Breeders Cup history facts for the weekend

* In 1984, the first Breeders’ Cup was held at Hollywood Park, where the total handle for the event was $16,452, 179. Last year at Churchill Downs, the handle was a whopping $134,357,846, an increase of more than 800 percent over the 23-year life of the event. The attendance last year was 75,132, the third-biggest crowd ever.

* Hall of Fame horse Alysheba had an outstanding racing career, earning $6.6 million and winning 11 races. But he had two disappointments in 1987 that could have made him a legend. After winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes, Alysheba fell short of the Triple Crown with a loss in the Belmont. At the Breeders’ Cup Classic that year, Alysheba was nipped by a nose by Ferdinand. It was one of 11 races in the history of the Breeders’ Cup to be decided by a nose.

Look for Rick Lang's Philly Park picks and his coverage of the races leading up to the Breeders' Cup in The Trentonian.