Factbox on the Breeders' Cup meeting, to be run at Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday.

* Billed as the world championships of thoroughbred racing, the annual Breeders' Cup meeting began in 1984 as a seven-race, one-day event with total prizemoney of $10 million.

* In 2007, the meeting was expanded to 15 races over two days. This year's total prizemoney is around $26 million. The feature race, the Breeders' Cup Classic is worth $5 million, making it the richest horserace in North America.

* The inaugural meeting was held at Hollywood Park, California but 11 different tracks have yaken turns hosting the event, with Churchill Downs hosting a record eight meetings.

* The only horse to win three Breeders' Cup races is the French mare Goldikova. The only horse to win the Breeders' Cup Classic twice was Tiznow, in 2000 and 2001.

* The most successful trainer is D.Wayne Lukas, with 18 winners.

* The most successful jockey is Jerry Bailey, with 15 winners.

* The U.S. has produced the most winners (175), followed by Ireland (21), Britain (13), France (5), Canada (4), Argentina (4), Germany (1)

* The longest priced winner was Arcangues, which won the 1993 Classic at odds of 133-1.

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