2015 Breeders' Cup Challenge series

Last updated

The 2015 Breeders' Cup Challenge series provided winners of the designated races an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2015 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.

In 2015, eight new races were added to the series: the Gran Premio Criadores, Fleur de Lis Handicap, Sussex Stakes, Sword Dancer Invitational, Spinaway, Princess Rooney Handicap, Smile Sprint Handicap, and T. Von Zastrow Stutenpreis. Eighteen races in the series were telecast by NBC. [1]

For 2015, 39 entrants in the Breeders’ Cup qualified via the Challenge series with six winning their respective divisions: [2]

Several prominent winners of the challenge series races did not start in the 2015 Breeders' Cup due to injury or illness. Most notably, Beholder, who had won three challenge series races, was scratched from the Classic after she developed a fever then bled following a routine workout. [3] Rock Fall, who was a favorite for the Sprint after qualifying in the Vosburgh, was injured during a routine workout and was euthanized. [4]

The winners of the 2015 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. [5] [6] [7]

MonthRaceTrackLocationDivisionWinnerBC Result
Paddock Stakes KenilworthSouth Africa Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Futuranot entered
Queen's Plate KenilworthSouth Africa Breeders' Cup Mile Inaranot entered
Doncaster Mile Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Mile Kermadecnot entered
TJ Smith Stakes Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Chautauquanot entered
Queen Elizabeth Stakes Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Turf Criterionnot entered
es:Gran Premio Criadores PalermoArgentina Breeders' Cup Distaff Furia Cruzadanot entered
Gran Premio 25 de Mayo San Isidro Argentina Breeders' Cup Turf Ordak Danentered
Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Honor Code entered Classic
Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Wedding Toastentered
Grande Prêmio Brasil Hipódromo da Gávea Brazil Breeders' Cup Turf Barolanot entered
Stephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Classic Noble Birdnot entered
Fleur de Lis Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Frivolousentered
Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Talconot entered
The Gold Cup at Santa Anita Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Hard Acesentered
Takarazuka Kinen Hanshin Japan Breeders' Cup Turf Lovely Day not entered
Princess Rooney Handicap Gulfstream ParkFlorida Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Merry Meadownot entered
Smile Sprint Handicap Gulfstream ParkFlorida Breeders' Cup Sprint Favorite Tale3rd
Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Lady Eli injured
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Postponed not entered
Sussex Stakes Goodwood England Breeders' Cup Mile Solow not entered
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Distaff Beholder entered Classic
Bing Crosby Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Sprint Wild Dudeentered
Haskell Invitational Monmouth New Jersey Breeders' Cup Classic American Pharoah 1st
Whitney Handicap Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Classic Honor Code 3rd
Beverly D. Stakes Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Watsdachancesentered
Arlington Million Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Turf The Pizza Manentered
Prix Jacques Le Marois Deauville France Breeders' Cup Mile Esoterique entered
Juddmonte International York England Breeders' Cup Turf Arabian Queen not entered
Yorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Pleascach not entered
Nunthorpe Stakes York England Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Mecca's Angel not entered
Pacific Classic Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Classic Beholder scratched
Del Mar Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Turf Big John Bentered
Pat O'Brien Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Appealing Talenot entered
Personal Ensign Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Sheer Dramaentered
Ballerina Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Unbridled Forevernot entered
Sword Dancer Invitational Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Turf Flintshire not entered
Forego Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Private Zone2nd
T. Von Zastrow Stutenpreis Baden-BadenGermany Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Shivajianot entered
Spinaway Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Rachel's Valentina2nd
Grosser Preis von Baden Baden-BadenGermany Breeders' Cup Turf Prince Gibraltarnot entered
Matron Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Legatissimo 2nd
Irish Champion Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf Golden Horn 2nd
Juvenile Turf Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Johannes Vermeernot entered
Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Minding not entered
Pocahontas Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Dothraki Queen3rd
Iroquois Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Cocked and Loadedentered
Canadian Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Strut the Coursenot entered
Woodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Mile Mondialiste2nd
Natalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Catch A Glimpse1st
Summer Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Conquest Daddyoentered
Rockfel Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Promising Runnot entered
Royal Lodge Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Foundationnot entered
Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Stephanie's Kitten 1st
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Turf Big Blue Kitten 3rd
Vosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Rock Fallinjured
Awesome Again Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Smooth Rollerscratched
FrontRunner Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nyquist 1st
Chandelier Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Songbird 1st
Rodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Photo Callentered
Zenyatta Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Distaff Beholder entered Classic
Prix de l'Opéra Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Covert Lovenot entered
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Ultranot entered
Prix Marcel Boussac Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Ballydoylenot entered
Alcibiades Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Gomonot entered
Phoenix Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Sprint Runhappy 1st
Champagne Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Greenpointcrusaderentered
Frizette Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nicknameentered
Jockey Club Gold Cup Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Classic Tonalist entered
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Mile Grand Arch3rd
Breeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Brody's Cause 3rd
Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Fiorettientered
Santa Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Sprint Wild Dudeentered
Bourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Airoforce2nd
Spinster Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Got Luckyentered
Jessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Harmonizeentered

References

  1. "2015 Breeders' Cup Challenge series features 78 qualifying races - Handicappers' Edge". www.brisnet.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-20. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  2. "2016 Breeders' Cup Challenge Features 59 Grade/Group 1 Races in 12 Countries". breederscup.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  3. Mitchell, Ron. "Beholder Scratched Out of BC Classic". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  4. Mitchell, Ron. "Rock Fall Euthanized After Keeneland Work". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  5. "Breeders' Cup Challenge 2015 archive". challenge.breederscup.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  6. "The 2015 Breeders' Cup Challenge series" (PDF). brisnet.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  7. "2015 Breeders' Cup Entries". www.chef-de-race.com. Retrieved 18 October 2016.