The 2016 Breeders' Cup Challenge series provided winners of the designated races an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2016 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.
A total of seven races were added to the Challenge series in 2016. Four were added in April when the initial announcement was made: the Queen of the Turf (which replaced the Queen Elizabeth Stakes), the Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella, the Gran Premio Pamplona and the Flying Five Stakes.[1] Three more races from Japan were added in June: the February Stakes, the Yasuda Kinen and the Sprinter Stakes.
Forty-five entrants in the 2016 Breeders' Cup qualified via the Challenge series, which was particularly important in 2016 as seven of the Breeders' Cup races were oversubscribed. A maximum of 14 horses (12 in the Dirt Mile) are allowed to start in each race. Winners of the Challenge races were given automatic entries, while other pre-entries were ranked by a points system and the judgement of a panel of experts.[2]
Two Challenge series winners went on to win their respective division at the Breeders' Cup:
A few Challenge series winners could not compete at the Breeders' Cup due to illness, injury or retirement. Exaggerator, who qualified for the Classic by winning the Haskell, was retired in October.[3] Cavorting, who qualified for two Breeders' Cup races, developed some bone bruising and was also retired in October.[4] The Gurkha, who qualified for the Mile by winning the Sussex Stakes, suffered a ruptured colon and was retired.[5] In the Sprint, both Joking and Lord Nelson were scratched due to late injuries.
The winners of the 2016 Breeders' Cup Challenge series races are shown below.[6] [7] The last column shows if the winner was subsequently entered in the corresponding Breeders' Cup race,[8] and if so, whether they achieved a top three placing.[9] [10]
Month | Race | Track | Location | Division | Winner | BC Status | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
January | Paddock Stakes | Kenilworth | South Africa | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Smart Call | not entered | |||||
January | Queen's Plate | Kenilworth | South Africa | Breeders' Cup Mile | Legal Eagle | not entered | |||||
February | February Stakes | Tokyo | Japan | Breeders' Cup Classic | Moanin | not entered | |||||
April | Doncaster Mile | Randwick | Australia | Breeders' Cup Mile | Winx | not entered | |||||
April | TJ Smith Stakes | Randwick | Australia | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Chautauqua | not entered | |||||
April | Queen of the Turf Stakes | Randwick | Australia | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Azkadelia | not entered | |||||
May | Gran Premio Criadores | Palermo | Argentina | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Corona Del Inca | entered | |||||
May | Santiago | Chile | Breeders' Cup Mile | Kitcat | entered Filly & Mare Turf | ||||||
May | San Isidro | Argentina | Breeders' Cup Turf | Don Inc | not entered | ||||||
June | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Mile | Midnight Storm | 3rd | ||||||
June | Yasuda Kinen | Tokyo | Japan | Breeders' Cup Mile | Logotype | not entered | |||||
June | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Cavorting | retired | ||||||
June | Metropolitan Handicap | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Frosted | entered Classic | |||||
June | Hipódromo da Gávea | Brazil | Breeders' Cup Turf | My Cherie Amour | not entered | ||||||
June | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Classic | Bradester | not entered | ||||||
June | Fleur de Lis Handicap | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Paid Up Subscriber | not entered | |||||
June | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Classic | Melatonin | entered | ||||||
June | Takarazuka Kinen | Hanshin | Japan | Breeders' Cup Turf | Marialite | not entered | |||||
June | Monterrico | Peru | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Ryans Charm | entered | ||||||
July | Gulfstream Park | Florida | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Spelling Again | entered | ||||||
July | Smile Sprint Handicap | Gulfstream Park | Florida | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Delta Bluesman | entered | |||||
July | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Catch A Glimpse | entered | ||||||
July | Ascot | England | Breeders' Cup Turf | Highland Reel | 1st | ||||||
July | Goodwood | England | Breeders' Cup Mile | The Gurkha | retired | ||||||
July | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Stellar Wind | entered | ||||||
July | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Lord Nelson | scratched | ||||||
July | Haskell Invitational | New Jersey | Breeders' Cup Classic | Exaggerator | retired | ||||||
August | Whitney Handicap | New York | Breeders' Cup Classic | Frosted | entered | ||||||
August | Arlington | Illinois | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Sea Calisi | entered | ||||||
August | Arlington | Illinois | Breeders' Cup Turf | Mondialiste | entered | ||||||
August | Prix Jacques Le Marois | France | Breeders' Cup Mile | Ribchester | not entered | ||||||
August | Juddmonte International | England | Breeders' Cup Turf | Postponed | not entered | ||||||
August | England | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Seventh Heaven | entered | |||||||
August | Nunthorpe Stakes | England | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Mecca's Angel | not entered | ||||||
August | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Classic | California Chrome | 2nd | ||||||
August | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Turf | Ashleyluvssugar | entered | ||||||
August | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Masochistic | not entered | ||||||
August | Personal Ensign Stakes | New York | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Haveyougoneaway | not entered | ||||||
August | New York | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Cavorting | retired | |||||||
August | New York | Breeders' Cup Turf | Flintshire | 2nd | |||||||
August | New York | Breeders' Cup Sprint | A.P. Indian | entered | |||||||
September | Baden-Baden | Germany | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Parvaneh | not entered | ||||||
September | New York | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Pretty City Dancer and Sweet Loretta (dead heat) | not entered entered | |||||||
September | Grosser Preis von Baden | Baden-Baden | Germany | Breeders' Cup Turf | Iquitos | not entered | |||||
September | Leopardstown | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Alice Springs | entered Mile | ||||||
September | Leopardstown | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Turf | Almanzor | not entered | ||||||
September | Leopardstown | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Landfall | not entered | ||||||
September | Curragh | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Intricately | entered | ||||||
September | Curragh | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Ardhoomey | not entered | ||||||
September | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Daddy's Lil Darling | entered | ||||||
September | Iroquois Stakes | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Not This Time | 2nd | |||||
September | Canadian Stakes | Woodbine | Canada | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Rainha Da Bateria | not entered | |||||
September | Woodbine | Canada | Breeders' Cup Mile | Tepin | 2nd | ||||||
September | Woodbine | Canada | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Victory to Victory | scratched | ||||||
September | Woodbine | Canada | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Good Samaritan | 3rd | ||||||
September | Rockfel Stakes | England | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Spain Burg | entered | ||||||
September | England | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Best of Days | not entered | |||||||
October | Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Turf | Ectot | entered | |||||
October | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Joking | scratched | ||||||
October | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Classic | California Chrome | 2nd | ||||||
October | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Gormley | entered | ||||||
October | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Noted and Quoted | entered | ||||||
October | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Avenge | 3rd | ||||||
October | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Stellar Wind | entered | ||||||
October | Nakayama | Japan | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Red Falx | not entered | ||||||
October | Prix de l'Opéra | Chantilly | France | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Speedy Boarding | not entered | |||||
October | France | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | National Defense | not entered | |||||||
October | France | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Wuheida | not entered | |||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Dancing Rags | entered | ||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Sprint | A. P. Indian | entered | ||||||
October | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Lady Eli | 2nd | ||||||
October | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Practical Joke | 3rd | ||||||
October | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Yellow Agate | entered | ||||||
October | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Classic | Hoppertunity | entered | ||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Mile | Miss Temple City | entered | ||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Classic Empire | 1st | ||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Irish Jasper | entered | ||||||
October | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Lord Nelson | scratched | ||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Keep Quiet | entered | ||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Distaff | I'm a Chatterbox | entered | ||||||
October | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | La Coronel | entered | ||||||