Del Mar to Host Six Series Races
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 10, 2025) – Breeders’ Cup Limited today announced an expanded schedule for the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, which will feature 93 races in 15 countries – the most in Breeders’ Cup history. Each winner will receive an automatic qualifying position, with fees paid, into a corresponding race at the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Horses from around the globe will qualify through the Win and You’re In program, now in its 19th year, for the 42nd running of the World Championships. The two-day international festival of racing, consisting of 14 Grade 1 races and a strong undercard worth purses and awards of more than $34 million, will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.
This year, the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series will be hosted at premier tracks in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Dubai, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, the United States, and Uruguay. All races included in the Challenge Series have graded or group status.
Del Mar will host six Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races during its summer meeting.
| Date | Race | Distance | Conditions | Breeders' Cup Division |
| 7/26/25 | Bing Crosby S (Gr I) | 6 F | 3YO & Up | Sprint |
| 8/02/25 | Clement L. Hirsch S (Gr I) | 1 1/16 M | F&M, 3YO & Up | Distaff |
| 8/23/25 | Pat O'Brien S (Gr II) | 7 F | 3YO & Up | Dirt Mile |
| 8/30/25 | Pacific Classic (Gr I) | 1 1/4 M | 3YO & Up | Classic |
| 8/30/25 | Del Mar H (Gr II) | 1 3/8 M (T) | 3YO & Up | Turf |
| 8/30/25 | Green Flash H (Gr III) | 5 F (T) | 3YO & Up | Turf Sprint |
"It is immensely gratifying to see trainers and owners leverage the many opportunities offered by the Challenge Series, the leading pathway to a coveted spot in the World Championships," said Dora Delgado, Chief Racing Officer at Breeders' Cup Limited. "We thank the racing authorities close to home and abroad for their crucial partnerships, and look forward to watching the world’s best competitors prioritize the Challenge Series as their path to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar."
With the international Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series already underway featuring a record 49 races, the 44-race domestic portion of the series kicks off June 6-7 at Saratoga Race Course when the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) offers automatic berth into the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), the Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) provides a starting spot in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and the Jaipur Stakes (G1) grants an automatic starting position in the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) as part of a blockbuster Belmont Stakes (G1) weekend in upstate New York.
As part of the benefits to horsemen, Breeders’ Cup has allocated a record $6,510,000 million in free entry fees and $480,000 in domestic foal nominator awards for this year’s Challenge Series and will pay the entry fees and guarantee a starting position in a corresponding Championships race for all Challenge Series race winners. If not already nominated, the Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 20 to receive the rewards.
In addition, Breeders’ Cup will provide a $10,000 travel allowance for all starters within North America that are stabled outside of California, and a $40,000 travel allowance to the connections of all Championship starters based outside of North America.
Ten automatic berths will be awarded for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), the marquee race of the World Championships. In addition to the Feb. 22 Saudi Cup (G1) won by Forever Young (JPN), the Feb. 23 February Stakes (G1) won by Costa Nova (JPN), and the April 5 Dubai World Cup (G1) won by Hit Show, contenders may qualify through the June 28 Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs, the July 19 Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, the Aug. 2 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, the Aug. 20 International Stakes (G1) at York, the Aug. 30 Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar, the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga, and the Sept. 27 Goodwood Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Last year, 44 Breeders’ Cup Challenge winners competed in the World Championships at Del Mar and five won their respective divisional races: Moira (ON) in the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1); Citizen Bull in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Immersive in the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Lake Victoria (IRE) in the $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), and Soul of an Angel in the $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).
The complete Challenge Series television schedule can be viewed at BreedersCup.com/races/challenge-series.
| Date | Trk. | Race Name | Gr. | Dist. | Age/Sex | Division | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/14/24 | SIS | Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini Stakes | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | Argentina |
| 1/4/25 | KEN | Paddock Stakes | I | 1 1/8 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | South Africa |
| 1/4/25 | KEN | King's Plate | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | South Africa |
| 2/22/25 | KAR | Saudi Cup | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3YO&Up | Classic | Saudi Arabia |
| 2/22/25 | KAR | Riyadh Dirt Sprint | II | 6 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Sprint | Saudi Arabia |
| 2/23/25 | TOK | February Stakes | I | 1 Mile | 4YO&Up | Classic | Japan |
| 4/5/25 | MEY | Dubai Golden Shaheen | I | 6 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Sprint | United Arab Emirates |
| 4/5/25 | MEY | Dubai Sheema Classic | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | United Arab Emirates |
| 4/5/25 | MEY | Dubai Turf sponsored | I | 1 1/8 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | United Arab Emirates |
| 4/5/25 | MEY | Dubai World Cup | I | 1 1/4 Miles | 3YO&Up | Classic | United Arab Emirates |
| 5/1/25 | Pal | Gran Premio Criadores | I | 1 1/4 Miles | 3YO&Up F&M |
Distaff | Argentina |
| 5/18/25 | TOK | Victoria Mile | I | 1 Mile (T) | 4YO&Up F |
Filly & Mare Turf | Japan |
| 5/25/25 | CHS | Gran Premio Club Hípico Falabella | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | Chile |
| 6/6/25 | SAR | Ogden Phipps | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 4YO&Up F&M |
Distaff | New York |
| 6/7/25 | SAR | The Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap | I | 1 Mile | 3YO&Up | Dirt Mile | New York |
| 6/7/25 | SAR | The Jaipur | I | 5 1/2 Furlongs (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf Sprint | New York |
| 6/8/25 | TOK | Yasuda Kinen | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | Japan |
| 6/15/25 | KYO | Takarazuka Kinen | I | 1 3/8 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | Japan |
| 6/17/25 | ASC | The King Charles III Stakes | I | 5 Furlongs (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf Sprint | England |
| 6/17/25 | ASC | The Queen Anne Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 4YO&Up | Mile | England |
| 6/18/25 | ASC | The Prince of Wales's Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 4YO&Up | Turf | England |
| 6/19/25 | ASC | The Norfolk Stakes | II | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf Sprint | England |
| 6/22/25 | GVA | Grande Premio Brasil | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | Brazil |
| 6/22/25 | MON | Gran Premio Pamplona | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | Peru |
| 6/28/25 | CD | Stephen Foster Stakes | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 4YO&Up | Classic | Kentucky |
| 6/28/25 | CD | Fleur de Lis Stakes | II | 1 1/8 Miles | 4YO&Up F&M |
Distaff | Kentucky |
| 6/29/25 | MAR | Asociación Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera | III | 1 Mile | 3YO&Up | Dirt Mile | Uruguay |
| 7/19/25 | Mth | Haskell Stakes | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3YO | Classic | New Jersey |
| 7/26/25 | ASC | King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | England |
| 7/26/25 | DMR | Bing Crosby Stakes | I | 6 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Sprint | California |
| 7/30/25 | GOO | Qatar Sussex Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | England |
| 7/30/25 | GOO | Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes | III | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf Sprint | England |
| 7/31/25 | GOO | Qatar Nassau Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | England |
| 8/2/25 | DMR | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 3YO&Up F&M |
Distaff | California |
| 8/2/25 | SAR | The Fourstardave | I | 1 Mile (T) | 4YO&Up | Mile | New York |
| 8/2/25 | SAR | The Whitney | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 4YO&Up | Classic | New York |
| 8/9/25 | SAR | The Sword Dancer | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 4YO&Up | Turf | New York |
| 8/16/25 | WO | E.P. Taylor Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | Canada |
| 8/20/25 | YOR | Juddmonte International Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Classic | England |
| 8/20/25 | YOR | Acomb Stakes | III | 7 Furlongs (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf | England |
| 8/21/25 | YOR | Yorkshire Oaks | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | England |
| 8/22/25 | YOR | Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes | I | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2YO&Up | Turf Sprint | England |
| 8/23/25 | DMR | Pat O'Brien Stakes | II | 7 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Dirt Mile | California |
| 8/23/25 | GOO | William Hill Prestige Fillies' Stakes | III | 7 Furlongs (T) | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies Turf | England |
| 8/23/25 | SAR | The Forego | I | 7 Furlongs | 4YO&Up | Dirt Mile | New York |
| 8/23/25 | SAR | The Personal Ensign | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 4YO&Up F&M |
Distaff | New York |
| 8/23/25 | SAR | The Ballerina | I | 7 Furlongs | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Sprint | New York |
| 8/30/25 | DMR | Pacific Classic | I | 1 1/4 Miles | 3YO&Up | Classic | California |
| 8/30/25 | DMR | Del Mar Handicap | II | 1 3/8 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | California |
| 8/30/25 | DMR | Green Flash Handicap | III | 5 Furlongs (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf Sprint | California |
| 8/30/25 | KD | The Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint | II | 6 Furlongs (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf Sprint | Kentucky |
| 8/30/25 | SAR | The Spinaway | I | 7 Furlongs | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies | New York |
