The Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships will be held at Churchill Downs in 2011.

The announcement was made Friday morning at the track by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear; Breeders' Cup chairman William S. Farish Jr. and president/CEO Greg Avioli; Churchill Downs Inc. president/CEO Robery Evans and COO Bill Carstanjen; and Churchill Downs president Kevin Flanery.

Churchill Downs will also host the Breeders' Cup this fall, on Nov. 5-6. Next year's event, on Nov. 4-5, will mark the first time the Breeders' Cup has been held at Churchill in consecutive years. This comes on the heels of back-to-back host years for Santa Anita, in 2008 and 2009.

The Breeders' Cup has been held at Churchill Downs more times than at any other track. The championships were previously run in 1988, 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000 and 2006; the 2010 and 2011 events push the total to eight.

The uncertain situations with racing in New York and California helped contribute to the decision. Belmont, a four-time host site, seemed due to get the 'Cup back, but NYRA's financial status remains uncertain. On the opposite coast, the contract for the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet was recently cancelled until 2016 and the track is also considering a surface switch.