The Breeders' Cup Challenge, a series of automatic qualifying races for the Breeders' Cup World Championships, will increase expansion this year with a record 65 races taking place in seven countries, it was announced June 24.
The expanded Challenge series, with its “Win and You’re In” provision, will include 14 overseas races from premier racetracks in England, Ireland, France, Australia, and Hong Kong. The 2010 Breeders' Cup Challenge races will begin in the U.S. on June 26 at Arlington Park with the Arlington Sprint Handicap, an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. The Arlington Sprint will be followed by two qualifying races from Monmouth Park July 3: the United Nations (gr. IT) and the Salvator Mile (gr. III).
This year’s Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held Nov. 5-6 at Churchill Downs and will be televised live on ABC and ESPN.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge series will include races at domestic racetracks Belmont Park, Saratoga, Del Mar, Santa Anita Park, Calder Race Course, Arlington Park, Emerald Downs, Delaware Park, Monmouth Park, Philadelphia Park, Turfway Park, Keeneland, and Woodbine.
There will be four qualifying races this year for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I): the first in Saratoga on Aug. 8 with the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (gr. I), followed by the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar on Aug. 28; the $200,000 Washington Park Handicap (gr. III) at Arlington Park on Sept. 4, and the $500,000 Goodwood Stakes (gr. I) at the Oak Tree Racing Association Meeting at Santa Anita on Oct. 9.
The international Breeders’ Cup Challenge began in April with the Darley T.J. Smith Stakes (Aus-I) at Randwick in Australia, which was won by Melito, who qualified for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Later that month, Able One was victorious in the Champions Mile (HK-I) at Sha Tin to earn an automatic spot in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (gr. IT).
Click here for a complete list of 2010 Breeders’ Cup Challenge events.