Breeders’ Cup Challenge Schedule, Results
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge series spans 10 countries and includes 67 races with the winner of each race earning an automatic starting berth in the corresponding Breeders’ Cup race along with an all-expenses paid trip to Southern California for racing’s championship event.
This year’s Breeders’ Cup will be run on Nov. 1-2 at Santa Anita Park.
The Breeders’ Cup pays entry fees for the connections of the Challenge winners if they are nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by October 21st. All Championships starters that are not based in California will receive travel awards of $10,000 (US) if traveling within North America or $40,000 (US) if traveling from outside of North America.
Last year, 45 winners of Breeders’ Cup Challenge races participated in the World Championships.
There are 14 Breeders’ Cup races this year, with the marquee event the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), the last of nine championship races on Saturday.
Friday’s card will feature five Breeders’ Cup races including the $2 million Breeder’s Cup Distaff (G2), which was renamed, previously called the Ladies’ Classic.
Last year 89,742 attended the two-day championship event at Santa Anita. The total; betting handle on the two days was $148,046,997.
The Ian Wilkes trained Fort Larned pulled off the upset in the $5 million Classic, returning $20.80 and topping a $2 exacta with runner up Mucho Macho Man that paid $125.40.
Breeders’ Cup Challenge Schedule, Results (Updated Oct. 16)
|
Date |
Track |
Race |
Winner |
Breeders’ Cup Division |
| January 12 | Kenilworth (SAF) | L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate | Variety Club (SAF) | Mile |
| April 13 | Randwick (AUS) | Darley T.J. Smith Stakes | Black Caviar (AUS) | Turf Sprint |
| April 20 | Randwick (AUS) | BMW Doncaster Mile | Sacred Falls (NZ) | Mile |
| May 25 | San Isidro (ARG) | Gran Premio 25 de Mayo | Ordak Dan (ARG) | Turf |
| June 15 | Churchill Downs | Stephen Foster Handicap | Fort Larned | Classic |
| June 21 | Palermo (ARG) | Clasico General Belgrano | Ever Rider (ARG) | Marathon |
| June 23 | Hanshin (JPN) | Takarazuka Kinen | Gold Ship (JPN) | Turf |
| June 23 | Saint-Cloud Racecourse (FRA) | Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud | Novellist (IRE) | Turf |
| June 29 | Betfair Hollywood Park | Shoemaker Mile | Obviously (IRE) | Mile |
| June 29 | Betfair Hollywood Park | Triple Bend Handicap | Centralinteligence | F&M Turf |
| July 6 | Calder Race Course | Smile Sprint Handicap | Bahamian Squall | Sprint |
| July 6 | Monmouth Park | United Nations Stakes | Big Blue Kitten | Turf |
| July 13 | Betfair Hollywood Park | A Gleam Handicap | Book Review | F&M Sprint |
| July 27 | Ascot (GBR) | King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Sponsored by Betfair | Novellist | Turf |
| July 28 | Del Mar | Bing Crosby Stakes | Pointsoffthebench | Dirt Mile |
| August 3 | Del Mar | Clement L. Hirsch Handicap | Lady of Fifty | Distaff |
| August 3 | Saratoga | Whitney Handicap | Cross Traffic | Classic |
| August 11 | Deauville (FRA) | Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois | Moonlight Cloud (FR) | Mile |
| August 17 | Arlington Park | Arlington Million | Real Solution | Turf |
| August 17 | Arlington Park | Beverly D. Stakes | Dank (GB) | F&M Turf |
| August 22 | York (GBR) | Connolly’s Red Mills Lowther Stakes | Lucky Kristale | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| August 22 | York (GBR) | Darley Yorkshire Oaks | The Fugue | F&M Turf |
| August 23 | Saratoga | Ballerina Stakes | Dance To Bristol | F&M Sprint |
| August 23 | York (GBR) | Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes | Jwala | Turf Sprint |
| August 24 | Del Mar | Del Mar Handicap | Vagabond Shoes | Turf |
| August 25 | Del Mar | TVG Pacific Classic | Game on Dude | Classic |
