2020 Breeders' Cup Challenge series

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The 2020 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consists of horse races from around the world that provide the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2020 Breeders' Cup, to be held on November 6 and 7. Races are chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and include key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions. The Breeders' Cup organization pays the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals.

Contents

Summary

The selected races vary somewhat from year to year as the Breeders' Cup attempts to attract the best horses in each division. The Breeders' Cup organization normally makes an announcement in April about the races that it will add or remove from the previous year's schedule for the new year. Because of the disruption to the racing schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Breeders' Cup organization instead made several adjustments to the normal series throughout 2020. [1] [2] [3]

The 2019 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 86 races from across 11 countries. [4] New races for 2020 include the Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse (Filly & Mare Turf), Carter Handicap at Belmont Park (Sprint), Alabama Stakes at Saratoga (Distaff) and the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico (Classic).

The following races were removed from the 2020 series: Gran Premio Criadores, Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella, Gran Premio Pamplona, Princess Rooney Handicap, John A. Nerud, Beverly D., Arlington Million, Jockey Club Derby, Cotillion and Sprinters Stakes.

On October 28, a total of 201 pre-entries were taken for the Breeders' Cup races, of which 48 horses were automatic qualifiers through the Challenge series races. [5]

Five winners from the challenge series went on to win at the 2020 Breeders' Cup:

Challenge Series races

The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2020 and the respective winners. [6] The status column shows if the winner was entered at the Breeders' Cup, and if so, whether they finished in the top three. [7] [8] [9]

MonthRaceTrackLocationDivisionWinnerStatus
Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini San IsidroArgentina Breeders' Cup Turf Nao Da Mais (BRZ)bypass
Paddock Stakes KenilworthSouth Africa Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Queen Supreme (IRE)bypass
Queen's Plate KenilworthSouth Africa Breeders' Cup Mile Vardy (SAF)bypass
February Stakes Tokyo Japan Breeders' Cup Classic Mozu Ascot (JPN)bypass
Victoria Mile Tokyo RacecourseJapan Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Almond Eye (JPN)bypass
Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Raging Bull (FR)entered
Carter Handicap Belmont ParkNew York Breeders' Cup Sprint Vekomascratched
Yasuda Kinen TokyoJapan Breeders' Cup Mile Gran Alegria (JPN)bypass
Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Distaff She's a Julieretired [10]
Queen Anne Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Mile Circus Maximus (Ire)second
Prince of Wales's Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Lord North (IRE)entered
Norfolk Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint The Lir Jetentered in Juvenile Turf
Diamond Jubilee Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Hello Youmzain (FR)retired [11]
Jaipur Invitational Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Oleksandra (AUS)entered
Fleur de Lis Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Midnight Bisou retired [12]
Stephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Classic Tom's d'Etatentered
Takarazuka Kinen Hanshin Japan Breeders' Cup Turf Chrono Genesis (JPN)bypass
Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Vekomascratched from the Sprint
Haskell Invitational Monmouth New Jersey Breeders' Cup Classic Authentic entered
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Enable (GB)retired [13]
Sussex Stakes Goodwood England Breeders' Cup Mile Mohaather (GB)retired
Personal Ensign Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Vexatiousinjured [14]
Whitney Handicap Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Classic Improbablesecond
Bing Crosby Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Sprint Collusion Illusionentered
Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Distaff Fighting Madbypass
Ballerina Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Serengeti Empress second
Alabama Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Swiss Skydiver entered
Prix Jacques Le Marois Deauville France Breeders' Cup Mile Palace Pier bypass
Juddmonte International York England Breeders' Cup Classic Ghaiyyath (IRE)retired [15]
Yorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Love (IRE)bypass
Nunthorpe Stakes York England Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Battaash (IRE)bypass
Del Mar Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Turf Red Kingentered
Fourstardave Handicap SaratogaNew York Breeders' Cup Mile Halladayentered
Pacific Classic Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Classic Maximum Security entered
Prix Morny DeauvilleFrance Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Campanelle entered Juvenile Fillies Turf
Sword Dancer Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Turf Channel Makerthird
Pat O'Brien Stakes Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile C Z Rocketsecond
Pocahontas Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Girl Daddythird
Iroquois Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sittin on Goentered
Juvenile Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Cadillacentered
Matron Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Champers Elysees bypass
Irish Champion Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf Magical second
Turf Sprint Kentucky Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Imprimisentered
Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Shale bypass
Flying Five Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Glass Slippers won
Woodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Mile Starship Jubilee entered in the Filly & Mare Turf
Natalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Lady Speightspeareinjured [16]
Summer Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Gretzky the Greatentered
Rockfel Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Isabella Gilesbypass
Royal Lodge Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf New Mandateentered
Vosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Firenze Firethird
Speakeasy Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Amanzi Yimpilo (IRE)scratched
Rodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Mucho Unusualentered
American Pharoah Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Get Her Numberinjured [17]
Chandelier Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Princess Noorentered
Awesome Again Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Improbable second
Grande Premio Brasi Hipódromo da GáveaBrazil Breeders' Cup Turf Pimper's Paradise (BRZ)bypass
Santa Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Sprint C Z Rocketsecond
Zenyatta Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Distaff Harvest Moonentered
Phoenix Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Sprint Diamond Oopsentered
Alcibiades Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Simply Ravishingentered
Preakness Stakes Pimlico Race Course Maryland Breeders' Cup Classic Swiss Skydiver entered in Distaff
First Lady Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Uni entered in Mile
Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Inthemidstofbizscratched
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Mile Ivarentered
Breeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Essential Quality entered
Belmont Derby Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Turf Gufobypass
Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Woodedbypass
Prix de l'Opéra Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Tarnawa won the Turf
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sealiwayentered
Prix Marcel Boussac Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Tiger Tanakabypass
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Turf Sottsass retired [18]
Indian Summer Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Bodenheimerentered
Bourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Mutasaabeqentered
Spinster Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Valiancesecond
Jessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Aunt Pearl (IRE)won
Belmont Futurity Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Second of Julyentered
Frizette Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Dayoutoftheofficesecond
Flower Bowl Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Civil Unionentered
Champagne Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Jackie's Warriorentered
Jockey Club Gold Cup Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Classic Happy Saverbypass

