The 2012 Breeders' Cup Challenge series provided winners of the designated races with an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2012 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.
For 2012, the series consisted of 73 races in 10 countries, 52 of which were Grade / Group One events. Thirteen races were added to the series: the (South African) Queen's Plate, Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, Stephen Foster Handicap, Personal Ensign, Grosser Preis von Baden, Gallant Bloom, Pilgrim, Miss Grillo, Bourbon, Royal Lodge, Middle Park, Beresford, and the Prix de la Foret.
Forty-five horses entered in the 2012 Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including seven of the winners. These were: Fort Larned, who qualified for the Classic by winning the Whitney Royal Delta, who won both the Delaware Handicap and Beldame to qualify for the Ladies' Classic Little Mike, who qualified for the Turf by winning the Arlington Million Wise Dan, who won both the Woodbine Mile and Shadwell Turf Mile to quality for the Breeders' Cup Mile Groupie Doll, who qualified for the Filly & Mare Sprint by winning the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Shanghai Bobby, who earned his berth in the Juvenile by winning both the Hopeful and Champagne Calidoscopio, who qualified for the Marathon by winning the Clasico Belgrano
The winners of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Challenge series races are shown below. The last column shows whether the horse was subsequently entered in the Breeders' Cup, and if so, whether they achieved a top three finish. MonthRaceTrackLocationDivisionWinnerBC ResultJanuaryQueen's PlateKenilworthSouth AfricaBreeders' Cup Mile Gimmethegreenlight not enteredAprilDoncaster MileRandwickAustraliaBreeders' Cup Mile More Joyous not enteredAprilTJ Smith StakesRandwickAustraliaBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Master of Design not entered MayGran Premio 25 de Mayo San Isidro ArgentinaBreeders' Cup Turf Al Qasr not entered MayMetropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Dirt Mile Shackleford entered JuneStephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Classic Ron the Greek entered JuneClasico Belgrano Palermo Argentina Breeders' Cup Marathon Calidoscopio 1st JuneTakarazuka KinenHanshin JapanBreeders' Cup Turf Orfevre not entered JuneGrand Prix de Saint-Cloud Saint Cloud FranceBreeders' Cup Turf Meandre not entered JuneShoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Jeranimo entered JulyPretty Polly Stakes The Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf Izzi Top not entered JulyHollywood Gold Cup Hollywood Park California Breeders' Cup Classic Game On Dude entered JulySmile Sprint Handicap Calder Florida Breeders' Cup Sprint Gantry entered JulyUnited Nations Stakes Monmouth New JerseyBreeders' Cup Turf Turbo Compressor entered JulyGreenwood Cup Handicap Parx PennsylvaniaBreeders' Cup Marathon Redeemed not entered July A Gleam HandicapHollywood Park CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Switch 3rd July Delaware Handicap Delaware Park Delaware Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic Royal Delta 1st JulyKing George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot EnglandBreeders' Cup Turf Danedream not entered JulySan Diego Handicap Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Dirt Mile Rail Trip 2nd AugustClement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Ladies' Classic Include Me Out 3rd AugustWhitney HandicapSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Classic Fort Larned 1st AugustPrix Jacques Le MaroisDeauville France Breeders' Cup Mile Excelebration entered AugustBeverly D. Stakes Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf I'm a Dreamer enteredAugustArlington Million Arlington IllinoisBreeders' Cup Turf Little Mike 1stAugustNunthorpe StakesYork EnglandBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Ortensia not enteredAugustBallerina Stakes Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Turbulent Descent enteredAugustPacific Classic Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Classic Dullahan entered TurfAugustDel Mar Handicap Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Turf Casino Host not enteredAugustPersonal Ensign StakesSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Ladies' Classic Love and Pride entered SeptemberGrosser Preis von BadenBaden-Baden GermanyBreeders' Cup Turf Danedream not enteredSeptemberTurf Monster Stakes Parx PennsylvaniaBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Ben's Cat not enteredSeptemberHopeful StakesSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile Shanghai Bobby 1stSeptemberDel Mar Futurity Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Rolling Fog not entered SeptemberIrish Champion Stakes Leopardstown IrelandBreeders' Cup Turf Snow Fairy not entered September Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Sky Lantern entered SeptemberWoodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Mile Wise Dan 1st SeptemberNatalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Spring Venture entered SeptemberSummer Stakes Woodbine CanadaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf I'm Boundtoscore entered September Gallant Bloom Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Dust and Diamonds 2nd SeptemberRoyal Lodge Stakes Newmarket EnglandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Steeler not entered SeptemberFlower Bowl Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Nahrain enteredSeptemberJoe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Turf Point of Entry 2nd September Kelso Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Jersey Town enteredSeptemberVosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Sprint The Lumber Guy 2ndSeptember Beldame Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Ladies' Classic Royal Delta 1st SeptemberJockey Club Gold Cup Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Classic Flat Out 3rdSeptemberAwesome Again Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Classic Game On Dude enteredSeptemberFrontRunner Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Power Broker enteredSeptemberBeresford Stakes The Curragh IrelandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Battle of Marengo not enteredSeptemberChandelier Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Executiveprivilege 2ndSeptemberRodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Marketing Mix 2ndSeptemberZenyatta Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Ladies' Classic Love and Pride entered OctoberAlcibiades Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Spring in the Air enteredOctoberPhoenix Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Sprint Sum of the Parts entered OctoberPilgrim Stakes Belmont New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Noble Tune 2nd OctoberMiss Grillo Stakes Belmont New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Watsdachances 2ndOctoberChampagne Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile Shanghai Bobby 1stOctoberFrizette Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Dreaming of Julia 3rd OctoberShadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Mile Wise Dan 1st OctoberBreeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Joha entered Juvenile Turf OctoberThoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Groupie Doll 1stOctoberSanta Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Sprint Coil enteredOctoberBourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Balance the Books 3rdOctoberSpinster Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Ladies' Classic In Lingerie not entered OctoberPrix de la Forêt Longchamp FranceBreeders' Cup Mile Gordon Lord Byron not enteredOctoberPrix de l'OpéraLongchamp FranceBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Ridasiyna entered OctoberPrix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Olympic Glory not entered October Middle Park Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint Reckless Abandon not entered OctoberJessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Moonwalk enteredOctoberE. P. Taylor StakesWoodbineCanadaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Siyouma not enteredOctoberNearctic StakesWoodbineCanadaBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Next Question enteredOctoberCanadian International StakesWoodbineCanadaBreeders' Cup Turf Joshua Tree not entered
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