The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint is a 7-furlong (1408 m) Weight for Age stakes race for thoroughbred fillies and mares three years old and up. As its name implies, it is a part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the de facto year-end championship for North American thoroughbred racing, generally held in the United States (also held one time in Canada). The race is run on a dirt course (either natural dirt or a synthetic surface such as Polytrack).
The race was run for the first time in 2007 during the first day of the expanded Breeders' Cup at that year's host track, Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey. In 2009, the race became a Grade I event.
The 2007 race was held at a distance of 6 furlongs (1207 m) instead of the normal distance of 7 furlongs because of the configuration of the dirt track at Monmouth Park.
Automatic berths Beginning in 2007, the Breeders' Cup developed the Breeders' Cup Challenge, a series of races in each division that allotted automatic qualifying bids to winners of defined races. Each of the fourteen divisions has multiple qualifying races. Note though that one horse may win multiple challenge races, while other challenge winners will not be entered in the Breeders' Cup for a variety of reasons such as injury or travel considerations.
In the Filly & Mare Sprint division, runners are limited to 14 and there are up to three automatic berths. The 2022 "Win and You're In" races were: the Princess Rooney Stakes, a Grade 2 race run in July at Gulfstream Park in Florida the Ballerina Stakes, a Grade 1 race at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes, a Grade 2 race at Keeneland Race Course in Kentucky
Records
Most wins: 2 – Groupie Doll (2012, 2013) 2 - Goodnight Olive (2022, 2023)
Most wins by a jockey: 4 – Irad Ortiz Jr. (2017, 2018, 2022, 2023)
Most wins by a trainer: 3 – Chad C. Brown (2015, 2022, 2023) 2 – William Bradley (2012, 2013)
Most wins by an owner: 2 – Fred Bradley, William Bradley, Brent Burns, Carl Hurst (2012, 2013) 2 – First Row Partners & Team Hanley (2022, 2023)
Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time Purse Grade2025Splendora4Flavien PratBob BaffertTalla Racing1:21.79$1,000,000I2024Soul of an Angel5Drayden Van Dyke Saffie Joseph Jr.2 Racing Stable LLC, Agave Racing Stable and Reimer, Ken T.1:21.59$1,000,000I2023Goodnight Olive5Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownFirst Row Partners & Team Hanley1:22.97$1,000,000I2022Goodnight Olive4Irad Ortiz Jr.Chad C. BrownFirst Row Partners & Team Hanley1:21.61$1,000,000I2021Ce Ce5Victor EspinozaMichael McCarthyBo Hirsch1:21.00$1,000,000I2020Gamine3John VelazquezBob BaffertEclipse Partners, Madaket Stables & Heider Family Stables1:20.20$1,000,000I2019Covfefe 3Joel RosarioBrad H. CoxLNJ Foxwoods1:22.40$1,000,000I2018Shamrock Rose 3Irad Ortiz Jr.Mark E. CasseConrad Farms 1:23.13$1,000,000I2017 Bar of Gold 5Irad Ortiz Jr.John C. KimmelChester Broman & Mary Broman1:22.63$1,000,000I2016Finest City4Mike SmithIan KruljacSeltzer Thoroughbreds 1:22.37$1,000,000I2015 Wavell Avenue4Joel RosarioChad C. BrownMichael Dubb, David Simon & Bethlehem Stables1:22.39$1,000,000I2014Judy the Beauty5Mike SmithWesley WardWesley Ward1:21.92$1,000,000I2013Groupie Doll5Rajiv MaraghWilliam BradleyFred Bradley, William Bradley, Brent Burns, Carl Hurst1:20.75$1,000,000I2012Groupie Doll4Rajiv MaraghWilliam BradleyFred Bradley, William Bradley, Brent Burns, Carl Hurst1:20.72$1,000,000I2011Musical Romance4Juan LeyvaWilliam A. CaplanWilliam A. Kaplan & Pinnacle Racing Stable 1:23.47$1,000,000I2010Dubai Majesty5Jamie TheriotW. Bret CalhounMartin Racing Stable & Dan Morgan1:22:33$1,000,000I2009Informed Decision4Julien LeparouxJonathan SheppardAugustin Stable1:21.66 $1,000,000I2008Ventura4Garrett GomezRobert J. FrankelJuddmonte Farms1:19.90$1,000,0002007Maryfield6Elvis TrujilloDoug O'NeillMark Gorman, Jim Perry & Nick J. Mestrandrea1:09.85†$1,000,000 † – Run at 6 furlongs
See also Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint "top three finishers" and starters Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships American thoroughbred racing top attended events
References Breeders' Cup official website
Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,