    Television coverage

    Most of the Challenge Series races were televised, either by NBC, NBC Sports, TVG or Fox Sports. [19]

    See also

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    References

    1. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces June, July Challenge Races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    2. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces August Challenge Races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    3. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces Fall Challenge Series Races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
    4. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces Challenge Series Schedule". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
    5. ↑ "Support for Breeders' Cup strong despite difficult 2020". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    6. ↑ "The Breeders' Cup Challenge Schedule". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    7. ↑ "Breeders' Cup pre-entries (PDF)" (PDF). BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    8. ↑ "Charts for Breeders' Cup Friday". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
    9. ↑ "Charts for Breeders' Cup Saturday". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
    10. ↑ "She's a Julie retired". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    11. ↑ "MG1SW Hello Youmzain Retired to Haras d'Etreham". Thoroughbred Daily News. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    12. ↑ "An Unexpected Storybook Ending for Midnight Bisou". Thoroughbred Daily News. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    13. ↑ "Wonder Mare Enable Retired". BloodHorsecom. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
    14. ↑ "Vexatious out". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
    15. ↑ "Ghaiyyath retired to Kildangan Stud after muscle soreness following work | Bloodstock News | Racing Post". www.racingpost.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    16. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Lady Speightspeare sidelined; large field expected". www.drf.com. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    17. ↑ "Get Her Number to miss Breeders' Cup Juvenile". www.drf.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    18. ↑ "Arc Hero Sottsass Retired to Coolmore Stud". Thoroughbred Daily News. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    19. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series 2020: How to watch, schedule". NBC Sports. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
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