Breeders' Cup Initiates Dirt-Race Participation Bonus

The Breeders' Cup announced May 26 a new incentive-based participation bonus program for horsemen pointing runners to the dirt races in the 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships. The 12-race program, titled the Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen, is comprised of existing graded stakes races scheduled from May through October at six U.S. tracks.

The Dirt Dozen program will award bonus credits, funded by the Breeders' Cup, for first through third-place finishes, for horsemen to use for entry fees in one of six Breeders' Cup World Championships dirt races: $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), $2 million NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), and the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

In Breeders' Cup Dirt Dozen races within the $2 million Breeders' Cup race divisions, the bonus tier is allocated at $30,000 for first, $15,000 for second, and $7,500 for a third-place finish. In Dirt Dozen races in the $1 million Breeders' Cup race divisions, the bonus tier will award $15,000 for first, $7,500 for second, and $3,750 for a third-place finish.

The Dirt Dozen program began on May 7 with the Derby City Distaff Presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1) at Churchill Downs. The first three finishers in the race earned a credit earmarked toward entry fees for a potential start in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint or for another Breeders' Cup World Championships race, based on eligibility.

Victorious Obligatory  earned a $15,000 credit for first, runner-up Four Graces  received a $7,500 credit for second, and third-place Just One Time  earned a $3,750 credit for third place. The program continues July 2 with the 1 1/8-mile Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill, for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up, and the six-furlong Smile Sprint Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream Park, for 3-year-olds and up.

"In our continuing efforts to support horsemen, the new Dirt Dozen program is an innovative way to provide credits which can be put toward entry fees for runners to compete in the dirt races of the World Championships," said Dora Delgado, Breeders' Cup executive vice president and chief racing officer. "We look forward to connections taking advantage of the incentives of the Dirt Dozen program and seeing them at Keeneland this November."

The Dirt Dozen races by division are listed below: