2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge series explained

The 2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 84 horse races that provided the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2021 Breeders' Cup, held on November 5 and 6. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and include key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world. The Breeders' Cup organization pays the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals. They also provide travel allowances for out of state competitors

Summary

The 2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 84 races from across the United States and 9 other countries. The 2021 series marked a return to a more normal racing schedule after the 2020 racing calendar was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more closely resembles the 2019 series. Two new races were added to the series: the Suburban Stakes, a qualifier for the Classic, and the Calumet Turf Cup, a qualifier for the Turf. In recognition of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act passed in December 2020, the challenge series races did not permit raceday medication.^[1]

On October 27, a total of 196 horses were pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup, of which 46 were automatic qualifiers through the challenge races.^[2]

Challenge Series races

The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2021 and respective winners. The status column shows whether the horse was pre-entered.^[3]

	Month	Race		Track		Location		Division		Winner		Status
December	Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini	San Isidro	Argentina	Breeders' Cup Turf	Cool Day (ARG)	bypass
January	Paddock Stakes	Kenilworth	South Africa	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	Queen Supreme (IRE)	pre-entered
January	Queen's Plate	Kenilworth	South Africa	Breeders' Cup Mile	Jet Dark (SAF)	bypass
February	February Stakes	Tokyo	Japan	Breeders' Cup Classic	Cafe Pharaoh	bypass
May	Gran Premio Criadores	Palermo	Argentina	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Blue Stripe (ARG)	pre-entered
May		Santiago	Chile	Breeders' Cup Mile	Succeso (CHI)	bypass
May		Tokyo	Japan	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	Gran Alegria (JPN)	bypass
May		Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Mile	Smooth Like Straight	pre-entered
June	Jaipur Stakes	Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	Casa Creed	pre-entered
June		Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Letruska	pre-entered
June	Metropolitan Handicap	Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile	Silver State	pre-entered
June	Yasuda Kinen	Tokyo	Japan	Breeders' Cup Mile	Danon Kingly (JPN)	bypass
June	Queen Anne Stakes	Royal Ascot	England	Breeders' Cup Mile	Palace Pier (GB)	retired^[4]
June	Prince of Wales's Stakes	Royal Ascot	England	Breeders' Cup Turf	Love IRE	pre-entered
June	Norfolk Stakes	Royal Ascot	England	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint	Perfect Power (IRE)	bypass
June	Diamond Jubilee Stakes	Royal Ascot	England	Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	Dream of Dreams (IRE)	bypass
June	Fleur de Lis Handicap	Churchill Downs	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Letruska	pre-entered
June		Churchill Downs	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Classic	Maxfield	bypass^[5]
June		Monterrico	Peru	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	Reina de Mollendo	pre-entered
June	Takarazuka Kinen	Hanshin	Japan	Breeders' Cup Turf	Chrono Genesis (JPN)	bypass
July		Gulfstream Park	Florida	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint	Ce Ce	pre-entered
July		Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Classic	Max Player	pre-entered
July		Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Sprint	Mind Control	bypass
July	Haskell Invitational		New Jersey	Breeders' Cup Classic	Mandaloun	injured^[6]
July		Ascot	England	Breeders' Cup Turf	Adayar (IRE)	bypass
July	Sussex Stakes	Goodwood	England	Breeders' Cup Mile	Alcohol Free (IRE)	bypass
July		Del Mar	California	Breeders' Cup Sprint	Dr. Schivel	pre-entered
August		Del Mar	California	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Shedaresthedevil	pre-entered
August	Whitney Handicap		New York	Breeders' Cup Classic	Knicks Go	pre-entered
August	Fourstardave Handicap	Saratoga	New York	Breeders' Cup Mile	Got Stormy	pre-entered
August	Prix Jacques Le Marois		France	Breeders' Cup Mile	Palace Pier (GB)	retired
August	Juddmonte International		England	Breeders' Cup Classic	Mishriff (IRE)	bypass^[7]
August			England	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf		bypass
August	Nunthorpe Stakes		England	Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	Winter Power (IRE)	bypass
August		Del Mar	California	Breeders' Cup Classic	Tripoli	pre-entered
August		Del Mar	California	Breeders' Cup Turf	Astronaut	pre-entered
August		Deauville	France	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint	Perfect Power (IRE)	bypass
August	Personal Ensign Stakes		New York	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Letruska	pre-entered
August			New York	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint	Gamine	pre-entered
August			New York	Breeders' Cup Turf	Gufo	pre-entered
August		Del Mar	California	Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile	Ginobili	pre-entered
