Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is a series of national and international stakes races that allow a horse to qualify for a Breeder Cup entry. It is as simple as win, and they’re in, meaning the horses receive an automatic free entry and fees paid into the Breeders’ Cup World Championship, which is scheduled to be held this year Nov. 4-5 at Keeneland Racecourse.
The Challenge Series, now in its 16th year, will be hosted at many of the world’s premier racetracks in Argentina, Canada, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Peru, South Africa and the United States.
Each Breeders’ Cup race presents four trophies to the connections of the winner and a garland of flowers draped over the withers of the winning horse. Many Breeders’ Cup winners will go on to win the Eclipse Award in their respective division.
A maximum of 14 starters are allowed in each of the Breeders’ Cup Championships races (depending on track dimensions, some races such as the Turf Sprint or Dirt Mile may be limited to 12 starters). Breeders’ Cup Limited has adopted a field selection system to select runners in the event fields are oversubscribed. Winners of the “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races automatically qualify.
Other pre-entries are ranked by a point system for graded stakes performance during the year, and the judgment of a panel of racing experts. After pre-entries are taken approximately two weeks before the Breeders’ Cup, the ranking determines eligibility in oversubscribed races. After pre-entry, any vacancies in the fields are filled by horses in order of panel preference.
Check all the details about the BC Challenge series, races, winners, tracks, and more!
Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Races
| U.S and International | Track | Date | Race Name | Breeders’ Cup Division | Winner | Video |
| ARG | San Isidro | 11- Dec 2021 | Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini | Longines Turf | Village King |  |
| Cape Town | Kenilworth | 08-Jan | L’ Ormarins Queen’s Plate | Fan Duel Mile | Jet Dark | |
| Cape Town | Kenilworth | 08-Jan | Cartier Paddock Stakes | Maker’s Mark F&M Turf | Captain’s Ransom | |
| JRA | Tokyo | 20-Feb | February Stakes | Longines Classic | Cafe Phraroah | |
| Argentina | Palermo | 01-May | Gran Premio Criadores | Longines Distaff | La Validada | |
| JRA | Tokyo | 15- May | Victoria Mile | Maker’s Mark F&M Turf | Sodashi | |
| Chile | Club Hipico | 29- May | Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella | FanDuel Mile | Viejos Tiempos | |
| USA | Santa Anita | 30-May | Shoemaker Mile | FanDuel Mile | Count Again | |
| JRA | Tokyo | 5-June | Yasuda Kinen | FanDuel Mile | Songline | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 11-June | Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan | FanDuel Mile | Flightline | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 11-June | Jaipur | Turf Sprint | Casa Creed | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 11-JUne | Ogden Phipps | Longines Distaff | Clairiere | |
| UK | Ascot | 14-June | King’s Stand S. | Turf Sprint | Nature Strip | |
| UK | Ascot | 14-June | Queen Anne Stakes | FanDuel Mile | Baaeed | |
| UK | Ascot | 15-June | Prince of Wales’s Stakes | Longines Turf | State of Rest | |
| UK | Ascot | 16-June | Norfolk Stakes | Juvenile Turf Sprint | The Ridler | |
| Peru | Hipodromo de Monterrico | 26-June | Gran Premio Pamplona | Maker’s Mark F&M Turf | Ola Perfecta | |
| JRA | Hashin | 26-June | Takarazuka Kinen | Longines Turf | Titleholder | |
| Brasil | Hipódromo da Gávea | 26-June | Grande Premio Brasil | Longines Turf | Nautilus | |
| USA | Gulfstream Park | 2-July | Princess Rooney Invitational | Filly & Mare Sprint | Ce Ce | |
| USA | Churchill Downs | 2-July | Stephen Foster Stakes | Longines Classic | Olympiad | |
| UK | Ascot | 23-July | King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes | Longines Turf | Pyledriver | |
| USA | Monmouth Park | 23-July | TVG.com Haskell Stakes | Longines Classic | Cyberknife | |
| UK | Goodwood | 27-July | Qatar Sussex Stakes | FanDuel Mile | Baaeed | |
| USA | Del Mar | 30-July | Bing Crosby Stakes | Qatar Racing Sprint | American Theorem | |
| USA | Del Mar | 6-Aug | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | Longines Distaff | Blue Stripe | |
| USA | Saratoga | 6-Aug | The Whitney | Longines Classic | Life Is Good | |
| USA | Saratoga | 13-Aug | The Fourstardave | FanDuel Mile | Casa Creed | |
| USA | Churchill Downs | 13-Aug | Beverly D. Stakes | Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf | Dalika | |
| France | France Galop | 14-Aug | Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois | FanDuel Mile | Inspiral | |
| UK | York | 17-Aug | Juddmonte International Stakes | Longines Classic | Baaeed | |
| UK | York | 18-Aug | Darley Yorkshire Oaks | Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf | Alpinista | |
| UK | York | 19-Aug | Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes | Turf Sprint | Highfield Princess | |
