# 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series

The 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series was a series of horse races that provided the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" berth in the 2022 Breeders' Cup, held on November 4 and 5. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and included key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world. The Breeders' Cup organization paid the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals. They also provided travel allowances for out of state competitors

## Summary

The 2022 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 82 races from across the United States and 10 other countries, compared to 84 races in the 2021 series. The Breeders' Cup committee restructured the series to ensure there were qualifying races in the east, midwest and west of the United States for most of the divisions, plus international qualifiers mainly for the turf races. The following races were added: Grande Prêmio Brasil (Turf - International region), Beverly D. (Filly & Mare Turf - Midwest), Green Flash (Turf Sprint - West region), Miss Grillo (Juvenile Fillies - East region), Ack Ack (Dirt Mile - Midwest region) and Pilgrim (Juvenile Turf - East). The Fleur de Lis, Suburban, John Nerud, Personal Ensign, Iroquois, Pocohantas, Jockey Club Derby, Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Zenyatta and First Lady were removed from the series. The King's Stand Stakes replaced the Diamond Jubilee Stakes as an international qualifier for the Turf Sprint.
NBC broadcast many of the North American challenge races, either on the main network or CNBC, with other races webcast on the Peacock.
Up to 14 horses are eligible for each Breeders' Cup race (12 for the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Dirt Mile). If a race is over-subscribed, first preference is given to winners of the Challenge series races. On October 26, 205 horses were pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup, 46 of which qualified via the Challenge series. The following fields were over-subscribed: Juvenile Turf Sprint, Juvenile Fillies, Juvenile Fillies Turf, Juvenile Turf, Filly & Mare Sprint, Turf Sprint, Dirt Mile, Filly & Mare Turf, Sprint, Mile and Turf.
Seven challenge race winners went on to win at the Breeders' Cup:
* Wonder Wheel automatically qualified in the Alcibiades, then won the Juvenile Fillies
* Forte won the Juvenile after qualifying in the Breeders' Futurity
* Goodnight Olive won the Filly & Mare Sprint after qualifying in the Ballerina Stakes
* Elite Power earned his automatic berth in the Vosburgh Stakes, then won the Sprint
* Modern Games won the Mile after automatically qualifying in the Woodbine Mile
* Malathaat won the Distaff after automatically qualifying in the Spinster Stakes
* Flightline automatically qualified by winning the Pacific Classic, then won the Classic. He also won the Metropolitan Handicap, which would have qualified him for the Dirt Mile

