2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series

The 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series was a series of horse races that provided the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" berth in the 2022 Breeders' Cup, held on November 4 and 5. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and included key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world. The Breeders' Cup organization paid the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals. They also provided travel allowances for out of state competitors

Summary

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The 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 82 races from across the United States and 10 other countries, compared to 84 races in the 2021 series. The Breeders' Cup committee restructured the series to ensure there were qualifying races in the east, midwest and west of the United States for most of the divisions, plus international qualifiers mainly for the turf races.[1] The following races were added: Grande Prêmio Brasil (Turf - International region), Beverly D. (Filly & Mare Turf - Midwest), Green Flash (Turf Sprint - West region), Miss Grillo (Juvenile Fillies - East region), Ack Ack (Dirt Mile - Midwest region) and Pilgrim (Juvenile Turf - East). The Fleur de Lis, Suburban, John Nerud, Personal Ensign, Iroquois, Pocohantas, Jockey Club Derby, Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Zenyatta and First Lady were removed from the series. The King's Stand Stakes replaced the Diamond Jubilee Stakes as an international qualifier for the Turf Sprint.

NBC broadcast many of the North American challenge races, either on the main network or CNBC, with other races webcast on the Peacock.[2][3]

Up to 14 horses are eligible for each Breeders' Cup race (12 for the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Dirt Mile). If a race is over-subscribed, first preference is given to winners of the Challenge series races. On October 26, 205 horses were pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup, 46 of which qualified via the Challenge series.[4] The following fields were over-subscribed: Juvenile Turf Sprint, Juvenile Fillies, Juvenile Fillies Turf, Juvenile Turf, Filly & Mare Sprint, Turf Sprint, Dirt Mile, Filly & Mare Turf, Sprint, Mile and Turf.[5]

Seven challenge race winners went on to win at the Breeders' Cup:

Challenge Series races

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The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2022 and respective winners. The "status" column shows whether the Challenge race winner was entered at the Breeders' Cup, and if so if they finished in the money.[5][6][7]

