The Breeders’ Cup announced July 1 the full 2008 TV schedule in for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series that begins this weekend at Monmouth Park. Each of the 57 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races will be televised, highlighted with telecasts on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 in addition to telecasts on TVG and HRTV.
The first North American Breeders’ Cup Challenge races, a series of automatic qualifying races for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will take place on Saturday, July 5 from Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ with two races; the Salvator Mile, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and the United Nations, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. The races will be televised on ESPN2 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (ET). The Breeders Cup Challenge Series will conclude on Thursday, Oct. 9 with TVG’s telecast at Keeneland with the J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
“This year’s Breeders’ Cup Challenge has more than doubled from 2007 and now includes races from all 14 of our Championship divisions. We are especially pleased that all 57 races will be available on national television for the first time. We thank our partners at ESPN, TVG and HRTV for working with us to bring the best summer and fall racing to Thoroughbred fans around the country over the next four months as lead up to the 25th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships,” said Breeders’ Cup CEO Greg Avioli.
| Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 TV Schedule | ||||
| Date | Track | Event (Breeders’ Cup Qualifier) |
Time (ET) Times are subject to change |
Station |
| Sat., Jul. 5 | Monmouth Park | Salvator Mile (Dirt Mile) | 6:00-7:00 p.m | ESPN2 |
| United Nations (Turf) | ESPN2 | |||
| Sun., Jul. 13 | Delaware Park | Delaware Handicap (Ladies Classic) | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Sat., Jul. 19 | Del Mar | San Diego Handicap (Dirt Mile) | 7:00-8:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sat., Jul. 26 | Saratoga Race Course | Whitney Handicap (Classic) | 4:00-6:00 p.m. | ABC |
| Go For Wand Handicap (Ladies Classic) | ABC | |||
| Diana Stakes (Filly & Mare Turf) | ABC | |||
| A.G. Vanderbilt Handicap (Sprint) | ABC | |||
| Sat., Aug. 9 | Arlington Park | Arlington Million (Turf) | 5:00-6:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Beverly D (Filly & Mare Turf) | ESPN | |||
| Sun., Aug. 24 | Del Mar | Pacific Classic (Classic) | 8:00-10:00 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Rancho Bernardo Handicap (Filly & Mare Sprint) | ESPN2 | |||
| Pat O’Brien Handicap (Sprint) | ESPN2 | |||
| Del Mar Mile (Mile) | ESPN2 | |||
| Sat., Oct. 4 | Keeneland | Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (Juvenile) | 4:00-6:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Shadwell Turf Mile (Mile) | ESPN | |||
| Woodbine | EP Taylor Stakes (Filly & Mare Turf) | ESPN | ||
| Summer Stakes (Juvenile Turf) | ESPN | |||
| Canadian International Stakes (Turf) | ESPN | |||
| Nearctic Stakes (Turf Sprint) | ESPN | |||
| Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series TVG and HRTV Schedule | ||||
| Date | Track | Event (Breeders’ Cup Qualifier) |
Time (TBD) |
Station |
| Sat., Jul. 12 | Calder Race Course | Princess Rooney (Filly & Mare Sprint) | HRTV | |
| Sat., Jul. 19 | Philadelphia Park | Greenwood Cup (Marathon) | TVG/HRTV | |
| Wed., Jul. 30 | Del Mar | Cougar II Handicap (Marathon) | TVG | |
| Sun., Aug. 3 | Del Mar | John C. Mabee Handicap (Filly & Mare Turf) | TVG | |
| Sat., Aug. 16 | Saratoga Race Course | Sword Dancer Invitational Stakes (Turf) | TVG/HRTV | |
| Sun., Aug. 17 | Emerald Downs | Longacres Mile Handicap (Dirt Mile) | TVG | |
| Sat., Aug. 23 | Arlington Park | Arlington Sprint Handicap (Turf Sprint) | HRTV | |
| Sat., Aug. 23 | Del Mar | Del Mar Handicap (Turf) | TVG | |
| Sun., Aug. 24 | Saratoga Race Course | Ballerina Stakes (Filly & Mare Sprint) | TVG/HRTV | |
| Sat., Sept. 6 | Turfway Park | Turfway Park Fall Championships (Marathon) | TVG | |
| Sun., Sept. 7 | Woodbine | Woodbine Mile (Mile) | HRTV | |
| Sun., Sept. 14 | Woodbine | Natalma Stakes (Juvenile Fillies Turf) | HRTV | |
| Sat., Sept. 20 | Suffolk Downs | Massachusetts Handicap (Classic) | TVG | |
| Sat., Sept. 20 | Louisiana Downs | Tiznow Stakes (Dirt Mile) | TVG/HRTV | |
| Wed., Sept. 24 | Oak Tree at Santa Anita | Morvich Handicap (Turf Sprint) | TVG | |
| Sat., Sept. 27 | Belmont Park | The Jockey Club Gold Cup (Classic) | TVG/HRTV | |
| Oak Tree at Santa Anita | Lady’s Secret Stakes (Ladies Classic) | TVG | ||
| Yellow Ribbon Stakes (Filly & Mare Turf) | TVG | |||
| Goodwood Stakes (Classic) | TVG | |||
| Oak Leaf Stakes (Juvenile Fillies) | TVG | |||
| Ancient Title Stakes (Sprint) | TVG | |||
| Ascot | Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Mile) | TVG | ||
| Meon Valley Stud Fillies Mile (Juvenile Fillies Turf) | TVG | |||
| Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Juvenile Turf) | TVG | |||
| Sun., Sept. 28 | Belmont Park | Miss Grillo Stakes (Juvenile Fillies Turf) | TVG/HRTV | |
| The Pilgrim Stakes (Juvenile Turf) | TVG/HRTV | |||
| Oak Tree at Santa Anita | Norfolk Stakes (Juvenile) | TVG | ||
| Oak Tree Mile Stakes (Mile) | TVG | |||
| Fri., Oct. 3 | Keeneland | Darley Alcibiades Stakes (Juvenile Fillies) | TVG | |
| Sat., Oct. 4 | Belmont Park | Champagne Stakes (Juvenile) | TVG/HRTV | |
| Frizette (Juvenile Fillies) | TVG/HRTV | |||
| Sun., Oct. 5 | Keeneland | Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (Ladies Classic) | TVG | |
| Woodford Reserve Bourbon Stakes (Juvenile Turf) | TVG | |||
| Thurs., Oct. 9 | Keeneland | J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (Juvenile Fillies Turf) | TVG | |