## Challenge Series races

The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2022 and respective winners. The "status" column shows whether the Challenge race winner was entered at the Breeders' Cup, and if so if they finished in the money.
| Month | Race | Track | Region | Division | Winner | Status |
| December | Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini | San Isidro | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | Village King (ARG) | bypass |
| January | Paddock Stakes | Kenilworth | International | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Captain's Ransom (SAF) | bypass |
| January | Queen's Plate | Kenilworth | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Jet Dark (SAF) | bypass |
| February | February Stakes | Tokyo | International | Breeders' Cup Classic | Cafe Pharaoh | bypass |
| May | Gran Premio Criadores | Palermo | International | Breeders' Cup Distaff | La Validada (ARG) | bypass |
| May | Victoria Mile | Tokyo | International | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Sodashi (JPN) | bypass |
| May | Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella | Santiago | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Viejos Tiempos (CHI) | bypass |
| May | Shoemaker Mile | Santa Anita | West | Breeders' Cup Mile | Count Again | bypass |
| June | Yasuda Kinen | Tokyo | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Danon Kingly (JPN) | bypass |
| June | Jaipur Stakes | Belmont Park | East | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Casa Creed | entered |
| June | Ogden Phipps Stakes | Belmont Park | East | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Clairiere | third |
| June | Metropolitan Handicap | Belmont Park | East | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Flightline | won Classic |
| June | Queen Anne Stakes | Royal Ascot | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Baaeed (GB) | retired |
| June | Prince of Wales's Stakes | Royal Ascot | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | State of Rest (IRE) | retired |
| June | Norfolk Stakes | Royal Ascot | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | The Ridler (GB) | bypass |
| June | King's Stand Stakes | Royal Ascot | International | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Nature Strip (AUS) | bypass |
| June | Grande Prêmio Brasil | Hipódromo da Gávea | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | Nautilus (BRZ) | entered |
| June | Takarazuka Kinen | Hanshin | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | Titleholder (JPN) | bypass |
| June | Gran Premio Pamplona | Monterrico | International | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Ola Perfecta (PER) | bypass |
| June | Stephen Foster Handicap | Churchill Downs | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Classic | Olympiad | second |
| July | Princess Rooney | Gulfstream Park | East | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Ce Ce | fourth |
| July | Haskell Stakes | Monmouth | East | Breeders' Cup Classic | Cyberknife | second in Dirt Mile |
| July | King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes | Ascot | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | Pyledriver (GB) | recovering from injury |
| July | Sussex Stakes | Goodwood | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Baaeed | retired |
| July | Bing Crosby Handicap | Del Mar | West | Breeders' Cup Sprint | American Theorem | entered |
| August | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | Del Mar | West | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Blue Stripe (ARG) | second |
| August | Whitney Handicap | Saratoga | East | Breeders' Cup Classic | Life Is Good | entered |
| August | Fourstardave Handicap | Saratoga | East | Breeders' Cup Mile | Casa Creed | entered in Sprint |
| August | Beverly D. Stakes | Churchill Downs | East | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Dalika (GER) | bypass |
| August | Prix Jacques Le Marois | Deauville | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Inspiral (GB) | bypass |
| August | Juddmonte International | York | International | Breeders' Cup Classic | Baaeed (GB) | retired |
| August | Yorkshire Oaks | York | International | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Alpinista | bypass |
| August | Nunthorpe Stakes | York | International | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Highfield Princess (FR) | fourth |
| August | Prix Morny | Deauville | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Blackbeard (IRE) | Retired |
| August | Sword Dancer | Saratoga | East | Breeders' Cup Turf | Gufo | bypass |
| August | Pat O'Brien Handicap | Del Mar | West | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Laurel River | scratched |
| August | Ballerina Stakes | Saratoga | East | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Goodnight Olive | won |
| September | Jockey Club Gold Cup | Saratoga | East | Breeders' Cup Classic | Olympiad | second |
| August | Pacific Classic | Del Mar | West | Breeders' Cup Classic | Flightline | won |
| August | Del Mar Handicap | Del Mar | West | Breeders' Cup Turf | Gold Phoenix (IRE) | entered |
| September | Flower Bowl | Saratoga | East | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Virgina Joy (GER) | entered |
| September | Green Flash Handicap | Del Mar | West | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Lieutenant Dan | bypass |
| September | Irish Champion Stakes | Leopardstown | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | Luxembourg (IRE) | bypass |
| September | Juvenile Stakes | Leopardstown | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Auguste Rodin (IRE) | bypass |
| September | Matron Stakes | Leopardstown | International | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Pearls Galore (FR) | bypass |
| September | Kentucky Turf Cup | Kentucky Downs | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Turf | Red Knight | entered |
| September | Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes | Kentucky Downs | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Bran (FR) | scratched |
| September | Moyglare Stud Stakes | Curragh | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Tahiyra (IRE) | bypass |
| September | Flying Five Stakes | Curragh | International | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Highfield Princess (FR) | fourth |
| September | Woodbine Mile | Woodbine | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Modern Games (IRE) | won |
| September | Natalma Stakes | Woodbine | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Last Call | entered |
| September | Summer Stakes | Woodbine | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Mysterious Night (IRE) | bypass |
| September | Rockfel Stakes | Newmarket | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Commissioning (GB) | bypass |
| September | Royal Lodge Stakes | Newmarket | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | The Foxes (IRE) | bypass |
| October | Champagne Stakes | Aqueduct | East | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Blazing Sevens | fourth |
| October | Miss Grillo Stakes | Aqueduct | East | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Pleasant Passage | second |
| October | Awesome Again Stakes | Santa Anita | West | Breeders' Cup Classic | Defunded | bypass |
| October | Ack Ack Stakes | Churchill Downs | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Senor Buscador | entered |
| October | Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère | Longchamp | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Belbek (FR) | bypass |
| October | Prix Marcel Boussac | Longchamp | International | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Blue Rose Cen (IRE) | bypass |
| October | Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp | Longchamp | International | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | The Platinum Queen (IRE) | entered in Juvenile Turf Sprint |
| October | Prix de l'Opéra | Longchamp | International | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Place du Carrousel (IRE) | bypass |
| October | Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe | Longchamp | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | Alpinista (GB) | bypass |
| October | Pilgrim Stakes | Aqueduct | East | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Major Dude | entered |
| October | Frizette Stakes | Aqueduct | East | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Chocolate Gelato | entered |
| October | Speakeasy Stakes | Santa Anita | West | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Speed Boat Beach | entered |
| October | Jessamine Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Delight | entered |
| October | Alcibiades Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Wonder Wheel | won |
| October | Phoenix Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Manny Wah | fourth |
| October | Vosburgh Stakes | Aqueduct | East | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Elite Power | won |
| October | American Pharoah Stakes | Santa Anita | West | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Cave Rock | second |
| October | Chandelier Stakes | Santa Anita | West | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | And Tell Me Nolies | entered |
| October | Rodeo Drive Stakes | Santa Anita | West | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Going to Vegas | entered |
| October | Breeders' Futurity Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Forte | won |
| October | Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Mile | Annapolis | entered |
| October | Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Slammed | entered |
| October | Indian Summer Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Private Creed | third |
| October | Bourbon Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Andthewinneris | entered |
| October | Spinster Stakes | Keeneland | Midwest | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Malathaat | won |
| October | Belmont Futurity | Aqueduct | East | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Nagirroc | entered in Juvenile Turf |
| October | Champion Stakes | Ascot | International | Breeders' Cup Turf | Bay Bridge | bypass |
| October | Queen Elizabeth II Stakes | Ascot | International | Breeders' Cup Mile | Bayside Boy | bypass |
* ↑ While Belmont Park was closed for renovations, its fall 2022 meeting was run at Aqueduct
* ↑ The Platinum Queen is a two-year old, so is ineligible for the Turf Sprint for three-year olds and up.