For the eighth time, the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will be held at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on Nov. 4-5.

With the addition of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint, which will makes its debut this year, there are 15 championship races with $26 million in purses up for grabs.

The Breeders’ Cup is the richest two-day event in sports, and most of the year-end honors including Horse of the Year will be decided over the two days. It is going to be very tough to top the past two runnings but the Breeders Cup odds list indicate it could happen.

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In 2009, Zenyatta took on the boys in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, becoming the first female to win the race.

In 2010, Zenyatta was back, undefeated in 19 career starts and attempting to defend her title, but was held off in deep stretch by Blame, although Zenyatta was named Horse of the Year.

With Zenyatta and Blame both retired and in the breeding shed, it will be mostly new shooters looking to become the stars of the sport.

Except for a mare named Goldikova, who has won the Breeders’ Cup Mile over the boys in each of the last three years and will be going for an unprecedented fourth win this year for trainer Freddie Head and jockey Olivier Pelsier.

The chief rivalry so far this year has been the battle between Blind Luck and Havre de Grace, the runner up and third place finishers respectively in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic behind upset winner Unrivaled Belle.

The two fillies have now met six times, including the Delaware Handicap on July 16 where the duo battled throughout the stretch, with Blind Luck getting a nose in front at the wire over her rival.

There is talk that perhaps the two super fillies could wind up taking on the boys in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Zenyatta is the lone female to win the Classic when she beat the boys in 2009.

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With the top turf horse in the world coming for the Turf, Mile, and Filly & Mare Turf, and precocious two-year-olds looking to win the Juvenile and be the leader in the clubhouse for next year’s Kentucky Derby, the Breeders’ Cup is the two most exciting days in horse racing.

Horseplayers will be treated to 15 races, with full fields and a nearly unlimited amount of wagering opportunities including millions in guaranteed betting pools.

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Probable line up for the 2011 Breeders’ Cup (subject to change)

Friday
$500,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint (ungraded)
$500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon (G2)
$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G2)
$1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1)
$2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1)
$2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1)
$2 million Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1)

Saturday
$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1)
$1.5 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1)
$1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1)
$2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1)
$2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1)
$1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1)
$3 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1)
$5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)