| France | France Galop | 21-Aug | Darley Prix Morny | Juvenile Turf Sprint | Blackbeard | |
| USA | Del Mar | 27-Aug | Pat O’Brien Stakes | Dirt Mile | Laurel River | |
| USA | Saratoga | 27-Aug | The Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer | Longines Turf | Gufo | |
| USA | Saratoga | 28-Aug | The Ballerina | Filly & Mare Sprint | Goodnight Olive | |
| USA | Del Mar | 3-Sep | Del Mar Handicap | Longines Turf | Gold Phoenix | |
| USA | Del Mar | 3-Sep | TVG Pacific Classic | Longines Classic | Flightline | |
| USA | Saratoga | 3-Sep | The Flower Bowl | Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf | Virginia Joy | |
| USA | Saratoga | 3-Sep | Jockey Club Gold Cup | Longines Classic | Olympiad | |
| USA | Del Mar | 4-Sep | Green Flash H. | Turf Sprint | Lieutenant Dan | |
| Ireland | Leopardstown | 10-Sep | Irish Champion Stakes | Longines Turf | Luxembourg | |
| Ireland | Leopardstown | 10-Sep | Champion Juvenile Stakes | Juvenile Turf | Auguste Rodin | |
| Ireland | Leopardstown | 10-Sep | Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes | Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf | Pearls Galore | |
| USA | Kentucky Downs | 10-Sep | Calumet Turf Cup | Longines Turf | Red Knight | |
| USA | Kentucky Downs | 10-Sep | FanDuel Turf Sprint | Turf Sprint | Bran | |
| Ireland | Curragh | 11-Sep | Moyglare Stud Stakes | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Tahiyra | |
| Ireland | Curragh | 11-Sep | Flying Five Stakes | Turf Sprint | Highfield Princess | |
| Canada | Woodbine | 17-Sep | Natalma Stakes | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Last Call | |
| Canada | Woodbine | 17-Sep | Pattison Summer Stakes | Juvenile Turf | Mysterious Night | |
| Canada | Woodbine | 17-Sep | Ricoh Woodbine Mile | FanDuel Mile | Modern Games | |
| UK | Newmarket | 23-Sep | Rockfel Stakes | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Commissioning | |
| UK | Newmarket | 24-Sep | Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes | Juvenile Turf | The Foxes | |
| USA | Churchill Downs | 1-Oct | Ack Ack H. | Dirt Mile | Senor Buscador | |
| USA | Santa Anita | 1-Oct | Awesome Again Stakes | Longines Classic | Defunded | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 1-Oct | The Champagne | TVG Juvenile | Blazing Sevens | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 1-Oct | Miss Grillo Stakes | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Pleasant Passage | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 1-Oct | The Frizette Stakes | Juvenile Fillies | Chocolate Gelato | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 2-Oct | The Pilgrim Stakes | Juvenile Turf | Major Dude | |
| USA | Santa Anita | 2-Oct | Speakeasy Stakes | Juvenile Turf Sprint | Speed Boat Beach | |
| France | France Galop | 2-Oct | Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere | Juvenile Turf | Belbek | |
| France | France Galop | 2-Oct | Prix de L’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines | Turf Sprint | The Platinum Queen | |
| France | France Galop | 2-Oct | Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe | Longines Turf | Alpinista | |
| France | France Galop | 2-Oct | Prix de L’Opera Longines | Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf | Place du Carrousel | |
| France | France Galop | 2-Oct | Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Blue Rose Cen | |
| USA | Keeneland | 7-Oct | Darley Alcibiades Stakes | Juvenile Fillies | Wonder Wheel | |
| USA | Keeneland | 7-Oct | Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes | Qatar Racing Sprint | Manny Wah | |
| USA | Keeneland | 7-Oct | Jessamine Stakes | Juvenile Fillies Turf | Delight | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 8-Oct | The Vosburgh Stakes | Qatar Racing Sprint | Elite Power | |
| USA | Santa Anita | 8-Oct | Rodeo Drive Stakes | Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf | Going to Vegas | |
| USA | Santa Anita | 8-Oct | Chandelier Stakes | Juvenile Fillies | And Tell me Nolies | |
| USA | Santa Anita | 8-Oct | American Pharoah Stakes | TVG Juvenile | Cave Rock | |
| USA | Keeneland | 8-Oct | Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity | TVG Juvenile | Forte | |
| USA | Keeneland | 8-Oct | Coolmore Turf Mile | FanDuel Mile | Annapolis | |
| USA | Keeneland | 8-Oct | Thoroughbred Club of America | Filly & Mare Sprint | Slammed | |
| USA | Belmont Park | 9-Oct | The Futurity Stakes | Juvenile Turf Sprint | Nagirroc | |
| USA | Keeneland | 9-Oct | Indian Summer Stakes | Juvenile Turf Sprint | Private Creed | |
| USA | Keeneland | 9-Oct | Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes | Juvenile Turf | Andthewinneris | |
| USA | Keeneland | 9-Oct | Juddmonte Spinster Stakes | Longines Distaff | Malathaat | |
| UK | Ascot | 15-Oct | QIPCO Champion Stakes | Longines Turf | Bay Bridge | |
| UK | Ascot | 15-Oct | Queen Elizabeth II Stakes | FanDuel Mile | Bayside Boy | |
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