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. Starting in 2011, the Breeders' Cup also pays the entry fee and provides a travel allowance for the connections of the challenge race winners. For 2018, NBC Sports Group will both broadcast and live stream eleven shows, from June to October, covering many of the "Win and You're In" challenge races.
Current challenge series
The challenge series races for the 2020 Breeders' Cup, scheduled for November 6 and 7 at Keeneland in Kentucky, have not yet been announced. Because of racetrack shutdowns beginning in March caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the traditional qualifying events may not be run.
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.
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 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. Forty-five horses entered in the 2012 Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including seven of the winners. These were:
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. Thirty-six horses entered in the 2013 Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including four of the winners. These were:
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. Thirty-seven entrants in the 2015 Breeders' Cup qualified via the Challenge series with six winning their respective divisions, including American Pharoah.
2016
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, the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella, the Gran Premio Pamplona and the Flying Five Stakes. Three more races from Japan were added in June: the February Stakes, the Yasuda Kinen and the Sprinter Stakes. Forty-five entrants in the 2016 Breeders' Cup qualified via the Challenge series. Two Challenge series winners went on to win their respective division at the Breeders' Cup: Highland Reel and Classic Empire.
2017
On April 12, 2017, the Breeders Cup organization announced that the 2017 Breeders' Cup Challenge would consist of 81 races from 13 countries. Three races were added to the series: the Belmont Sprint Championship Stakes, the Highlander Stakes and the First Lady Stakes. The Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Belmont Oaks and Canadian Stakes were excluded from the series. Five winners of Challenge series races went on to win their respective division at the Breeders' Cup:
Gun Runner, who won the Classic, automatically qualified by winning both the Stephen Foster and Whitney Handicap
Forever Unbridled won the Distaff after automatically qualifying with victories in both the Fleur de Lis and Personal Ensign
Rushing Fall qualified in the Jessamine Stakes then went on to win the Juvenile Turf
World Approval won both the Woodbine Mile and Breeders' Cup Mile
2018
The main change for the 2018 series was the addition of four "win and you're in" races from Royal Ascot: the Queen Anne Stakes providing a berth in the Mile division; the Prince of Wales's Stakes in the Turf; the Norfolk Stakes in the new Juvenile Turf Sprint; and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in the Turf Sprint. The Jaipur Invitational was also added as a qualifier for the Turf Sprint. The following races were removed from the series: the TJ Smith, the Smile Sprint, the T. Von Zastrow Stutenpreis and the Grosser Preis von Baden. On June 25, three more races were added to the challenge series as qualifiers for the Juvenile Turf Sprint. These were the Futurity at Belmont Park, the Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland and a new race at Santa Anita, subsequently named the Speakeasy Stakes. Five automatic qualifiers also won their division of the Breeders' Cup: Sistercharlie, Accelerate, Game Winner, Roy H and Jaywalk.
2019
The 2019 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 86 races, 64 of which were Grade/Group One, from across 11 countries. There were 7 new races: the Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini, Prix Morny, Fourstardave, Jockey Club Derby, the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, Cotillion, Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The following races were removed from the series: Doncaster Mile, Legacy Stakes, Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, Highlander, Forego, Spinaway, and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic. The International Stakes, formerly a qualifier for the Turf, became the first ever European qualifier for the Classic. Five automatic qualifiers won their respective division of the Breeders' Cup:
Four Wheel Drive, who qualified by winning the Belmont Futurity, won the Juvenile Turf Sprint
British Idiom, winner of the Alcibiades, also won the Juvenile Fillies
Iridessa, who qualified by winning the Matron Stakes, won the Filly and Mare Turf
Blue Prize won the Distaff after qualifying in the Spinster
Bricks and Mortar qualified by winning the Arlington Million and then won the Turf
Mitole, who qualified for the Dirt Mile by winning the Metropolitan Handicap, won the Sprint. Uni won the Mile after qualifying in the First Lady Stakes for the Filly and Mare Turf.