September		Saratoga	New York	Breeders' Cup Classic	Max Player	pre-entered
September		Saratoga	New York	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	War Like Goddess	pre-entered
September		Kentucky Downs	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Turf	Imperador (ARG)	withdrawn^[8]
September		Leopardstown	Ireland	Breeders' Cup Turf	St Mark's Basilica (FR)	retired^[9]
September		Kentucky Downs	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	Gear Jockey	pre-entered
September		Leopardstown	Ireland	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	Atomic Jones (FR)	bypass
September		Leopardstown	Ireland	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	No Speak Alexander (IRE)	bypass
September		Curragh	Ireland	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	Discoveries (IRE)	bypass
September		Curragh	Ireland	Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	Romantic Proposal (IRE)	bypass
September	Iroquois Stakes	Churchill Downs	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Juvenile	Major General	bypass
September		Churchill Downs	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	Hidden Connection	pre-entered
September		Belmont	New York	Breeders' Cup Turf	Yibir (GB)	pre-entered
September		Woodbine	Canada	Breeders' Cup Mile	Town Cruise	bypass
September		Woodbine	Canada	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	Wild Beauty (GB)	bypass
September		Woodbine	Canada	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	Albahr (GB)	pre-entered
September	Rockfel Stakes		England	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	Hello You (IRE)	pre-entered
September			England	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	Royal Patronage (FR)	bypass
October		Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Juvenile	Corniche	pre-entered
October		Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	Ain't Easy	pre-entered
October	Speakeasy Stakes	Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint	One Timer	pre-entered
October		Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Juvenile	Jack Christopher	pre-entered
September		Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	Going to Vegas	pre-entered
October		Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Classic	Medina Spirit	pre-entered
October		Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Sprint	Dr. Schivel	pre-entered
October		Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	Echo Zulu	pre-entered
October		Santa Anita	California	Breeders' Cup Distaff	Private Mission	pre-entered
October	Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp	Longchamp	France	Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint	A Case of You (IRE)	pre-entered
October	Prix de l'Opéra	Longchamp	France	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	Rougir (FR)	pre-entered
October			France	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	Angel Bleu (FR)	bypass
October			France	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	Zellie (FR)	bypass
October	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	Longchamp	France	Breeders' Cup Turf	Torquator Tasso (GER)	bypass
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Sprint	Special Reserve	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	Juju's Map	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Juvenile	Rattle N Roll	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	Blowout (GB)	bypass
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint	Bell's the One	bypass
September		Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Sprint	Following Sea	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Mile	In Love (BRZ)	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint	Averly Jane	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf	Tiz the Bomb	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Distaff		pre-entered
October		Belmont Park	New York	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint	Slipstream	pre-entered
October		Keeneland	Kentucky	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf	California Angel	pre-entered
October		Ascot	England	Breeders' Cup Turf	Sealiway (FR)	bypass
October		Ascot	England	Breeders' Cup Mile	Baaeed (GB)	bypass

See also

• 2021 British Champions Series

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2021 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Features 84 Races in 10 Countries, Awarding Automatic Starting Positions Into World Championships at Del Mar Breeders' Cup . www.breederscup.com . 24 October 2021 . en.
2. Web site: Breeders' Cup pre-entries see record overseas support . www.bloodhorse.com . 28 October 2021.
3. Web site: Complete list of 2021 Breeders' Cup pre-entries . www.bloodhorse.com . 28 October 2021.
4. Web site: Palace Pier retired to Dalham Hall Stud . www.bloodhorse.com . 24 October 2021.
5. Web site: 2021 Breeders' Cup Classic: Maxfield declared out, along with Dr Post, Happy Saver . www.drf.com . 24 October 2021 . en.
6. Web site: Mandaloun will miss fall races . BloodHorse.com . 28 October 2021.
7. Web site: Mishriff needs rest, will skip Breeders' Cup . www.bloodhorse.com . 24 October 2021.
8. Web site: Imperador among early withdrawals . BloodHorse.com . 28 October 2021.
9. Web site: St Mark's Basilica retired to stud . www.bloodhorse.com . 24 October 2021.