Breeders' Cup Challenge

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is a series of Thoroughbred horse races in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, South Africa and South America, in which the winner earns an automatic spot in a specified Breeders' Cup race. The challenge races change somewhat each year.

The Challenge series began in 2007 with 24 "Win and You're In" races from 2 countries. By 2014, the series had grown to 71 races across 13 countries. During that period, 24 winners of Breeders' Cup races had qualified via the challenge series.^[1]

Starting in 2011, the Breeders' Cup also pays the entry fee and provides a travel allowance for the connections of the challenge race winners. In 2016, NBC Sports Group televised nine shows, from June to October, covering many of the "Win and You're In" challenge races.^[2]

Past challenge series

The 2007 series consisted of 24 races held at 6 different racetracks in the United States and Canada. Fourteen of the series winners later raced in the Breeders' Cup, with four of them winning: War Pass in the Juvenile, Ginger Punch in the Distaff, English Channel in the Turf and Curlin in the Classic.^[3]

2012

For 2012, the series consisted of 73 races in 10 countries, 52 of which were Grade / Group One events. Thirteen races were added to the series: the (South African) Queen’s Plate, Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, Stephen Foster Handicap, Personal Ensign, Grosser Preis von Baden, Gallant Bloom, Pilgrim, Miss Grillo, Bourbon, Royal Lodge, Middle Park, Beresford, and the Prix de la Foret.^[4]

Forty-five horses entered in the 2012 Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including seven of the winners. These were:^[5]

• Fort Larned, who qualified for the Classic by winning the Whitney
• Royal Delta, who won both the Delaware Handicap and Beldame to qualify for the Ladies' Classic
• Little Mike, who qualified for the Turf by winning the Arlington Million
• Wise Dan, who won both the Woodbine Mile and Shadwell Turf Mile to quality for the Breeders' Cup Mile
• Groupie Doll, who qualified for the Filly & Mare Sprint by winning the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes
• Shanghai Bobby, who earned his berth in the Juvenile by winning both the Hopeful and Champagne
• Calidoscopio, who qualified for the Marathon by winning the Clasico Belgrano

2013

For 2013, nine races were added to the series: the Triple Bend Handicap, Bing Crosby, Yorkshire Oaks, Lowther Stakes, Pat O’Brien, Juvenile Trial, Pocahontas, Iroquois and Canadian Stakes. A number of races that had previously been part of the series were dropped.^[6]

Thirty-six horses entered in the 2013 Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including four of the winners. These were:^[7][8]

• Mucho Macho Man, who qualified for the Classic by winning the Awesome Again Stakes
• Beholder, who won the Zenyatta Stakes to qualify for the Distaff
• Dank, who earned her berth in the Filly & Mare Turf by winning the Beverly D. Stakes
• Wise Dan, who won the Woodbine Mile to qualify for the Mile

2014

For 2014, seven new races were added to the series: the Paddock Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Grande Premio Brasil, Clasico Cesar del Rio, Copa De Oro Vinas De Chile, The Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Haskell Invitational, Belmont Oaks, Matron Stakes, Juddmonte International and Rockfel Stakes. NBC broadcast 18 of the races.^[9]

Thirty-seven horses entered in the 2014 Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including four of the winners. These were:^[10]

• Bayern, who qualified for the Classic by winning the Haskell Invitational
• Main Sequence, who won the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic to qualify for the Turf
• Work All Week, who earned his berth in the Sprint by winning the Phoenix Stakes
• Goldencents, who won the Pat O'Brien Handicap to qualify for the Dirt Mile

2015

For 2015, eight new races were added to the series: the Gran Premio Criadores, Fleur de Lis Handicap, Sussex Stakes, Sword Dancer Invitational, Spinaway, Princess Rooney Handicap, Smile Sprint Handicap, and T. Von Zastrow Stutenpreis. Eighteen races in the series were telecast by NBC.^[11]

Current challenge series

For 2016, a total of seven races were added to the Challenge series. Four were added in April when the initial announcement was made: the Queen of the Turf (which replaced the Queen Elizabeth Stakes), the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella, the Gran Premio Pamplona and the Flying Five Stakes.^[12] Three more races from Japan were added in June: the February Stakes, the Yasuda Kinen and the Sprinter Stakes.^[13]

The 2016 Breeders' Cup Challenge races were:^[13][14]

References