Month Race Track Region Division Winner Status
December Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini San Isidro International Breeders' Cup Turf Village King (ARG) bypass
January Paddock Stakes Kenilworth International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Captain's Ransom (SAF) bypass
January Queen's Plate Kenilworth International Breeders' Cup Mile Jet Dark (SAF) bypass
February February Stakes Tokyo International Breeders' Cup Classic Cafe Pharaoh bypass
May Gran Premio Criadores Palermo International Breeders' Cup Distaff La Validada (ARG) bypass
May Victoria Mile Tokyo International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Sodashi (JPN) bypass
May Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella Santiago International Breeders' Cup Mile Viejos Tiempos (CHI) bypass
May Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita West Breeders' Cup Mile Count Again bypass
June Yasuda Kinen Tokyo International Breeders' Cup Mile Danon Kingly (JPN) bypass
June Jaipur Stakes Belmont Park East Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Casa Creed entered
June Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park East Breeders' Cup Distaff Clairiere third
June Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park East Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Flightline won Classic[8]
June Queen Anne Stakes Royal Ascot International Breeders' Cup Mile Baaeed (GB) retired[9]
June Prince of Wales's Stakes Royal Ascot International Breeders' Cup Turf State of Rest (IRE) retired[10]
June Norfolk Stakes Royal Ascot International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint The Ridler (GB) bypass
June King's Stand Stakes Royal Ascot International Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nature Strip (AUS) bypass[11]
June Grande Prêmio Brasil Hipódromo da Gávea International Breeders' Cup Turf Nautilus (BRZ) entered
June Takarazuka Kinen Hanshin International Breeders' Cup Turf Titleholder (JPN) bypass
June Gran Premio Pamplona Monterrico International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Ola Perfecta (PER) bypass
June Stephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Midwest Breeders' Cup Classic Olympiad second
July Princess Rooney Gulfstream Park East Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Ce Ce fourth
July Haskell Stakes Monmouth East Breeders' Cup Classic Cyberknife second in Dirt Mile[12]
July King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot International Breeders' Cup Turf Pyledriver (GB) recovering from injury[13]
July Sussex Stakes Goodwood International Breeders' Cup Mile Baaeed retired
July Bing Crosby Handicap Del Mar West Breeders' Cup Sprint American Theorem entered
August Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar West Breeders' Cup Distaff Blue Stripe (ARG) second
August Whitney Handicap Saratoga East Breeders' Cup Classic Life Is Good entered
August Fourstardave Handicap Saratoga East Breeders' Cup Mile Casa Creed entered in Sprint
August Beverly D. Stakes Churchill Downs East Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Dalika (GER) bypass
August Prix Jacques Le Marois Deauville International Breeders' Cup Mile Inspiral (GB) bypass
August Juddmonte International York International Breeders' Cup Classic Baaeed (GB) retired
August Yorkshire Oaks York International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Alpinista bypass
August Nunthorpe Stakes York International Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Highfield Princess (FR) fourth
August Prix Morny Deauville International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Blackbeard (IRE) Retired
August Sword Dancer Saratoga East Breeders' Cup Turf Gufo bypass
August Pat O'Brien Handicap Del Mar West Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Laurel River scratched[14]
August Ballerina Stakes Saratoga East Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Goodnight Olive won
September Jockey Club Gold Cup Saratoga East Breeders' Cup Classic Olympiad second
August Pacific Classic Del Mar West Breeders' Cup Classic Flightline won[8]
August Del Mar Handicap Del Mar West Breeders' Cup Turf Gold Phoenix (IRE) entered
September Flower Bowl Saratoga East Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Virgina Joy (GER) entered
September Green Flash Handicap Del Mar West Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Lieutenant Dan bypass
September Irish Champion Stakes Leopardstown International Breeders' Cup Turf Luxembourg (IRE) bypass
September Juvenile Stakes Leopardstown International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Auguste Rodin (IRE) bypass
September Matron Stakes Leopardstown International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Pearls Galore (FR) bypass
September Kentucky Turf Cup Kentucky Downs Midwest Breeders' Cup Turf Red Knight entered
September Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes Kentucky Downs Midwest Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Bran (FR) scratched[14]
September Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Tahiyra (IRE) bypass
September Flying Five Stakes Curragh International Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Highfield Princess (FR) fourth
September Woodbine Mile Woodbine International Breeders' Cup Mile Modern Games (IRE) won
September Natalma Stakes Woodbine International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Last Call entered
September Summer Stakes Woodbine International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Mysterious Night (IRE) bypass
September Rockfel Stakes Newmarket International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Commissioning (GB) bypass
September Royal Lodge Stakes Newmarket International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf The Foxes (IRE) bypass
October Champagne Stakes Aqueduct[a] East Breeders' Cup Juvenile Blazing Sevens fourth
October Miss Grillo Stakes Aqueduct East Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Pleasant Passage second
October Awesome Again Stakes Santa Anita West Breeders' Cup Classic Defunded bypass
October Ack Ack Stakes Churchill Downs Midwest Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Senor Buscador entered
October Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Belbek (FR) bypass
October Prix Marcel Boussac Longchamp International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Blue Rose Cen (IRE) bypass
October Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longchamp International Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint The Platinum Queen (IRE) entered in Juvenile Turf Sprint[b]
October Prix de l'Opéra Longchamp International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Place du Carrousel (IRE) bypass
October Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Longchamp International Breeders' Cup Turf Alpinista (GB) bypass[16]
October Pilgrim Stakes Aqueduct East Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Major Dude entered
October Frizette Stakes Aqueduct East Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Chocolate Gelato entered
October Speakeasy Stakes Santa Anita West Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Speed Boat Beach entered
October Jessamine Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Delight entered
October Alcibiades Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Wonder Wheel won
October Phoenix Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Sprint Manny Wah fourth
October Vosburgh Stakes Aqueduct East Breeders' Cup Sprint Elite Power won
October American Pharoah Stakes Santa Anita West Breeders' Cup Juvenile Cave Rock second
October Chandelier Stakes Santa Anita West Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies And Tell Me Nolies entered
October Rodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita West Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Going to Vegas entered
October Breeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Juvenile Forte won
October Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Mile Annapolis entered
October Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Slammed entered
October Indian Summer Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Private Creed third
October Bourbon Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Andthewinneris entered
October Spinster Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Distaff Malathaat won
October Belmont Futurity Aqueduct East Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Nagirroc entered in Juvenile Turf
October Champion Stakes Ascot International Breeders' Cup Turf Bay Bridge bypass
October Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Ascot International Breeders' Cup Mile Bayside Boy bypass
  1. ^ While Belmont Park was closed for renovations, its fall 2022 meeting was run at Aqueduct
  2. ^ The Platinum Queen is a two-year old, so is ineligible for the Turf Sprint for three-year olds and up.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "BC announces 2022 "Win and You're In' schedule". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  2. ^ "2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series". NBC Sports. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  3. ^ "NBC unveils Breeders' Cup Challenge series races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  4. ^ Angst, Frank. "Breeders' Cup pre-entries whet appetites for showdowns". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b "2022 Breeders' Cup pre-entries" (PDF). BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Charts for Breeders' Cup Friday". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Chart for Breeders' Cup Saturday". Equibase. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Breeders' Cup Classic: Flightline fever gripping the racing world". www.drf.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Baaeed camp 'very happy' ahead of Ascot and feel vindicated by call to miss Arc". www.racingpost.com. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Multiple Group 1 winner State of Rest retired". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Nature Strip triumphant in Australian return". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Cyberknife likely for Dirt Mile". www.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Pyledriver to bypass Breeders' Cup". uk.sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Laurel River, Bran scratched from Breeders' Cup races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  15. ^ "Dramatised earns chance at Breeders' Cup". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Japan Cup: Alpinista owner Kirsten Rausing ponders farewell trip for 'world champion' mare". Sky Sports. Retrieved 23 October 2022.