The 2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 84 horse races that provided the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2021 Breeders' Cup, held on November 5 and 6. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and include key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world. The Breeders' Cup organization pays the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals. They also provide travel allowances for out of state competitors
Summary The 2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 84 races from across the United States and 9 other countries. The 2021 series marked a return to a more normal racing schedule after the 2020 racing calendar was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more closely resembles the 2019 series. Two new races were added to the series: the Suburban Stakes, a qualifier for the Classic, and the Calumet Turf Cup, a qualifier for the Turf. In recognition of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act passed in December 2020, the challenge series races did not permit raceday medication.
On October 27, a total of 196 horses were pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup, of which 46 were automatic qualifiers through the challenge races.
Challenge Series races The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2021 and respective winners. The status column shows whether the horse was pre-entered.
MonthRaceTrackLocationDivisionWinnerStatusDecemberGran Premio Internacional Carlos PellegriniSan IsidroArgentinaBreeders' Cup TurfCool Day (ARG)bypassJanuaryPaddock StakesKenilworthSouth AfricaBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfQueen Supreme (IRE)pre-enteredJanuaryQueen's PlateKenilworthSouth AfricaBreeders' Cup MileJet Dark (SAF)bypassFebruaryFebruary StakesTokyoJapanBreeders' Cup ClassicCafe Pharaohbypass MayGran Premio CriadoresPalermoArgentinaBreeders' Cup DistaffBlue Stripe (ARG)pre-enteredMay Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella Santiago Chile Breeders' Cup Mile Succeso (CHI)bypassMay Victoria Mile Tokyo Japan Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Gran Alegria (JPN)bypass May Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Smooth Like Straightpre-enteredJuneJaipur Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Casa Creedpre-enteredJune Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Distaff Letruskapre-entered June Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Silver Statepre-entered June Yasuda Kinen Tokyo Japan Breeders' Cup Mile Danon Kingly (JPN)bypass JuneQueen Anne StakesRoyal Ascot EnglandBreeders' Cup MilePalace Pier (GB)retired JunePrince of Wales's StakesRoyal Ascot EnglandBreeders' Cup TurfLove IREpre-entered JuneNorfolk StakesRoyal Ascot EnglandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Perfect Power (IRE)bypass JuneDiamond Jubilee StakesRoyal Ascot EnglandBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Dream of Dreams (IRE)bypass JuneFleur de Lis HandicapChurchill Downs KentuckyBreeders' Cup Distaff Letruskapre-enteredJuneStephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Classic MaxfieldbypassJuneGran Premio Pamplona Monterrico Peru Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfReina de Mollendopre-entered JuneTakarazuka KinenHanshin JapanBreeders' Cup TurfChrono Genesis (JPN)bypass July Princess Rooney Handicap Gulfstream Park Florida Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintCe Cepre-entered July Suburban Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup ClassicMax Playerpre-entered July John A. Nerud Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup SprintMind Controlbypass July Haskell InvitationalMonmouth New JerseyBreeders' Cup ClassicMandalouninjured JulyKing George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot EnglandBreeders' Cup TurfAdayar (IRE)bypass July Sussex Stakes Goodwood EnglandBreeders' Cup MileAlcohol Free (IRE)bypass JulyBing Crosby Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup SprintDr. Schivelpre-entered AugustClement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Distaff Shedaresthedevilpre-entered AugustWhitney HandicapSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup ClassicKnicks Gopre-entered August Fourstardave HandicapSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Mile Got Stormypre-entered AugustPrix Jacques Le MaroisDeauville France Breeders' Cup Mile Palace Pier (GB)retired AugustJuddmonte InternationalYork EnglandBreeders' Cup Classic Mishriff (IRE)bypass AugustYorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Snowfall bypassAugustNunthorpe StakesYork EnglandBreeders' Cup Turf SprintWinter Power (IRE)bypassAugustPacific Classic Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Classic Tripolipre-enteredAugustDel Mar Handicap Del Mar CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Turf Astronautpre-enteredAugustPrix Morny Deauville FranceBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Perfect Power (IRE)bypassAugustPersonal Ensign StakesSaratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup DistaffLetruskapre-enteredAugustBallerina Stakes Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintGaminepre-enteredAugust Sword Dancer Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup TurfGufopre-enteredAugustPat O'Brien Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Dirt MileGinobilipre-entered SeptemberJockey Club Gold Cup Saratoga New YorkBreeders' Cup ClassicMax Playerpre-entered SeptemberFlower Bowl Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfWar Like Goddesspre-enteredSeptemberCalumet Turf Cup Kentucky Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup TurfImperador (ARG)withdrawn SeptemberIrish Champion Stakes Leopardstown IrelandBreeders' Cup TurfSt Mark's Basilica (FR)retiredSeptemberKentucky Downs Turf Sprint Kentucky Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Turf SprintGear Jockeypre-entered September Juvenile Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile TurfAtomic Jones (FR)bypass SeptemberMatron Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfNo Speak Alexander (IRE)bypass September Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfDiscoveries (IRE)bypass September Flying Five Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Romantic Proposal (IRE)bypassSeptemberIroquois StakesChurchill Downs KentuckyBreeders' Cup JuvenileMajor Generalbypass SeptemberPocahontas Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Hidden Connectionpre-entered September Jockey Club Derby Belmont New York Breeders' Cup Turf Yibir (GB)pre-entered SeptemberWoodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup MileTown Cruisebypass SeptemberNatalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfWild Beauty (GB)bypass SeptemberSummer Stakes Woodbine CanadaBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfAlbahr (GB)pre-enteredSeptemberRockfel Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfHello You (IRE)pre-entered SeptemberRoyal Lodge Stakes Newmarket EnglandBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Royal Patronage (FR)bypassOctoberAmerican Pharoah Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup JuvenileCornichepre-enteredOctoberChandelier Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesAin't Easypre-enteredOctoberSpeakeasy Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintOne Timerpre-enteredOctoberChampagne Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup JuvenileJack Christopherpre-enteredSeptemberRodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfGoing to Vegaspre-enteredOctoberAwesome Again Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup ClassicMedina Spiritpre-enteredOctoberSanta Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup SprintDr. Schivelpre-enteredOctoberFrizette Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesEcho Zulupre-enteredOctoberZenyatta Stakes Santa Anita CaliforniaBreeders' Cup DistaffPrivate Missionpre-enteredOctoberPrix de l'Abbaye de LongchampLongchamp FranceBreeders' Cup Turf SprintA Case of You (IRE)pre-enteredOctoberPrix de l'OpéraLongchamp FranceBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfRougir (FR)pre-entered OctoberPrix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp FranceBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfAngel Bleu (FR)bypass OctoberPrix Marcel Boussac Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfZellie (FR)bypassOctoberPrix de l'Arc de TriompheLongchamp FranceBreeders' Cup TurfTorquator Tasso (GER)bypassOctoberPhoenix Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup SprintSpecial Reservepre-entered OctoberAlcibiades Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesJuju's Mappre-entered OctoberBreeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup JuvenileRattle N Rollpre-entered OctoberFirst Lady Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfBlowout (GB)bypass OctoberThoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintBell's the OnebypassSeptemberVosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup SprintFollowing Seapre-entered OctoberShadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup MileIn Love (BRZ)pre-enteredOctoberIndian Summer Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintAverly Janepre-enteredOctoberBourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile TurfTiz the Bombpre-enteredOctoberSpinster Stakes Keeneland KentuckyBreeders' Cup DistaffLetruska pre-enteredOctoberBelmont Futurity Belmont Park New YorkBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintSlipstreampre-entered OctoberJessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfCalifornia Angelpre-enteredOctoberChampion Stakes AscotEngland Breeders' Cup TurfSealiway (FR)bypassOctoberQueen Elizabeth II Stakes AscotEngland Breeders' Cup MileBaaeed (GB)bypass
See also
2021 British Champions Series
References