The 2013 Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at Santa Anita Park Nov. 1 and 2, it was announced Friday, making the Arcadia, CA venue host to back-to-back Breeders' Cups for the second time in recent memory. Santa Anita hosted the year-end championship in both 2008 and 2009, setting handle and attendance records both years, and will also hold the 2012 Breeders' Cup. The 15-race event will be televised on the NBC Sports Network, with the $5 million GI Breeders' Cup Classic being shown on NBC Saturday Nov. 2 during the primetime slot of 8:00-9:00 p.m.

"We are delighted to extend our partnership with Santa Anita, to celebrate the 30th edition of our Championships in Southern California and for the unprecedented opportunity to showcase the Breeders' Cup Classic in primetime for a second consecutive year," said Breeders' Cup President and CEO Craig Fravel. "We are equally looking forward to bringing racing fans a world-class event at one of the world's greatest racing venues. Southern California and the greater Los Angeles community are always exceptional hosts for fans and horsemen alike from the event's launch in 1984 and, most recently, at the 2008 and 2009 World Championships."

Mike Rogers, President of The Stronach Group's Racing Division, which owns and operates Santa Anita, added, "We are pleased the Breeders' Cup has chosen to stay at Santa Anita for the 2013 World Championships. This underlines the commitment of The Stronach Group to present world-class racing at its venues around the country. Santa Anita's back-to-back runnings of the Breeders' Cup in 2008 and 2009 produced some of the top performances in the event's history and we are looking forward to again showcasing the world's greatest athletes in the entertainment capital of the world."

Santa Anita was among one of three contenders for the event--Monmouth Park and Churchill Downs were also under consideration. This will be the fifth time the Breeders' Cup will be held at Santa Anita (it also took place there in 2003), and the 10th year it will be held in Southern California.

"The Thoroughbred Owners of California is happy to support the return of the Breeders' Cup World Championships to California and Santa Anita Park," offered TOC Chairman and Breeders' Cup-winning owner Mike Pegram. "In addition to providing a much-needed boost to the state and local economies, the event gives California horsemen an opportunity to compete against the world's best at one of our sport's most outstanding racetracks."