Breeders' Cup Announces June, July Challenge Races

Highlighted by two automatic qualifiers for the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and four free berths at the Royal Ascot meeting, the Breeders' Cup June 3 announced its June and July schedule of races for the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge, now in its 14th year, is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race in the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland. 

The 15 series races scheduled over the next two months will be televised by NBC Sports, TVG, or Fox Sports.

The June "Win and You're In" qualifiers begin June 6 at Belmont Park with the Runhappy Carter Handicap (G1) on FS1 for a free berth into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). On June 7, the Yasuda Kinen (G1) on TVG will be held at Tokyo Racecourse, with the winner gaining an automatic starting position into the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T).    

The scene shifts back to Belmont June 13 for the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) with a spot in the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) on the line. FS1 will televise the Ogden Phipps.

The Royal Ascot meeting begins June 16 and opens with the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), the first Breeders' Cup Challenge race at the meeting. The Queen Anne, which will award a free qualifying spot into the Mile, will be followed June 17 by the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) for an automatic berth into the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T). A free starting position will be on the line for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) June 19. NBCSN and TVG will provide live coverage of the first three Challenge races at Ascot. 

The qualifiers at Royal Ascot conclude June 20 with the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1), with the winner gaining entry into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). The Diamond Jubilee will be televised live on NBC and TVG.

Later June 20 at Belmont, as part of NBC's live Belmont Stakes (G1) coverage, another berth into the Turf Sprint will be awarded in the Jaipur Stakes Presented by America's Best Racing (G1T).

On June 27, Churchill Downs will be the site of two Challenge Series races. The Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) will be the first U.S. "Win and You're In" this year for the Classic, and the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) will give its winner an automatic spot into the Distaff. Both races will be televised live on NBC as a part of the "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Win and You're In—Presented by America's Best Racing."

On June 28, the scene shifts back to Japan for the Takarazuka Kinen (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse on TVG, with the winner securing a starting position into the Turf.

On July 4 on NBC, the first spot for the $2 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) will be up for grabs at Belmont in the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1).

On July 18, the TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) will be run at Monmouth Park, with the winner receiving a free position into the Classic. The Haskell will be televised live on NBC as a part of the "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In—Presented by America's Best Racing." 

The final Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races in July will be held in England, and both will be televised on TVG. On July 25 at Ascot, a  spot in the Turf will be awarded to the winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1). On July 29 at Goodwood, the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) winner will earn a berth into the Mile.

The Gran Premio Pamplona (G1) at Monterrico Race Course in Peru also may be scheduled during the next two months, depending on governmental regulations. The race is a qualifier for the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).

Breeders' Cup will announce the remainder of the Challenge Series schedule in the coming weeks.

Challenge winners must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 26 to receive the rewards.

In addition, Breeders' Cup will provide a $40,000 travel stipend to the connections of all Championship starters from outside North America and a $10,000 travel allowance for starters within North America who are stabled outside of Kentucky.