Santa Anita Park will be the home of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the next two years, following a Thursday decision by the Breeders’ Cup Ltd.  board of directors to award the 2009 edition to the Oak Tree Racing Association.

Oak Tree is scheduled to host the 2008 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. The Breeders’ Cup has never previously been at the same site two years in a row, but three of the first four editions of the event were held in Southern California, beginning in 1984 at Hollywood Park, at Santa Anita in ‘86, and at Hollywood in ’87.

Santa Anita also was the site for the Breeders’ Cup in 1993 and 2003. Churchill Downs has been the most frequent Breeders’ Cup venue, hosting the event six times. Belmont Park has hosted the Breeders’ Cup four times.

The Oak Tree Racing Association operates the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting each fall.

Breeders' Cup officials said future host sites would be evaluated on a case by case basis, clarifying that the Santa Anita decision does not indicate a permanent change to a consecutive year format.

“We will pursue discussions for the 2010 Breeders’ Cup and years beyond with Churchill Downs, Del Mar, and the New York Racing Association, among others,” said Greg Avioli, president and chief executive officer of Breeders’ Cup Ltd. 

Breeders’ Cup and Oak Tree Racing Association officials are working to conclude the formal site agreement, which is expected to include economic incentives from the state of California. The Breeders’ Cup historically generates in excess of $50-million in annual economic impact for host states.

“We are pleased that Breeders’ Cup has placed this confidence in Oak Tree and our Santa Anita management team to host the Breeders’ Cup in consecutive years,” said Sherwood Chillingworth, executive vice president of the Oak Tree Racing Association. “We’re delighted to be selected again. 2008 will be the third time that I have been involved in the hosting of a Breeders’ Cup and I never tire of it.”

The 2008 Breeders’ Cup will be conducted on October 24-25, and the 2009 edition will fall a week later on the calendar, on November 6-7.