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The Breeders’ Cup Challenge
| BC Challenge Race Schedule |
Our page of Breeders’ Cup prep-races will describe the Challenge series by divisional offerings.
Win and You’re In!
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge was inaugurated in 2007 and originally launched a series of 24 officially sanctioned races at six tracks that would automatically qualify the winners for Breeders’ Cup berths under a “Win and You’re In” format.
Each Breeders’ Cup Challenge winner gains a reserved entry position for the barrier draw, into a corresponding divisional race of the Breeders’ Cup. In 2011, Breeders’ Cup began paying the entry fees and subsidizing travel costs to the locale of the races for all Challenge winners who are Breeders’ Cup eligible. Breeders’ Cup also began paying a $10,000 award to the nominator of any North American foal who won a Challenge race.
In its first year, the Breeders’ Cup Challenge had 14 winners who competed in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup. Of those 14, four horses won – War Pass in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Ginger Punch in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, English Channel in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Curlin in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).
The program expanded to 57 races and 17 tracks in 2008. That year, 34 Challenge race winners competed in the Breeders’ Cup and five won – Raven’s Pass in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, Forever Together in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Stardom Bound in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and Maram in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
For 2016, the Challenge consisted of 77 automatic qualifying races, with 28 scheduled outside of North America. There were four new races added to the schedule for 2016 — the Queen of the Turf (Filly & Mare Turf) at Royal Randwick, Australia; Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella (Mile) at Santiago, Chile; Gran Premio Pamplona at Hipodromo Monterrico (Filly & Mare Turf) in Lima, Peru; and Flying Five Stakes (Turf Sprint) at The Curragh, Ireland.
2018 saw a new race added to the official World Championship lineup, the Juvenile Turf Sprint and movement of the 2-year-old races to Friday for a ‘Friday Future Stars’ theme. This will be an interesting change for betting, as the Distaff, Dirt Mile and other 3-year-olds and up condition races move to Saturday.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge has continued to evolve and change with the core principal remaining the same – providing a list of events for fans to follow and get to know the horses likely to run in each year’s Breeders’ Cup.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Racing Schedule
Date | Track | Race | Grade | Distance | Age | Sex | Division | Region |
12/15/18 | SIS | Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini Stakes | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | Argentina | |
1/5/19 | KEN | Cartier Paddock S. | I | 1 1/8 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | South Africa |
1/5/19 | KEN | L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | South Africa | |
2/17/19 | TOK | February S. | I | 1 Mile | 4 YO & UP | Classic | Japan | |
5/1/19 | Pal | Gran Premio Criadores | I | 1 1/4 Miles | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Distaff | Argentina |
5/26/19 | CHS | Gran Premio Club Hípico Falabella | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | Chile | |
5/27/19 | SA | Shoemaker Mile | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | California | |
6/2/19 | TOK | Yasuda Kinen | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | Japan | |
6/8/19 | Bel | Jaipur Invitational | I | 6 Furlongs (T) | 4 YO & UP | Turf Sprint | New York | |
6/8/19 | Bel | Ogden Phipps | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 4 YO & UP | F & M | Distaff | New York |
6/8/19 | Bel | Runhappy Metropolitan H. | I | 1 Mile | 3 YO & UP | Dirt Mile | New York | |
6/9/19 | GVA | Grande Premio Brasil | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 4 YO & UP | Turf | Brazil | |
6/15/19 | CD | Fleur de Lis Stakes | II | 1 1/8 Miles | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Distaff | Kentucky |
6/15/19 | CD | Stephen Foster Stakes | II | 1 1/8 Miles | 3 YO & UP | Classic | Kentucky | |
6/18/19 | ASC | Queen Anne S. | I | 1 Mile (T) | 4 YO & UP | Mile | United Kingdom | |
6/19/19 | ASC | Prince of Wales’s S. | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 4 YO & UP | Turf | United Kingdom | |
6/20/19 | ASC | Norfolk S. | II | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf Sprint | United Kingdom | |
6/22/19 | ASC | Diamond Jubilee S. | I | 6 Furlongs (T) | 4 YO & UP | Turf Sprint | United Kingdom | |
6/23/19 | HSN | Takarazuka Kinen | I | 1 3/8 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | Japan | |
6/29/19 | GP | Princess Rooney H. | II | 7 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Sprint | Florida |
6/30/19 | MON | Gran Premio Pamplona | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | Peru |
7/6/19 | Bel | John A. Nerud | II | 7 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | Sprint | New York | |
7/20/19 | Mth | TVG.Com Haskell Invitational | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3 YO | Classic | New Jersey | |
7/27/19 | ASC | King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes sponsored by QIPCO | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | United Kingdom | |
7/27/19 | Dmr | Bing Crosby S. | I | 6 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | Sprint | California | |
7/28/19 | Dmr | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Distaff | California |
7/31/19 | GOO | Qatar Sussex Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | United Kingdom | |
8/3/19 | Sar | Whitney | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3 YO & UP | Classic | New York | |
8/10/19 | AP | Arlington Million | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | Illinois | |
8/10/19 | AP | Beverly D. Stakes | I | 1 3/16 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | Illinois |
8/10/19 | Sar | Fourstardave H. | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | New York | |
8/11/19 | Dea | Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le Buffard – Jacques Le Marois | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | France | |
