other races can only wish to be as interesting and significant as the Kentucky Derby.

6. Breeders’ Cup

The Breeders Cup World Championship stands out even among the most famous horse races. Taking place for two days, starting on the first Saturday of November, the Breeders Cup sports a $6 million prize purse, which makes it the most famous horse racing event after the US Triple Crown races. Horse racing enthusiasts and bettors from all around the globe are always eagerly awaiting it.

This relatively new series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races first started taking place in Hollywood Park, California, in 1985. Unlike some of this list’s other entries, the Breeders Cup Classic changes locations every year. Aside from 1996, when the Breeders’ Cup took place in Canada, all other years it’s been held in the USA.

Younger, as well as older horses, are accepted at the Breeder’s Cup. It consists of fourteen races, each of which has a 14 participant cap. To qualify for any of the Breeders’ Cup races, all participants have to win or start a ‘Win and You’re In’ race. They also need to be nominated.

5. Pegasus World Cup Invitational

Taking place at the Gulfstream Park Racetrack, Hallandale Beach, Florida, the Pegasus World Cup usually kicks off horse racing events every year, on the last Saturday of January. It stands out for being very young and recent – the first running was in 2017.

So, how has it managed to make our list? Simple – by boasting an enormous prize budget.

In its starting year, the Pegasus World Cup Invitational had a prize fund of an astonishing $16 million! Admittedly, it has lowered in the following years, getting as low as $9 million, but it’s easy to see how this Gulfstream Park event has so much more to offer in terms of money when compared to some of the older and more reputable horse racing events on this list.

4. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

As the name itself suggests, this traditional, yet elegant race takes place in Paris, France, at the Longchamp Racecourse, on the first Sunday in October every year. Arguably, the race figures as a popular tourist attraction!

Having started in 1920, it is the epitome of the riches and refinement often associated with this sport, since most attendees are going there to be, themselves, seen, rather than to watch a horse race.

Yet, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe itself is one of the best of its kind in the world. Its 17 races, all happening on a 11/2 miles long turf track, are motivated by the ambitious prize money amount, coming in at around $5.6 million. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe undoubtedly has the largest prize purse out of all the European horse racing competitions.

The live jazz music and the luxurious setting at the Longchamp Racecourse allow it to live up to this reputation. Interestingly, the only time that the Prix de l’Arc didn’t take place at Longchamp was in 2016 and 2017, because it was being renovated. Those two years, attendees went to the Chantilly Racecourse.

43. Royal Ascot

Five days long and even lusher than our number 4 pick, the Royal Ascot is what we had in mind when we mentioned the Royal Family – this is their horse racing event of choice. The Queen herself is a regular visitor. And there’s nothing strange about that, as the Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, Berkshire is the Queen’s property!

An incredibly old event with rich history, the Royal Ascot is the poshest race in the world. Dating back to 1711, it offers $10 million in prize money and requests a strict dress code from its attendees. It has four enclosures: Village Enclosure, Windsor Enclosure, Queen Ann Enclosure, and Royal Enclosure, which is for select members only.

Of these members, the men are asked to arrive dressed in a morning suit and a top hat. This makes the Royal Ascot an event to behold. At the end of the day, the Queen has her personal racers attending.

2. Melbourne Cup

Finally moving over to a new continent – Australia. The Melbourne Cup, which dates back to 1861, and happens on the first Tuesday in November every year, is Australia’s most famous horse racing competition. It’s a part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.

Not only does it have a prize fund of $5.3 -$8 million and an integrated ‘Fashions on the Field’ best-dressed competition, but it has also been declared a public holiday in Melbourne and parts of Victoria!

It has a 2 miles long turf track that is run counter-clockwise and is the host to the world’s best 3,200-meter horse race. The winner of this race gets to have an 18-carat gold trophy designed for them.

1. The Dubai World Cup Carnival

Our top pick has to be the Dubai World Cup, a truly lavish event taking place on the last Saturday of March at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Founded in 1996 by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, it is the second youngest horse race after the Pegasus World Cup, and, like it, stands out for the incredible sums of money motivating the participants.

The prize fund of the Dubai World Cup has ranged between $10 and $35 million, making it the single richest race in the entire world. It is the single staple of every recent horse racing calendar.

With a 2,000 meter-long dirt track, the Dubai World Cup can safely boast itself as one of the most luxurious and extravagant events of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, which it is a part of.

The Top Horse Racing Meetings FAQ

What are the usual horse racing days?

While there are no fixed days during which races take place, most of the events and festivals start on Saturdays. This isn't fixed, however, as some occur during weekdays.

Are there other horse racing leagues?

Yes, of course. For our list, we focused on the top 10. There are other great horse races, such as Travers Stakes, Belmont Stakes, the Santa Anita Derby, or the Japan Cup.

What are the best horse racing meetings 2021?

The Melbourne Cup, the Dubai World Cup, and the Kentucky Derby are definitely the stand-out events of 2021.