Whenever you put together a world-class sporting event that offers the best in betting, dining, and hospitality, you’re bound to attract a celebrity or two.
For four decades, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships has been a magnet for movie stars, pro athletes, musicians, and other influencers from across the spectrum of pop culture.
This year will be no different, when fans, bettors, and plenty of celebrities converge on Santa Anita Park Nov. 3-4 for the 2023 Breeders’ Cup. Through a variety of sources, we’ve put together a list of celebrities you can expect to see at this year’s Breeders’ Cup. We can’t guarantee that you’ll see all of the people below at the World Championships but we’d be willing to bet that most of them will be in attendance.
Taylor Swift: Just kidding. Seriously, I’m kidding.
Elizabeth Banks: No joke, Elizabeth Banks will be there! The actress and filmmaker is Breeders’ Cup Ambassador and she’s appeared at the World Championships on several occasions. Not only is Banks a racing fan, you might also remember she was in the movie “Seabiscuit.”
Carson Kressley: The fashion icon has become a staple at the Breeders’ Cup and he even spoke to us recently about what to wear — and not wear — to the World Championships.
Alex Bregman: The Houston Astros recent loss to the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series makes it a lot more likely that we’ll see Bregman at Santa Anita on Nov. 3. The Astros third baseman has strong family ties to the sport (his father is the chair of the New Mexico Racing Commission) and Bregman himself owns several racehorses.
Joy Taylor: The host of “Speak” on Fox Sports became a horse owner this year as part of ABR’s “A Stake in Stardom” program. She has been to Los Angeles before but this will mark her first appearance at a Breeders’ Cup there.
Curtis Stone: Naturally, the Michelin-starred TV chef from Australia had to be involved in the biggest global event in the world of racing. Stone will be in attendance at the Breeders’ Cup and he’s also curating the premium dining menus for the event. Food from those menus will be served inside the Silks Dining Room, Frontrunner Restaurant, Chandelier Room, Sportsbook Bar Seating, Trophy Lounge, Trackside Dining, Directors’ Room, Luxury Suites, 100 to 1 Club Suite, Eddie Logan Suite, and Stretch Run Suites. Some tickets are still available.
Laura Bell Bundy: A native of Lexington, Ky., she certainly was raised in the right setting to become a horse lover. The actress and singer is also a Breeders’ Cup ambassador who has become a staple at the World Championships.
Drea Wheeler: The former “Survivor” contestant is a social media megastar these days, along with being a celebrity personal trainer. She enjoyed her first Breeders’ Cup in 2022 and will be back for more this year.
Rashard Lewis: At 6’10’’, Rashard Lewis will be hard to miss in the crowd at the Breeders’ Cup — heck, he might even be pretty visible in the crowded paddock surrounded by horses. The two-time NBA All Star is heavily involved in horse racing. For years, he has owned horses (including 2014 Breeders’ Cup participant Cigar Street) with his childhood friend and basketball teammate Jake Ballis.
Lindsay Czarniak: One of the most recognizable names in sports journalism has also become something of a horse racing fanatic since being introduced to the sport via “A Stake in Stardom.” Lindsay had an emotional journey to last year’s Breeders’ Cup as a spectator to Flightline’s dominant run in the Classic (see below). This year, she’s even more involved in the sport and will be making her first trip to Santa Anita.
Avery Johnson: An NBA champion as a player and a former Coach of the Year, Johnson’s greatest love outside of hoops might be horses.
John Ortiz: Loved him in “Carlito’s Way” but horse racing fans probably best remember the actor from the HBO show “Luck.” John has been around racing for years and he’s expected to be at the Breeders’ Cup again this year.
Bo Derek: Speaking of Hollywood stars, Bo Derek is an icon of the silver screen. She’s also a racehorse owner, an advocate for horse safety and welfare, and a Breeders’ Cup ambassador.
Tim Bader: Better known as “Uncle Timmy” or “Timmy Bounceback,” this dude loves to gamble. He’s going to feel right at home at the Breeders’ Cup where he’ll have 14 championship races to bet on— plus the undercard races —over two days at Santa Anita.
Steve Wright: Longtime NFL fans will be very familiar with Wright. He played in the league for about a decade before founding Cloudburst, the first company to make those mist cooling machines on NFL sidelines. He’s also an author and his memoir “Aggressively Human” is due out this November.
Toby Keith: We always love seeing the country music star at the races. He’s been a regular of the Kentucky Derby red carpet, as well as the Breeders’ Cup. It’s public knowledge that he’s been battling cancer the past two years. If he is able to make it to this year’s Breeders’ Cup, Keith almost certainly will.
Steven Jackson: Another one for football fans to look out for, Jackson was a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the most dominant running backs in the NFL. He’s been quoted as saying, “My best experience in the sport so far was going to the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2012. That is the Super Bowl of horse racing, and the access I had at that event was incredible. To be down there right at the finish line with the greatest horses in the world was amazing.”
Kareem Rosser: A Breeders’ Cup ambassador, Rosser released a memoir of his own a few years ago to critical acclaim. His incredible story goes back to his childhood in West Philadelphia where he discovered polo through the local non-profit, Work to Ride. From there, Rosser went on to compete all over the world and was part of the first all African American team to win a National Interscholastic Polo championship.
Loren Izabel: Another one of ABR’s “A Stake in Stardom” horse owners, Loren is a globe-trotting fashion and lifestyle influencer. We’ve mostly seen her at tracks on the East Coast but she’ll making her first trip to the races out West — and what better timing than for the Breeders’ Cup?