8/17/19 | Dmr | Del Mar Handicap Presented By The Japan Racing Association | II | 1 3/8 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | California | |
8/17/19 | Dmr | TVG Pacific Classic | I | 1 1/4 Miles | 3 YO & UP | Classic | California | |
8/18/19 | Dea | Darley Prix Morny | I | 6 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf Sprint | France | |
8/21/19 | YOR | Juddmonte International S. | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Classic | United Kingdom | |
8/22/19 | YOR | Yorkshire Oaks | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | United Kingdom |
8/23/19 | YOR | Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes | I | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO & UP | Turf Sprint | United Kingdom | |
8/24/19 | Dmr | Pat O’Brien S. | II | 7 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | Dirt Mile | California | |
8/24/19 | Sar | Ketel One Ballerina | I | 7 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Sprint | New York |
8/24/19 | Sar | Personal Ensign | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Distaff | New York |
8/24/19 | Sar | Sword Dancer | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | New York | |
9/7/19 | Bel | Jockey Club Derby | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3 YO | Turf | New York | ||
9/7/19 | KD | Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint | III | 6 Furlongs (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf Sprint | Kentucky | |
9/14/19 | CD | Iroquois S. | III | 1 1/16 Miles | 2 YO | Juvenile | Kentucky | |
9/14/19 | CD | Pocahontas S. | II | 1 1/16 Miles | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies | Kentucky |
9/14/19 | LEO | Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron S. | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | Ireland |
9/14/19 | LEO | KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes | II | 1 Mile (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf | Ireland | |
9/14/19 | LEO | QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | Ireland | |
9/14/19 | WO | Ricoh Woodbine Mile | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | Ontario | |
9/15/19 | CUR | Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes | I | 5 Furlongs (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf Sprint | Ireland | |
9/15/19 | CUR | Moyglare Stud Stakes | I | 7 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Ireland |
9/15/19 | WO | Natalma Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Ontario |
9/15/19 | WO | Summer Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf | Ontario | |
9/21/19 | Prx | Cotillion S. | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 3 YO | F | Distaff | Pennsylvania |
9/27/19 | NEW | Shadwell Rockfel | II | 7 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies Turf | United Kingdom |
9/27/19 | SA | American Pharoah Stakes | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 2 YO | Juvenile | California | |
9/27/19 | SA | Chandelier Stakes | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies | California |
9/28/19 | Bel | Jockey Club Gold Cup | I | 1 1/4 Miles | 3 YO & UP | Classic | New York | |
9/28/19 | Bel | The Vosburgh | I | 6 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | Sprint | New York | |
9/28/19 | NEW | Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes | II | 1 Mile (T) | 2 YO | C & G | Juvenile Turf | United Kingdom |
9/28/19 | SA | Awesome Again Stakes | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3 YO & UP | Classic | California | |
9/28/19 | SA | Rodeo Drive Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | California |
9/29/19 | NKR | Sprinters S. | I | 6 Furlongs (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf Sprint | Japan | |
9/29/19 | SA | Zenyatta Stakes | II | 1 1/16 Miles | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Distaff | California |
10/4/19 | Kee | Darley Alcibiades Stakes | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies | Kentucky |
10/4/19 | Kee | Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes | II | 6 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | Sprint | Kentucky | |
10/5/19 | Bel | The Champagne | I | 1 Mile | 2 YO | Juvenile | New York | |
10/5/19 | Kee | Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 2 YO | Juvenile | Kentucky | |
10/5/19 | Kee | First Lady S. | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | Kentucky |
10/5/19 | Kee | Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | Mile | Kentucky | |
10/5/19 | Kee | Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes | II | 6 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Sprint | Kentucky |
10/5/19 | SA | Santa Anita Sprint Championship | I | 6 Furlongs | 3 YO & UP | Sprint | California | |
10/6/19 | Bel | The Flower Bowl | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | New York |
10/6/19 | Bel | The Frizette | I | 1 Mile | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies | New York |
10/6/19 | Bel | The Futurity | III | 6 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO | C & G | Juvenile Turf Sprint | New York |
10/6/19 | Kee | Dixiana Bourbon S. | III | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf | Kentucky | |
10/6/19 | Kee | Indian Summer Stakes | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf Sprint | Kentucky | ||
10/6/19 | Kee | Juddmonte Spinster Stakes | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Distaff | Kentucky |
10/6/19 | Lch | Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines | I | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO & UP | Turf Sprint | France | |
10/6/19 | Lch | Prix de l’Opera Longines | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | F & M | Filly & Mare Turf | France |
10/6/19 | Lch | Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Turf | France | |
10/6/19 | Lch | Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf | France | |
10/6/19 | Lch | Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies Turf | France |
10/6/19 | SA | Speakeasy Stakes | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2 YO | Juvenile Turf Sprint | California | ||
10/9/19 | Kee | JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes | II | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | 2 YO | F | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Kentucky |
Please click for a schedule of the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races.