The 2018 Breeders' Cup Challenge series provided winners of the designated races an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2018 Breeders' Cup, held on November 2 and 3. The Breeders' Cup also pays the entry fee and provides a travel allowance for the connections of the challenge race winners. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and included key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world.
Summary On April 18, 2018, the Breeders' Cup announced the 2018 Breeders' Cup Challenge series races. The main change was the addition of four "win and you're in" races from Royal Ascot: the Queen Anne Stakes provides a berth in the Mile division; the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) in the Turf; the Norfolk Stakes in the new Juvenile Turf Sprint; and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in the Turf Sprint. The Jaipur Invitational was also added as a qualifier for the Turf Sprint. The following races were removed from the series: the TJ Smith (Turf Sprint), the Smile Sprint (Sprint), the T. Von Zastrow Stutenpreis (Filly & Mare Turf) and the Grosser Preis von Baden (Turf). On June 25, three more races were added to the challenge series as qualifiers for the Juvenile Turf Sprint. These were the Futurity at Belmont Park, the Indian Summer Stakes at Keeneland and a new race at Santa Anita, subsequently named the Speakeasy Stakes.
A record 221 pre-entries were taken on October 24. Twelve races, including the Classic, were over-subscribed, meaning more than 14 horses (12 in the Juvenile Turf Sprint) wished to enter. Forty-eight of the pre-entries were automatic qualifiers through the Challenge series.
The following automatic qualifiers also won their division of the Breeders' Cup: Sistercharlie automatically qualified by winning the Beverley D and went on to win the Filly & Mare Turf Accelerate, winner of the Classic, automatically qualified by winning both the Pacific Classic and Awesome Again Game Winner qualified by winning the FrontRunner, then won the Juvenile Roy H won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship before winning the Sprint Jaywalk won both the Frizette and Juvenile Fillies
Automatic Qualifiers The winners of the 2018 Breeders' Cup Challenge races are shown below. The status column shows whether the horse was subsequently entered in the corresponding Breeders' Cup division and if so, if they won. The status column also shows a few horses that had been sidelined by injury or retired prior to the running of the Breeders' Cup.
MonthRaceTrackLocationDivisionWinnerBC StatusJanuaryPaddock StakesKenilworthSouth AfricaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfOh Susanna (AUS)not enteredJanuaryQueen's PlateKenilworthSouth AfricaBreeders' Cup MileLegal Eagle (SAF)not enteredFebruaryFebruary StakesTokyoJapanBreeders' Cup ClassicNonkono Yume (JPN)not enteredAprilDoncaster MileRandwickAustraliaBreeders' Cup MileHappy Clappernot enteredAprilLegacy StakesRandwickAustraliaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfAlizee (AUS)not enteredMayGran Premio CriadoresPalermoArgentinaBreeders' Cup DistaffSinfonia Fantastica (ARG)not enteredMayGran Premio Club Hipico Falabella SantiagoChile Breeders' Cup MileNuevo Maestro (CHI)not enteredMayGran Premio 25 de Mayo San IsidroArgentinaBreeders' Cup TurfLa Extrana Dama (ARG)not enteredMayShoemaker Mile Santa AnitaCalifornia Breeders' Cup MileHunt (IRE)illJuneYasuda KinenTokyoJapanBreeders' Cup MileMozu Ascotnot enteredJuneOgden Phipps Stakes Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup DistaffAbel Tasmanpre-enteredJuneJaipur Invitational Stakes Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup Turf SprintDisco Partnerpre-enteredJuneMetropolitan Handicap Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup Dirt MileBee Jerseyretired due to injuryJuneGrande Prêmio Brasil Hipódromo da GáveaBrazilBreeders' Cup TurfQuarteto De Cordas (BRZ)pre-enteredJuneStephen Foster Handicap Churchill DownsKentuckyBreeders' Cup ClassicPavelpre-enteredJuneFleur de Lis HandicapChurchill DownsKentuckyBreeders' Cup DistaffBlue Prize (ARG)pre-enteredJuneQueen Anne StakesAscotEnglandBreeders' Cup MileAccidental Agent (GB)not enteredJunePrince of Wales's StakesAscotEnglandBreeders' Cup TurfPoet's Word (IRE)injuredJuneNorfolk StakesAscotEnglandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintShang Shang Shangpre-enteredJuneDiamond Jubilee StakesAscotEnglandBreeders' Cup Turf SprintMerchant Navy (AUS)not enteredJuneGran Premio Pamplona MonterricoPeruBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfSmart Choice (ARG)pre-enteredJuneTakarazuka KinenHanshinJapanBreeders' Cup TurfMikki Rocket (JPN)not enteredJuneHighlander Stakes WoodbineCanadaBreeders' Cup Turf SprintLong On Valuenot enteredJunePrincess Rooney Handicap Gulfstream ParkFloridaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintStormy Embracepre-enteredJulyBelmont Sprint Championship Stakes Belmont ParkNew York Breeders' Cup SprintLimousine Liberalpre-enteredJulyKing George VI & Queen Elizabeth StakesAscotEnglandBreeders' Cup TurfPoet's Word (IRE)injuredJulyBing Crosby Handicap Del MarCaliforniaBreeders' Cup SprintRansom the Moonnot enteredJulyHaskell InvitationalMonmouth New JerseyBreeders' Cup ClassicGood MagicretiredJulyClement L. Hirsch Stakes Del MarCaliforniaBreeders' Cup DistaffUnique Bellaretired due to injuryAugustSussex StakesGoodwoodEnglandBreeders' Cup MileLightning Spear (GB)pre-enteredAugustWhitney HandicapSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup ClassicDiversifybypassedAugustArlington Million ArlingtonIllinoisBreeders' Cup TurfRobert Bruce (CHI)pre-enteredAugustBeverly D. Stakes