Reports: Arlington, Lone Star to Get Breeders' Cup

Breeders' Cup has mapped out a tentative schedule of host sites for the World Thoroughbred Championships through 2005, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported in Sunday's edition. The racetracks are Arlington Park (2002), Santa Anita Park (2003), Churchill Downs (2004), and Lone Star Park (2005).

The newspaper cited comments made by Breeders' Cup board member Bob Lewis, and referred to a story in the Dallas Morning News. Breeders' Cup president D.G. Van Clief Jr. wouldn't confirm the information, though he told the Courier-Journal an announcement could be made in a few weeks.

Arlington Park, owned by Churchill Downs Inc., was expected to get the 2002 World Thoroughbred Championships, though an official announcement has not been made. Breeders' Cup officials visited Lone Star Park in Texas earlier this year for a site inspection, and in late August traveled to Monmouth Park in New Jersey for a similar inspection.

The newspaper also quoted Kentucky Rep. Larry Clark, who said the General Assembly passed legislation that eliminates excise taxes on World Thoroughbred Championships Day as long as the event comes to Kentucky once every three years. Churchill hosted the event last year; 2004 would be four years out.

"If it does come in 2004, rather than 2003, they violated their agreement," Clark told the newspaper.