The certainty of the Breeders' Cup is that it will be unique

Breeders' Cup 17 will be just like all the previous 16 runnings: unique.

Since its inception in 1984, the Breeders' Cup has provided the sport with its share of indelible moments. Churchill Downs, where the Breeders' Cup returns on November 4 for a fifth time, has been particularly adept in contributing races that have become part of racing lore.

Fans will long remember the furious stretch rally of Personal Ensign in the 1988 Distaff (G1) to edge Winning Colors to remain undefeated; Alysheba winning the 1988 Classic (G1) in the dark to become the all-time North American earnings leader; Arazi looking like he was shot out of a cannon around the far turn as he swept past the field to win the 1991 Juvenile (G1); Swain finishing on the outside fence to lose the 1998 Classic to Awesome Again; Miesque in 1988 winning her second consecutive Mile (G1); D. Wayne Lukas sending out the first three finishers in the 1988 Juvenile Fillies (G1); Flanders desperately holding off Serena's Song in the 1994 Juvenile Fillies; Da Hoss winning his second Mile in 1998 when running for just the second time in two years.

This year's renewal is scheduled to feature the last career start of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Fusaichi Pegasus, who has been syndicated for a record $70-million. In the Classic, the son of Mr. Prospector is scheduled to meet older horse Lemon Drop Kid, who also will be making his last start before going off to stud, top European three-year-old Giant's Causeway, improving three-year-olds Albert the Great and Tiznow, plus the consistent three-year-old Captain Steve.

On the line is Horse of the Year honors, at least if Fusaichi Pegasus or Lemon Drop Kid wins. On paper, the Classic is dominated by three-year-olds, so it will go a long way toward determining champion of that division.

Determining champions is what the Breeders' Cup was intended to do when it was founded, and it has lived up to that role. Since its inception, the Breeders' Cup has been the single-most important day in determining champions.

In the first 16 runnings of the Breeders' Cup (excluding the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf [G1], which was inaugurated last year), an average of 4.25 of the seven race-day winners of a Breeders' Cup race per year were voted an Eclipse Award at year's end. The eventual Horse of the Year has won a Breeders' Cup race nine times in those 16 runnings, though just once in the last four years.

Besides the Horse of the Year title being on the line, a number of other divisional championships will be decided on November 4.

The Classic has produced a champion from its winner eight times in the first 16 years, with six of those winners also earning Horse of the Year honors. (Three other Breeders' Cup race winners, Lady's Secret, Kotashaan [Fr], and Favorite Trick, were voted Horse of the Year.)

The Distaff is the race most likely to yield a champion from its winner. In every year but one (1994, One Dreamer), the winner has been voted champion, though it should be noted that the race can provide divisional titles for two different categories, three-year-old filly or older female, just as the Classic can produce a divisional winner for three-year-old male and older male.

Most predictable races in producing champions are the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Juvenile. The Juvenile Fillies winner has been voted an Eclipse Award at year's end 13 times, and the Juvenile winner has been voted champion 12 times.

The Turf (G1) has yielded nine Eclipse Award winners and the Mile five, meaning that 14 of the 32 Turf and Mile winners have been voted either champion turf male or champion turf female.

The inception of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf last year means that race will most likely produce the champion turf female, as it did last year with Soaring Softly. The Filly and Mare Turf will become the championship race for the division.

Though the Sprint (G1) is a season-ending championship event, it has yielded the Eclipse Award sprinter just 56.3% of the time.

As we move toward November 4 at Churchill Downs, the sure thing is that at the end of the day it will have provided some outstanding racing and some cherished memories-just what its founder, John Gaines, envisioned some 18 years ago.