The 2016 Breeders' Cup Challenge series provided winners of the designated races an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2016 Breeders' Cup. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and included key prep races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world.
Summary A total of seven races were added to the Challenge series in 2016. Four were added in April when the initial announcement was made: the Queen of the Turf (which replaced the Queen Elizabeth Stakes), 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, which was particularly important in 2016 as seven of the Breeders' Cup races were oversubscribed. A maximum of 14 horses (12 in the Dirt Mile) are allowed to start in each race. Winners of the Challenge races were given automatic entries, while other pre-entries were ranked by a points system and the judgement of a panel of experts.
Two Challenge series winners went on to win their respective division at the Breeders' Cup: Highland Reel, who qualified for the Turf by winning the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II stakes Classic Empire, who won the Breeders' Futurity Stakes to qualify for the Juvenile
A few Challenge series winners could not compete at the Breeders' Cup due to illness, injury or retirement. Exaggerator, who qualified for the Classic by winning the Haskell, was retired in October. Cavorting, who qualified for two Breeders' Cup races, developed some bone bruising and was also retired in October. The Gurkha, who qualified for the Mile by winning the Sussex Stakes, suffered a ruptured colon and was retired. In the Sprint, both Joking and Lord Nelson were scratched due to late injuries.
Winners The winners of the 2016 Breeders' Cup Challenge series races are shown below. The last column shows if the winner was subsequently entered in the corresponding Breeders' Cup race, and if so, whether they achieved a top three placing. MonthRaceTrackLocationDivisionWinnerBC StatusJanuaryPaddock StakesKenilworthSouth AfricaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfSmart Call not enteredJanuaryQueen's PlateKenilworthSouth AfricaBreeders' Cup MileLegal Eagle not enteredFebruaryFebruary StakesTokyoJapanBreeders' Cup ClassicMoanin not enteredAprilDoncaster MileRandwickAustraliaBreeders' Cup MileWinx not enteredAprilTJ Smith StakesRandwickAustraliaBreeders' Cup Turf SprintChautauqua not enteredAprilQueen of the Turf StakesRandwickAustraliaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfAzkadelia not entered MayGran Premio CriadoresPalermoArgentinaBreeders' Cup DistaffCorona Del Inca enteredMay Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella Santiago Chile Breeders' Cup Mile Kitcat entered Filly & Mare Turf MayGran Premio 25 de Mayo San Isidro ArgentinaBreeders' Cup Turf Don Inc not entered June Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Midnight Storm 3rd June Yasuda Kinen Tokyo Japan Breeders' Cup Mile Logotype not enteredJune Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup DistaffCavorting retired June Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt MileFrosted entered Classic JuneGrande Prêmio Brasil Hipódromo da Gávea BrazilBreeders' Cup TurfMy Cherie Amour not entered JuneStephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup ClassicBradester not entered JuneFleur de Lis HandicapChurchill Downs KentuckyBreeders' Cup DistaffPaid Up Subscriber not entered JuneThe Gold Cup at Santa Anita Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup ClassicMelatonin entered JuneTakarazuka KinenHanshin JapanBreeders' Cup TurfMarialite not enteredJuneGran Premio Pamplona Monterrico Peru Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfRyans Charm entered July Princess Rooney Handicap Gulfstream Park Florida Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintSpelling Again entered JulySmile Sprint Handicap Gulfstream Park FloridaBreeders' Cup Sprint Delta Bluesman entered July Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfCatch A Glimpse entered JulyKing George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot EnglandBreeders' Cup TurfHighland Reel 1st July Sussex Stakes Goodwood England Breeders' Cup MileThe Gurkha retired JulyClement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Distaff Stellar Wind entered JulyBing Crosby Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Sprint Lord Nelson scratched July Haskell InvitationalMonmouth New JerseyBreeders' Cup Classic Exaggerator retired AugustWhitney HandicapSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Classic Frosted entered AugustBeverly D. Stakes Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Sea Calisi enteredAugustArlington Million Arlington IllinoisBreeders' Cup Turf Mondialiste entered AugustPrix Jacques Le MaroisDeauville France Breeders' Cup MileRibchester not entered AugustJuddmonte InternationalYork EnglandBreeders' Cup TurfPostponed not entered AugustYorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Seventh Heaven enteredAugustNunthorpe StakesYork EnglandBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Mecca's Angel not enteredAugustPacific Classic Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Classic California Chrome 2ndAugustDel Mar Handicap Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Turf Ashleyluvssugar enteredAugustPat O'Brien Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Masochistic not enteredAugustPersonal Ensign StakesSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup DistaffHaveyougoneaway not enteredAugustBallerina Stakes Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintCavorting retiredAugust Sword Dancer Invitational Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup TurfFlintshire 2nd August Forego Stakes Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Sprint A.P. Indian entered September T. Von Zastrow Stutenpreis Baden-Baden Germany Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Parvaneh not entered September Spinaway Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Pretty City Dancer and Sweet Loretta (dead heat) not entered entered SeptemberGrosser Preis von BadenBaden-Baden GermanyBreeders' Cup Turf Iquitos not entered SeptemberMatron Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Alice Springs entered Mile SeptemberIrish Champion Stakes Leopardstown IrelandBreeders' Cup Turf Almanzor not entered September Juvenile Turf Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Landfall not entered September Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Intricately entered September Flying Five Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Ardhoomey not entered SeptemberPocahontas Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Daddy's Lil Darling entered SeptemberIroquois StakesChurchill Downs KentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Not This Time 2nd SeptemberCanadian Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Rainha Da Bateria not entered SeptemberWoodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Mile Tepin 2nd SeptemberNatalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Victory to Victory scratched SeptemberSummer Stakes Woodbine CanadaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Good Samaritan 3rd SeptemberRockfel Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Spain Burg entered SeptemberRoyal Lodge Stakes Newmarket EnglandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Best of Days not enteredOctoberJoe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Turf Ectot enteredOctoberVosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Sprint Joking scratchedOctoberAwesome Again Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Classic California Chrome 2ndOctoberFrontRunner Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Gormley enteredOctoberChandelier Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Noted and Quoted enteredOctoberRodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Avenge 3rdOctoberZenyatta Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Distaff Stellar Wind entered OctoberSprinters Stakes Nakayama Japan Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Red Falx not enteredOctoberPrix de l'OpéraChantilly FranceBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfSpeedy Boarding not entered OctoberPrix Jean-Luc Lagardère Chantilly France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf National Defense not entered OctoberPrix Marcel Boussac Chantilly France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Wuheida not entered OctoberAlcibiades Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Dancing Rags enteredOctoberPhoenix Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Sprint A. P. Indian entered OctoberFlower Bowl Invitational Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Lady Eli 2ndOctoberChampagne Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile Practical Joke 3rdOctoberFrizette Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Yellow Agate entered OctoberJockey Club Gold Cup Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Classic Hoppertunity entered OctoberShadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Mile Miss Temple City entered OctoberBreeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Classic Empire 1st OctoberThoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Irish Jasper enteredOctoberSanta Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Sprint Lord Nelson scratchedOctoberBourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Keep Quiet enteredOctoberSpinster Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Distaff I'm a Chatterbox entered OctoberJessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf La Coronel entered
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