The 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series was a series of horse races that provided the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" berth in the 2022 Breeders' Cup, held on November 4 and 5. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and included key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world. The Breeders' Cup organization paid the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals. They also provided travel allowances for out of state competitors
Summary The 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 82 races from across the United States and 10 other countries, compared to 84 races in the 2021 series. The Breeders' Cup committee restructured the series to ensure there were qualifying races in the east, midwest and west of the United States for most of the divisions, plus international qualifiers mainly for the turf races. The following races were added: Grande Prêmio Brasil (Turf - International region), Beverly D. (Filly & Mare Turf - Midwest), Green Flash (Turf Sprint - West region), Miss Grillo (Juvenile Fillies - East region), Ack Ack (Dirt Mile - Midwest region) and Pilgrim (Juvenile Turf - East). The Fleur de Lis, Suburban, John Nerud, Personal Ensign, Iroquois, Pocohantas, Jockey Club Derby, Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Zenyatta and First Lady were removed from the series. The King's Stand Stakes replaced the Diamond Jubilee Stakes as an international qualifier for the Turf Sprint.
NBC broadcast many of the North American challenge races, either on the main network or CNBC, with other races webcast on the Peacock.
Up to 14 horses are eligible for each Breeders' Cup race (12 for the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Dirt Mile). If a race is over-subscribed, first preference is given to winners of the Challenge series races. On October 26, 205 horses were pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup, 46 of which qualified via the Challenge series. The following fields were over-subscribed: Juvenile Turf Sprint, Juvenile Fillies, Juvenile Fillies Turf, Juvenile Turf, Filly & Mare Sprint, Turf Sprint, Dirt Mile, Filly & Mare Turf, Sprint, Mile and Turf.
Seven challenge race winners went on to win at the Breeders' Cup: Wonder Wheel automatically qualified in the Alcibiades, then won the Juvenile Fillies Forte won the Juvenile after qualifying in the Breeders' Futurity Goodnight Olive won the Filly & Mare Sprint after qualifying in the Ballerina Stakes Elite Power earned his automatic berth in the Vosburgh Stakes, then won the Sprint Modern Games won the Mile after automatically qualifying in the Woodbine Mile Malathaat won the Distaff after automatically qualifying in the Spinster Stakes Flightline automatically qualified by winning the Pacific Classic, then won the Classic. He also won the Metropolitan Handicap, which would have qualified him for the Dirt Mile
Challenge Series races The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2022 and respective winners. The "status" column shows whether the Challenge race winner was entered at the Breeders' Cup, and if so if they finished in the money.
MonthRaceTrackRegionDivisionWinnerStatusDecemberGran Premio Internacional Carlos PellegriniSan IsidroInternationalBreeders' Cup TurfVillage King (ARG)bypassJanuaryPaddock StakesKenilworthInternationalBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfCaptain's Ransom (SAF)bypassJanuaryQueen's PlateKenilworthInternationalBreeders' Cup MileJet Dark (SAF)bypassFebruaryFebruary StakesTokyoInternationalBreeders' Cup ClassicCafe Pharaohbypass MayGran Premio Criadores PalermoArgentino de PalermoInternationalBreeders' Cup DistaffLa Validada (ARG)bypassMay Victoria Mile Tokyo International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Sodashi (JPN)bypassMay Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella Santiago International Breeders' Cup Mile Viejos Tiempos (CHI)bypass May Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita West Breeders' Cup Mile Count Againbypass June Yasuda Kinen Tokyo International Breeders' Cup Mile Danon Kingly (JPN)bypassJuneJaipur Stakes Belmont Park EastBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Casa Creed enteredJune Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park EastBreeders' Cup Distaff Clairierethird June Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park East Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Flightlinewon Classic JuneQueen Anne StakesRoyal Ascot InternationalBreeders' Cup MileBaaeed (GB)retired JunePrince of Wales's StakesRoyal Ascot InternationalBreeders' Cup TurfState of Rest (IRE) retired JuneNorfolk StakesRoyal Ascot InternationalBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint The Ridler (GB)bypass JuneKing's Stand StakesRoyal Ascot InternationalBreeders' Cup Turf Sprint Nature Strip (AUS)bypassJuneGrande Prêmio BrasilGávea International Breeders' Cup Turf Nautilus (BRZ)entered JuneTakarazuka KinenHanshin InternationalBreeders' Cup TurfTitleholder (JPN)bypassJuneGran Premio Pamplona Monterrico International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfOla Perfecta (PER)bypassJuneStephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Midwest Breeders' Cup Classic Olympiadsecond July Princess Rooney Gulfstream Park East Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintCe Ce fourth July Haskell StakesMonmouth EastBreeders' Cup ClassicCyberknifesecond in Dirt Mile JulyKing George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot InternationalBreeders' Cup TurfPyledriver (GB)recovering from injury July Sussex Stakes Goodwood InternationalBreeders' Cup MileBaaeedretired JulyBing Crosby Handicap Del Mar West Breeders' Cup SprintAmerican Theorementered