The heroes of horse racing descend on the Garden State

Here's something you probably did not know. Just as Fall Break was beginning, one of the most expensive sporting events in the world was taking place 50 minutes from campus.

That would be the Breeders' Cup. It's a series of horse races. Two days of them, actually. It was the first time they came to New Jersey, touching down on the Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport.

Everyone has heard of the Kentucky Derby. Quite a few Princetonians have probably even seen it in person. I would venture to guess that not quite so many have heard of the Breeders' Cup.

Whereas Derby Day consists of essentially one major race — the Kentucky Derby — with a purse that was recently raised to $2 million, the Breeders' Cup now consists of 11 races, eight of which guarantee purses of at least $2 million. The Breeders' Cup Classic, the marquee event in a day of marquee events, doles out at least $5 million to its field of horses. A guaranteed $23 million is given out over the course of the 11 races. College football's BCS championship, by comparison, gives each team's conference $17 million.

In horse racing, much like in college football, the top talent very rarely faces each other. College teams know that a win against a bad team will ultimately position them better than even a close loss to a very good team. In horse racing, it's generally more lucrative to win a slightly lower-grade event than take second or third behind two world-class horses at a humongous event. There are just enough big-purse races sprinkled around the country that trainers and owners can pick and choose the races that will almost guarantee them a chance at victory.

Well, college has the BCS, and horse racing has the Breeders' Cup.

The Breeders' Cup Classic is where Derby greats like Street Sense, Curlin and Hard Spun go to test their mettle against the best horses in the world, regardless of their age. The Breeders' Cup Juvenile for two-year-old horses gives the racing world a preview of who will be the strong class entering the Triple Crown race the following year. Nowhere else in the world can you see so many great horse races featuring such large prizes and exceptional thoroughbreds held in such rapid succession. It would be the equivalent of having all five BCS games played on the same day, one after the other, directly in front of you. Betting on the outcome, by the way, is not only legal but encouraged.

Despite the Cup's best efforts to engage the community around Monmouth Park for the weekend — Princeton's McCormick Art Museum was actually listed as one of the main attractions to see while in town for the races — it did not receive the sort of buzz it properly deserved. The kind of campus excitement that the Kentucky Derby creates, where people dress like it's Lawnparties 2.5, mix mint juleps and host Derby parties was nowhere to be found.

Unfortunately, Princetonians aren't the only ones ignorant of this great event. 41,781 people showed up in bad weather to Monmouth Park to watch the races last Saturday. 156,634, plus the Queen of England — an avid horse fan — packed into Churchill Downs earlier this year for the Kentucky Derby. Granted, there are some factors working against the Breeders' Cup's numbers. For one, it doesn't open up the cheap spots in the infield, which is where the Kentucky Derby holds a vast percentage of its spectators. Also, the Breeders' Cup moves to a new track each year, which makes it harder for the more casual fans to get into an attendance rhythm. Oh, and the Breeders' Cup is in its 25th year, while the Derby is entering its 134th.

The Derby can draw a crowd because its history and fanfare transcend the actual event. People descend upon Churchill Downs for a party first and horses second. The Breeders' Cup doesn't have that history, or the weather for that matter.

The bigger issue here is horse racing in general. Except for a few big races, attendance at racetracks is mostly down. It always surprises me that in an era where gambling and sports are as intertwined as ever that horse racing has lost so much popularity with our generation. Horse racing is fast paced, intense, and betting requires critical thinking.

The Breeders' Cup probably won't be at Monmouth Park again for a while. But when it comes to a track near you, check it out. You'll have a great time. I'd even be willing to bet on it.