ArlingtonIllinois Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfSistercharlie (IRE)wonAugustPrix Jacques le MaroisDeauville France Breeders' Cup MileAlpha Centauri (IRE)retired due to injuryAugustPacific Classic Del MarCaliforniaBreeders' Cup ClassicAcceleratewonAugustDel Mar Handicap Del MarCaliforniaBreeders' Cup TurfFashion Business (GB)not enteredAugustJuddmonte InternationalYork EnglandBreeders' Cup TurfRoaring Lionpre-entered in ClassiAugustYorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfSea of Class (IRE)not enteredAugustNunthorpe StakesYork EnglandBreeders' Cup Turf SprintAlpha Delphini (GB)not enteredAugustPersonal Ensign StakesSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup DistaffAbel Tasmanpre-enteredAugustBallerina Stakes Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintMarley's Freedompre-enteredAugustForego Stakes Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup SprintWhitmorepre-enteredAugustSword Dancer Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup TurfGlorious Empire (IRE)pre-enteredAugustPat O'Brien Handicap Del MarCaliforniaBreeders' Cup Dirt MileCatalina Cruiserpre-enteredSeptemberSpinaway Stakes SaratogaNew YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesSippican Harborpre-enteredSeptemberJuvenile Stakes LeopardstownIrelandBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfMadhmoon (IRE)not enteredSeptemberMatron Stakes LeopardstownIreland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfLaurens (FR)bypassedSeptemberIrish Champion Stakes LeopardstownIrelandBreeders' Cup TurfRoaring Lionpre-entered in ClassicSeptemberIroquois StakesChurchill DownsKentuckyBreeders' Cup JuvenileCairo Catnot enteredSeptemberPocahontas Stakes Churchill DownsKentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesSerengeti Empresspre-enteredSeptemberWoodbine Mile WoodbineCanada Breeders' Cup MileOscar Performancepre-enteredSeptemberMoyglare Stud Stakes CurraghIrelandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfSkitter Scatternot enteredSeptemberFlying Five Stakes CurraghIrelandBreeders' Cup Turf SprintHavana Grey (GB)pre-enteredSeptemberNatalma Stakes WoodbineCanadaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfLa Pelosa (IRE)pre-enteredSeptemberSummer Stakes WoodbineCanadaBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfFog of Warnot enteredSeptemberRockfel StakesNewmarket EnglandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfJust Wonderfulpre-enteredSeptemberRoyal Lodge Stakes Newmarket EnglandBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfMohawk (IRE)not enteredSeptemberVosburgh Stakes Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup SprintImperial Hintpre-enteredSeptemberJoe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational StakesBelmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup TurfChannel Makerpre-enteredSeptemberJockey Club Gold Cup Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup ClassicDiscreet Loverpre-enteredSeptemberFrontRunner Stakes Santa AnitaCaliforniaBreeders' Cup JuvenileGame WinnerwonSeptemberChandelier Stakes Santa AnitaCaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesBellafinapre-enteredSeptemberRodeo Drive Stakes Santa AnitaCalifornia Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfVasilikanot enteredSeptemberAwesome Again Stakes Santa AnitaCaliforniaBreeders' Cup ClassicAcceleratewonSeptemberSprinters Stakes NakayamaJapan Breeders' Cup Turf SprintFine Needle (JPN)not enteredSeptemberZenyatta Stakes Santa AnitaCaliforniaBreeders' Cup DistaffVale Dori (ARG)pre-enteredOctoberPhoenix Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup SprintPromises Fulfilledpre-enteredOctoberAlcibiades Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesRestless Riderpre-enteredOctoberFirst Lady Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfA Raving Beauty (GER)pre-enteredOctoberThoroughbred Club of America Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintGolden Mischiefpre-enteredOctoberShadwell Turf Mile Stakes KeenelandKentucky Breeders' Cup MileNext Sharespre-enteredOctoberBreeders' Futurity Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup JuvenileKnicks Gopre-enteredOctoberChampagne Stakes Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup JuvenileComplexitypre-enteredOctoberSpeakeasy StakesSanta AnitaCaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintIt's Gonna Hurtpre-enteredOctoberSanta Anita Sprint Championship Santa AnitaCaliforniaBreeders' Cup SprintRoy HwonOctoberPrix de l'OpéraLongchampFranceBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfWild Illusionpre-enteredOctoberPrix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp FranceBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfRoyal Marinenot enteredOctoberPrix Marcel Boussac Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfLily's Candle (FR)pre-enteredOctoberIndian Summer Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintStrike Silverpre-enteredOctoberBourbon Stakes KeenelandKentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile TurfCurrentpre-enteredOctoberSpinster Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup DistaffBlue Prizepre-enteredOctoberBelmont Futurity Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintUncle Bennypre-enteredOctoberFrizette Stakes Belmont ParkNew YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesJaywalkwonOctoberFlower Bowl Belmont ParkNew York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfFourstar Crookpre-enteredOctoberJessamine Stakes KeenelandKentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfConcrete Rosepre-entered
See also
2018 British Champions Series
References