AugustClement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar WestBreeders' Cup Distaff Blue Stripe (ARG)second AugustWhitney HandicapSaratoga EastBreeders' Cup ClassicLife Is Goodentered August Fourstardave HandicapSaratoga EastBreeders' Cup Mile Casa Creedentered in Sprint August Beverly D. StakesChurchill Downs EastBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Dalika (GER)bypass AugustPrix Jacques Le MaroisDeauville InternationalBreeders' Cup Mile Inspiral (GB)bypass AugustJuddmonte InternationalYork InternationalBreeders' Cup Classic Baaeed (GB)retired AugustYorkshire Oaks York InternationalBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf AlpinistabypassAugustNunthorpe StakesYork InternationalBreeders' Cup Turf SprintHighfield Princess (FR)fourthAugustPrix Morny Deauville InternationalBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Blackbeard (IRE) RetiredAugust Sword Dancer Saratoga EastBreeders' Cup TurfGufobypassAugustPat O'Brien Handicap Del Mar West Breeders' Cup Dirt MileLaurel RiverscratchedAugustBallerina Stakes Saratoga EastBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintGoodnight Olivewon SeptemberJockey Club Gold Cup SaratogaEastBreeders' Cup Classic OlympiadsecondAugustPacific Classic Del MarWestBreeders' Cup Classic FlightlinewonAugustDel Mar Handicap Del Mar WestBreeders' Cup Turf Gold Phoenix (IRE)entered SeptemberFlower Bowl SaratogaEast Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfVirginia Joy (GER)enteredSeptemberGreen Flash HandicapDel Mar West Breeders' Cup Turf SprintLieutenant Danbypass SeptemberIrish Champion Stakes Leopardstown InternationalBreeders' Cup TurfLuxembourg (IRE)bypass September Juvenile Stakes Leopardstown International Breeders' Cup Juvenile TurfAuguste Rodin (IRE)bypass SeptemberMatron Stakes Leopardstown International Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfPearls Galore (FR)bypassSeptemberKentucky Turf Cup Kentucky Downs Midwest Breeders' Cup TurfRed KnightenteredSeptemberKentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes Kentucky Downs Midwest Breeders' Cup Turf SprintBran (FR)scratched September Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfTahiyra (IRE)bypass September Flying Five Stakes Curragh International Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Highfield Princess (FR)fourth SeptemberWoodbine Mile Woodbine International Breeders' Cup MileModern Games (IRE)won SeptemberNatalma Stakes Woodbine International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfLast Callentered SeptemberSummer Stakes Woodbine InternationalBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfMysterious Night (IRE)bypassSeptemberRockfel Stakes Newmarket International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfCommissioning (GB)bypass SeptemberRoyal Lodge Stakes Newmarket InternationalBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf The Foxes (IRE)bypassOctoberChampagne Stakes Aqueduct EastBreeders' Cup JuvenileBlazing SevensfourthOctoberMiss Grillo Stakes Aqueduct EastBreeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfPleasant PassagesecondOctoberAwesome Again Stakes Santa Anita WestBreeders' Cup ClassicDefundedbypassOctoberAck Ack Stakes Churchill DownsMidwestBreeders' Cup Dirt MileSenor Buscadorentered OctoberPrix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp InternationalBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfBelbek (FR)bypass OctoberPrix Marcel Boussac Longchamp International Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfBlue Rose Cen (IRE)bypassOctoberPrix de l'Abbaye de LongchampLongchamp InternationalBreeders' Cup Turf SprintThe Platinum Queen (IRE)entered in Juvenile Turf SprintOctoberPrix de l'OpéraLongchamp InternationalBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfPlace du Carrousel (IRE)bypassOctoberPrix de l'Arc de TriompheLongchamp InternationalBreeders' Cup TurfAlpinista (GB)bypassOctoberPilgrim Stakes AqueductEastBreeders' Cup Juvenile TurfMajor DudeenteredOctoberFrizette Stakes Aqueduct EastBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesChocolate GelatoenteredOctoberSpeakeasy Stakes Santa Anita WestBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintSpeed Boat Beachentered OctoberJessamine Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies TurfDelightentered OctoberAlcibiades Stakes Keeneland MidwestBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesWonder WheelwonOctoberPhoenix Stakes Keeneland MidwestBreeders' Cup SprintManny WahfourthOctoberVosburgh Stakes Aqueduct EastBreeders' Cup SprintElite PowerwonOctoberAmerican Pharoah Stakes Santa Anita WestBreeders' Cup JuvenileCave RocksecondOctoberChandelier Stakes Santa Anita WestBreeders' Cup Juvenile FilliesAnd Tell Me NoliesenteredOctoberRodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita WestBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare TurfGoing to Vegasentered OctoberBreeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland MidwestBreeders' Cup JuvenileForte won OctoberCoolmore Turf Mile StakesKeeneland MidwestBreeders' Cup MileAnnapolis entered OctoberThoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland MidwestBreeders' Cup Filly & Mare SprintSlammedenteredOctoberIndian Summer Stakes Keeneland MidwestBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintPrivate CreedthirdOctoberBourbon Stakes Keeneland Midwest Breeders' Cup Juvenile TurfAndthewinnerisenteredOctoberSpinster Stakes Keeneland MidwestBreeders' Cup DistaffMalathaatwonOctoberBelmont Futurity Aqueduct EastBreeders' Cup Juvenile Turf SprintNagirrocentered in Juvenile Turf OctoberChampion Stakes AscotInternationalBreeders' Cup TurfBay BridgebypassOctoberQueen Elizabeth II Stakes AscotInternationalBreeders' Cup MileBayside Boybypass
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