2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge series

Last updated

The 2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge series provided winners of the designated races an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2014 Breeders' Cup. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and included key prep races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world.

For 2014, seven new races were added to the series: the Paddock Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Grande Premio Brasil, Clasico Cesar del Rio, Copa De Oro Vinas De Chile, The Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Haskell Invitational, Belmont Oaks, Matron Stakes, Juddmonte International and Rockfel Stakes. NBC broadcast 18 of the races. [1]

For 2014, thirty-seven horses entered in the Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including four of the winners. These were: [2]

The 2014 Breeders' Cup races were missing several prominent horses due to injury or illness. Most notably, American Pharoah, favored in the Juvenile after winning the FrontRunner Stakes, missed the race due to a bruise to the left front hoof. [3] Similarly, Wise Dan, two-time winner of the Mile, qualified for the third time by winning the Shadwell Turf Mile but suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right foreleg. [4] Beholder qualified in the Zenyatta but came down with an illness and missed the chance to defend her Distaff championship. [5] Bal a Bali qualified for the Turf in the Gran Premio Brazil but developed laminitis and missed the race. [6]

The winners of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge series races are shown below. The last column shows whether the horse was subsequently entered in the Breeders' Cup, and if so, whether they achieved a top three finish. The 2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge races included: [7] [8] [9] [10]

MonthRaceTrackLocationDivisionWinnerBC Result
Paddock Stakes KenilworthSouth Africa Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Beach Beautynot entered
Queen's Plate KenilworthSouth Africa Breeders' Cup Mile Cape Town Noirentered
Doncaster Mile Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Mile Sacred Fallsentered
TJ Smith Stakes Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Lankan Rupeenot entered
Queen Elizabeth Stakes Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Turf It's A Dundeel not entered
Gran Premio 25 de Mayo San Isidro Argentina Breeders' Cup Turf Sir Winsalotnot entered
Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Palace Malice not entered
Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Close Hatches entered
Grande Prêmio Brasil Hipódromo da Gávea Brazil Breeders' Cup Turf Bal A Bali injured
Stephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Classic Moonshine Mullinnot entered
Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Obviouslyentered
The Gold Cup at Santa Anita Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Majestic Harborentered
Takarazuka Kinen Hanshin Japan Breeders' Cup Turf Gold Shipnot entered
Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Minorettenot entered
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Taghrooda not entered
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Distaff Iotapa3rd
Bing Crosby Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Sprint Big Macherentered
Haskell Invitational Monmouth New Jersey Breeders' Cup Classic Bayern 1st
Whitney Handicap Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Classic Morenoentered
Beverly D. Stakes Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Euro Charlinenot entered
Arlington Million Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Turf Hardest Coreentered
Prix Jacques Le Marois Deauville France Breeders' Cup Mile Kingman not entered
Juddmonte International York England Breeders' Cup Turf Australia not entered
Yorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Tapestry not entered
Nunthorpe Stakes York England Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Sole Power not entered
Pacific Classic Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Classic Shared Belief 4th
Del Mar Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Turf Big John Bentered
Pat O'Brien Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Goldencents 1st
Personal Ensign Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Close Hatches entered
Ballerina Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Artemis Agroteraentered
Forego Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Palaceentered
Grosser Preis von Baden Baden-BadenGermany Breeders' Cup Turf Ivanhowenot entered
Matron Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Fiesolanaentered
Irish Champion Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf The Grey Gatsby not entered
Juvenile Turf Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf John F. Kennedynot entered
Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Cursory Glancenot entered
Pocahontas Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Christina's Journeyentered
Iroquois Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Lucky Playerentered
Canadian Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Deceptive Visionnot entered
Woodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Mile Trade Storm3rd
Natalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Conquest Harlanateentered
Summer Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Conquest Typhoonentered
Rockfel Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Lucidanot entered
Royal Lodge Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Elm Parknot entered
Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Stephanie's Kitten 2nd
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Turf Main Sequence 1st
Vosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Private Zone3rd
Jockey Club Gold Cup Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Classic Tonalist entered
Awesome Again Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Shared Belief 4th
FrontRunner Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile American Pharoah injured
Chandelier Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Angela Reneeentered
Rodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Emolliententered
Zenyatta Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Distaff Beholder illness
Prix de l'Opéra Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Winner We Arenot entered
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Full Mastnot entered
Prix Marcel Boussac Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Found not entered
Alcibiades Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Peace and Warnot entered
Phoenix Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Sprint Work All Week 1st
Champagne Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Daredevilentered
Frizette Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies By The Moonentered
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Mile Wise Dan injured
Breeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Carpe Diem2nd
Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Leigh Courtentered
Santa Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Sprint Rich Tapestryentered
Bourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Lawn Rangerentered
Spinster Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Don't Tell Sophia2nd
Jessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Rainha Da Bateriaentered

References

  1. "2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge Features 55 Group/Grade 1 Races in 13 Countries". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  2. "2015 Breeders' Cup Challenge series features 78 qualifying races - Handicappers' Edge". www.brisnet.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-20. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  3. Grening, David. "Foot problem forces American Pharoah out of Breeders' Cup Juvenile". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  4. Hersh, Marcus. "Wise Dan injured, will miss Breeders' Cup". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  5. Shinar, Jack. "Untapable Powers to Breeders' Cup Distaff Win". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  6. "Bal a Bali Being Treated for Laminitis". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  7. "Breeders' Cup Challenge 2014 archive". challenge.breederscup.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  8. "Breeders' Cup 2014 Challenge Schedule". ladyandthetrack.com. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  9. "Breeders' Cup 2014 pre-entries, odds". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  10. "2014 Breeders' Cup Entries". www.chef-de-race.com. Retrieved 5 September 2016.