Contacts: Jim Gluckson, Breeders’ Cup (jgluckson@breederscup.com)- 212-230-9512
Jason Howarth, Conover Tuttle Pace (jhowarth@ctpboston.com) - 617-412-4000
David Zenner,
Series To Include 65 Races In Seven Countries
NEW YORK, N.Y. (June 24, 2010)-- The Breeders' Cup Challenge, a series of automatic qualifying races for the Breeders' Cup World Championships, will increase expansion this year with a record 65 races taking place in seven countries at the world’s greatest racing venues, it was announced today.
The expanded Challenge series, with its “Win and You’re In” provision, will include 14 overseas races from premier racetracks in
This year’s Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held November 5-6 at Churchill Downs in
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge series will again include domestic racetracks Belmont Park and Saratoga in New York, Del Mar near San Diego, Santa Anita Park near Los Angeles, Calder Race Course in Miami, Arlington Park in Chicago, Emerald Downs in Seattle, Delaware Park, Monmouth Park in New Jersey and Philadelphia Park in Pennsylvania; Turfway Park and Keeneland in Kentucky; and Woodbine in Toronto.
DATE RACE BC QUALIFYING RACE June 26, 2010
The 2010 Challenge races will be televised on ESPN, TVG and HRTV, TSN in
· The Breeders’ Cup Challenge, which began in 2007 with 25 races at six
· In 2009, 32 Breeders’ Cup Challenge race winners competed in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Three of them won races at the Championships, led by Zenyatta, who became the first female horse to win the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, Informed Decision, who won the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, and California Flag, who captured the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
· 21 races will be enhanced by funds through the Breeders’ Cup Stakes program
· The series will feature 36 Group 1, American Grade I or Canadian Grade 1 races, including 11 Group 1 races overseas.
“In just four years, the Breeders’ Cup Challenge has grown into a viable series that generates increased awareness for our Championships on a weekly basis throughout the summer and fall while promoting the best of Thoroughbred racing from around the globe. We are especially excited about the strong demand to host this year’s Challenge races from so many of the top racing associations in the world,” said Breeders’ Cup President & CEO Greg Avioli.
There will be four qualifying races this year for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic: the first in
Among the other U.S. and Canadian grade 1 races in the Challenge series this year are: are the Ruffian Handicap (Ladies’ Classic) at Saratoga on Aug 1; Arlington Million (Turf) and the Beverly D (Filly & Mare Turf) on Aug. 21; the Pat O’Brien Handicap (Sprint) at Del Mar on Aug. 28; the Champagne (Juvenile) and Frizette Stakes (Juvenile Fillies) from Belmont Park on Oct. 9; Shadwell Turf Mile (Mile) on Oct. 9 and the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes on Oct. 10, both from Keeneland, and the Canadian International (IC) (Turf )and E.P. Taylor Stakes (Filly & Mare Turf) on Oct. 16 from Woodbine in Toronto.
The international Breeders’ Cup Challenge began in April with the Darley T.J. Smith Stakes (G1) at
· There are three new European Breeders’ Cup Challenge races on this year’s schedule: the Prix Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) on Aug. 15 at
· Returning Breeders’ Cup Challenge races in Europe are the Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) at The Curragh on Aug. 29; Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown on Sept. 4, both in Ireland and the Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (G1) at Moonee Valley in Australia on Sept. 24. There will be three Challenge races at
· The Diamond Stakes (G3) at
About Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, and the Breeders’ Cup Stakes Program, which will provide racetracks and horsemen nearly $4 million in purse enhancements this year. Total purses for this year’s two-day event at Churchill Downs, Nov. 5-6, will be $26 million. The 2009 Breeders’ Cup delivered nearly $125 million in winning wagers to fans at betting locations around the globe. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and on YouTube.
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