Breeders' Cup 2013: Wealth of Veterans Is Key Attraction to This Year's Event

In modern-day horse racing, you don't get to see many veterans on the track year after year, but the 2013 Breeders' Cup presents a rather unusual circumstance in that regard.

The field for the Mile and Classic races are littered with veterans this year. In fact, the winner of the 2012 Mile, Wise Dan, and the Classic, Fort Larned, are both set to defend their crowns in those respective races in 2013.

Last year's Horse of the Year favorite who fell disappointingly short of that title by finishing in seventh place in the Classic, Game on Dude, will be back at it once again in the hopes of erasing that bad memory.

Another notable name is last year's second-place finisher in the Classic, Mucho Macho Man. If you are just a casual fan of the sport, that name rings a bell because Mucho Macho Man also took part in the 2011 Triple Crown by competing in all three races, with his best finish being third at the Kentucky Derby.

Those are just some of the familiar names hanging around for the next step in their careers. They are all worth noting because lengthy racing careers for horses are sometimes rare.

That's because most star thoroughbreds are retired early in order to make room for the next generation of potential horse racing stars. This has become common practice for most trainers and is why great horses are making headlines one day and gone from the consciousness of the sport the next.

It's an interesting and new scenario for the sport that has moved away from the approaches of the past. Along with retiring early, many horses don't race as often as they once did during a given season, which is done to keep them fresh and healthy for the bigger events.

But these horses were bred to race, and it's good to see the more talented ones sticking around for the long haul. In what has been a costly and risky proposition in raising and keeping a race horse, some trainers aren't scared to let them do what they do best, and the fans no doubt appreciate them for it.

Having these veterans stick around only adds to the quality of races. Sure, new horses can run great races, but with these older horses, fans already know what to expect and can look forward to great competition from more established thoroughbreds.