| 8/30/25 | SAR | The Flower Bowl | II | 1 3/8 Mile (T) | 4YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | New York |
| 8/31/25 | SAR | Jockey Club Gold Cup | I | 1 1/4 Miles | 3YO&Up | Classic | New York |
| 9/6/25 | KD | The Kentucky Turf Cup | II | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | Kentucky |
| 9/7/25 | SEO | Korea Cup | III | 1 1/8 Miles | 3YO&Up | Dirt Mile | South Korea |
| 9/7/25 | SEO | Korea Sprint | III | 6 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Sprint | South Korea |
| 9/13/25 | LEO | 'Justify' Matron Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | Ireland |
| 9/13/25 | LEO | Champions Juvenile Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf | Ireland |
| 9/13/25 | LEO | Irish Champion Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | Ireland |
| 9/13/25 | WO | Summer Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf | Canada |
| 9/13/25 | WO | Natalma Stakes | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies Turf | Canada |
| 9/13/25 | WO | Rogers Woodbine Mile | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | Canada |
| 9/14/25 | CUR | Bar One Flying Five Stakes | I | 5 Furlongs (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf Sprint | Ireland |
| 9/14/25 | CUR | Moyglare Stud Stakes | I | 7 Furlongs (T) | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies Turf | Ireland |
| 9/27/25 | SA | California Crown | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3YO&Up | Classic | California |
| 9/27/25 | SA | City of Hope Mile | II | 1 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | California |
| 9/28/25 | SA | Santa Anita Sprint Championship | II | 6 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Sprint | California |
| 9/28/25 | SA | Zenyatta Stakes | II | 1 1/16 Miles | 3YO&Up F&M |
Distaff | California |
| 10/3/25 | Kee | Darley Alcibiades | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies | Kentucky |
| 10/3/25 | Kee | Jessamine | II | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies Turf | Kentucky |
| 10/3/25 | Kee | Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix | II | 6 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Sprint | Kentucky |
| 10/4/25 | Kee | Breeders' Futurity | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 2YO | Juvenile | Kentucky |
| 10/4/25 | Kee | Turf Mile | I | 1 Mile (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | Kentucky |
| 10/4/25 | Kee | Thoroughbred Club of America | II | 6 Furlongs | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Sprint | Kentucky |
| 10/4/25 | SA | American Pharoah | I | 1 1/16 Miles | 2YO | Juvenile | California |
| 10/4/25 | SA | Oak Leaf | II | 1 1/16 Miles | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies | California |
| 10/4/25 | SA | Rodeo Drive Stakes | II | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | California |
| 10/5/25 | Kee | Juddmonte Spinster | I | 1 1/8 Miles | 3YO&Up F&M |
Distaff | Kentucky |
| 10/5/25 | Kee | Castle & Key Bourbon | II | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf | Kentucky |
| 10/5/25 | Lch | Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp | I | 5 Furlongs (T) | 2YO&Up | Turf Sprint | France |
| 10/5/25 | Lch | Prix de l'Opera | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Turf | France |
| 10/5/25 | Lch | Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe | I | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | France |
| 10/5/25 | Lch | Qatar Prix de la Foret | I | 7 Furlongs (T) | 3YO&Up | Mile | France |
| 10/5/25 | Lch | Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere | I | 7 Furlongs (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf | France |
| 10/5/25 | Lch | Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac | I | 1 Mile (T) | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies Turf | France |
| 10/18/25 | ASC | QIPCO Champion Stakes | I | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3YO&Up | Turf | England |
| TBD | Aqu | The Champagne | I | 1 Mile | 2YO | Juvenile | New York |
| TBD | Aqu | The Pilgrim | II | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | 2YO | Juvenile Turf | New York |
| TBD | Aqu | The Miss Grillo | II | 1 1/16 Miles (T) | 2YO F |
Juvenile Fillies Turf | New York |
| TBD | Aqu | The Vosburgh | III | 7 Furlongs | 3YO&Up | Sprint | New York |
| TBD | Aqu | The Futurity | III | 6 Furlongs (T) | 2YO C&G |
Juvenile Turf Sprint | New York |
| TBD | GP | Princess Rooney Invitational | III | 7 Furlongs | 3YO&Up F&M |
Filly & Mare Sprint | Florida |
ABOUT BREEDERS’ CUP
Breeders’ Cup Limited administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races through partnerships with host countries around the globe, and the U.S.-based Dirt Dozen Bonus Series. The Breeders’ Cup operates under the national, uniform rules and regulations of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and its Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU).
The 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, featuring 14 Grade 1 Championship races run during a two-day festival worth more than $34 million in purses and awards, will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar in Del Mar, California. The Championships will be televised live by NBC Sports. Press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, BreedersCup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media.
ABOUT DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB Opened in 1937, San Diego’s iconic — and the nation’s only — seaside racetrack features the world’s top racehorses, trainers and jockeys, as well as the best in fashion and classic California culture "where the turf meets the surf.” What began as a Hollywood hotspot in the era of the racetrack’s founder, Bing Crosby, is now one of America's foremost racetracks and a premier Southern California destination, as well as being recognized as one of the safest major racetracks in the nation. For more information visit www.dmtc.com or follow Del Mar Racing on social media.