| August 25 | Del Mar | Pat O’Brien Stakes | Fed Biz | Dirt Mile |
| August 25 | Saratoga | Personal Ensign Handicap | Royal Delta | Distaff |
| Sept. 1 | Baden Baden | Longines Grosser Preis Von Baden | Novelist | Turf |
| Sept. 1 | Currragh (IRE) | Moyglare Stud Stakes | Rizeena | Turf Sprint |
| Sept. 7 | Churchill Downs | Iroquois Stakes | Cleburne | Juvenile |
| Sept. 7 | Churchill Downs | Pocahantas Stakes | Untapable | Juvenile Fillies |
| Sept. 7 | Leopardstown | ICON Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Trial | Australia | Juvenile Turf |
| Sept. 7 | Leopardstown (IRE) | Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes | The Fugue | Turf |
| Sept. 14 | Woodbine | Natalma Stakes | Llanarmon | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| Sept. 14 | Woodbine | Summer Stakes | My Congestadory | Juvenile Turf |
| Sept. 15 | Woodbine | Ricoh Woodbine Mile | Wise Dan | Mile |
| Sept. 15 | Woodbine | Canadian Stakes | Minakshi | F&M Turf |
| Sept. 28 | Belmont Park | Beldame Invitational Stakes | Princess of Sylmar | Distaff |
| Sept. 28 | Belmont Park | Flower Bowl Invitational | Laughing | F&M Turf |
| September 28 | Belmont Park | Jockey Club Gold Cup | Ron the Greek | Classic |
| Sept. 28 | Belmont Park | Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational | Little Mike | Turf |
| Sept. 28 | Belmont Park | Kelso Handicap | Graydar | Dirt Mile |
| Sept. 28 | Belmont Park | Vosburgh Invitational Stakes | Private Zone | Sprint |
| Sept. 28 | Newmarket (GBR) | Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes | Berkshire | Juvenile Turf |
| Sept. 28 | Santa Anita | Awesome Again Stakes | Mucho Macho Man | Classic |
| Sept. 28 | Santa Anita | Chandelier Stakes | Secret Compass | Juvenile Fillies |
| Sept. 28 | Santa Anita | FrontRunner Stakes | Bond Holder | Juvenile |
| Sept. 28 | Santa Anita | Rodeo Drive Stakes | Tiz Flirtatious | F&M Turf |
| Sept. 28 | Santa Anita | Zenyatta Stakes | Beholder | Distaff |
| October 4 | Keeneland | Darley Alcibiades Stakes | My Conquestadory | Juvenile Fillies |
| October 4 | Keeneland | Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes | Sum of the Parts | Sprint |
| October 5 | Belmont Park | Foxwoods Champagne Stakes | Havana | Juvenile |
| October 5 | Belmont Park | Frizette Stakes | Artemis Agrotera | Juvenile Fillies |
| October 5 | Keeneland | Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity | We Miss Artie | Juvenile |
| October 5 | Keeneland | Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes | N/A | Mile |
| October 5 | Keeneland | Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes | Judy the Beauty | F&M Sprint |
| October 5 | Santa Anita | Santa Anita Sprint Championship | Points Offthebench | Sprint |
| October 6 | Belmont Park | Miss Grillo Stakes | Testa Rossi | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| October 6 | Belmont Park | Pilgrim Stakes | Bobbi’s Kitten | Juvenile Turf |
| October 6 | Keeneland | Bourbon Stakes | N/A | Juvenile Turf |
| October 6 | Keeneland | Juddmonte Spinster Stakes | Emollient | Distaff |
| October 6 | Longchamp (FR) | Longines Prix de L’Opera | Dalkala | F&M Turf |
| October 6 | Longchamp | Qatar Prix de la Foret | Moonlight Cloud | Mile |
| October 6 | Longchamp | Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere | Karakontie | Juvenile Turf |
| October 10 | Keeneland | J. P. Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes | Kitten Kaboodle | Juvenile Fillies Turf |
| October 13 | Woodbine | Nearctic Stakes | Phil’s Dream | Turf Sprint |
Michael’s Breeders’ Cup Report includes his selections, analysis, fair odds line, and wagering recommendations for every race on the Friday and Saturday card from Santa Anita Park on Nov. 1-2.
The Breeders’ Cup offers 14 championship races over two days, bringing together the best top horses, trainers, and jockeys from around the world, this year to compete at Santa Anita Park.
Michael Dempsey