Breeders' Cup releases international challenge series

Qualifying berths for Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland on Oct. 30-31 will be available to the winners of 45 races in 12 countries outside of North America through the organization’s Win and You’re In program, according to an announcement released on Thursday.

The statement detailed qualifying races other than in the United States and Canada. The North American qualifying races will be announced in the spring, the Breeders’ Cup said.

The series is underway. On Dec. 13, Obataye earned a berth in the BC Turf with a win in the Group 1 Carlos Pellegrini Stakes in Argentina. On Tuesday, Herr Kitten earned a position in the BC Dirt Mile with a victory in the Group 3 Gran Premio Pedro Pineyrua in Uruguay.

There are three qualifying races for the Turf Sprint, Filly and Mare Turf, and Mile available to the winners of Group 1 stakes at Kenilworth Racecourse in South Africa on Saturday.

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Overall, the series is dominated with 25 races from western Europe – 14 in England, six in France, and five in Ireland. There are five races in South America, and six in the Middle East – four in Dubai and two in Saudi Arabia. In the Far East, there are two qualifying races in South Korea and four in Japan.

Last year, there were 13 countries outside of North America in the series. This year, there are no qualifying races in Brazil.

The winners of qualifying races are exempt from pre-entry and entry fees, provided they are nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program. The Breeders’ Cup will offer $40,000 travel allowances for runners who win qualifying races outside of North America, and $10,000 allowances for runners who win qualifying races in Canada and in states other than Kentucky.

Horses must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by Oct. 19, the day of pre-entries.

The list of international qualifying races for the BC Classic include the Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 14, and the Dubai World Cup on March 28. Qualifying races for the BC Turf include the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 28, Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in England on June 17, and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Oct. 4.

Last year, there were 93 qualifying races worldwide – 49 outside of North America and 44 in the United States and Canada. From the series, there were 46 winners in Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Three of those won Breeders’ Cup races– Forever Young in the Classic, Notable Speech in the Mile and Ted Noffey in the Juvenile.

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