Wild Again won the first Breeders’ Cup Classic, held at Hollywood Park in California on November 10, 1984.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic was created as a championship race for older Thoroughbreds and quickly became one of North America’s most prestigious events. Wild Again, trained by Joe W. Pierce and ridden by jockey Pat Day, defeated Slew o’ Gold and Canadian champion Gate Dancer in a memorable three-horse finish.
The race was unusually dramatic because the three leading horses made contact in the stretch. Gate Dancer was initially placed first, but the stewards later disqualified him and placed Wild Again first. Slew o’ Gold was moved to second.
The inaugural Breeders’ Cup meeting featured seven races at Hollywood Park. The Classic was run over 1¼ miles, or 10 furlongs, on dirt. Later editions moved among major American tracks, helping establish the Breeders’ Cup as an international racing championship.