2020 Breeders' Cup Challenge series
# 2020 Breeders' Cup Challenge series

The 2020 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consists of horse races from around the world that provide the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2020 Breeders' Cup, to be held on November 6 and 7. Races are chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and include key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions. The Breeders' Cup organization pays the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals.

## Summary

The selected races vary somewhat from year to year as the Breeders' Cup attempts to attract the best horses in each division. The Breeders' Cup organization normally makes an announcement in April about the races that it will add or remove from the previous year's schedule for the new year. Because of the disruption to the racing schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Breeders' Cup organization instead made several adjustments to the normal series throughout 2020.

The 2019 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 86 races from across 11 countries. New races for 2020 include the Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse (Filly & Mare Turf), Carter Handicap at Belmont Park (Sprint), Alabama Stakes at Saratoga (Distaff) and the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico (Classic).

The following races were removed from the 2020 series: Gran Premio Criadores, Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella, Gran Premio Pamplona, Princess Rooney Handicap, John A. Nerud, Beverly D., Arlington Million, Jockey Club Derby, Cotillion and Sprinters Stakes.

On October 28, a total of 201 pre-entries were taken for the Breeders' Cup races, of which 48 horses were automatic qualifiers through the Challenge series races.

Five winners from the challenge series went on to win at the 2020 Breeders' Cup:

* Aunt Pearl won the Juvenile Fillies Turf after qualifying in the Jessamine
* Essential Quality won the Juvenile after taking the Breeders' Futurity
* Glass Slippers won the Turf Sprint after earning a berth in the Flying Five
* Tarnawa won the Turf after qualifying for the Filly & Mare Turf in the Prix de l'Opéra
* Authentic won the Classic after qualifying in the Haskell

## Challenge Series races

The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2020 and the respective winners. The status column shows if the winner was entered at the Breeders' Cup, and if so, whether they finished in the top three.

| Month | Race | Track | Location | Division | Winner | Status |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| December | Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini | San Isidro | Argentina | Breeders' Cup Turf | Nao Da Mais (BRZ) | bypass |
| January | Paddock Stakes | Kenilworth | South Africa | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Queen Supreme (IRE) | bypass |
| January | Queen's Plate | Kenilworth | South Africa | Breeders' Cup Mile | Vardy (SAF) | bypass |
| February | February Stakes | Tokyo | Japan | Breeders' Cup Classic | Mozu Ascot (JPN) | bypass |
| May | Victoria Mile | Tokyo Racecourse | Japan | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Almond Eye (JPN) | bypass |
| May | Shoemaker Mile | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Mile | Raging Bull (FR) | entered |
| June | Carter Handicap | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Vekoma | scratched |
| June | Yasuda Kinen | Tokyo | Japan | Breeders' Cup Mile | Gran Alegria (JPN) | bypass |
| June | Ogden Phipps Stakes | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Distaff | She's a Julie | retired |
| June | Queen Anne Stakes | Royal Ascot | England | Breeders' Cup Mile | Circus Maximus (Ire) | second |
| June | Prince of Wales's Stakes | Royal Ascot | England | Breeders' Cup Turf | Lord North (IRE) | entered |
| June | Norfolk Stakes | Royal Ascot | England | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | The Lir Jet | entered in Juvenile Turf |
| June | Diamond Jubilee Stakes | Royal Ascot | England | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Hello Youmzain (FR) | retired |
| June | Jaipur Invitational | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Oleksandra (AUS) | entered |
| June | Fleur de Lis Handicap | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Midnight Bisou | retired |
| June | Stephen Foster Handicap | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Classic | Tom's d'Etat | entered |
| June | Takarazuka Kinen | Hanshin | Japan | Breeders' Cup Turf | Chrono Genesis (JPN) | bypass |
| July | Metropolitan Handicap | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | Vekoma | scratched from the Sprint |
| July | Haskell Invitational | Monmouth | New Jersey | Breeders' Cup Classic | Authentic | entered |
| July | King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes | Ascot | England | Breeders' Cup Turf | Enable (GB) | retired |
| July | Sussex Stakes | Goodwood | England | Breeders' Cup Mile | Mohaather (GB) | retired |
| August | Personal Ensign Stakes | Saratoga | New York | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Vexatious | injured |
| August | Whitney Handicap | Saratoga | New York | Breeders' Cup Classic | Improbable | second |
| August | Bing Crosby Handicap | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Collusion Illusion | entered |
| August | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Fighting Mad | bypass |
| August | Ballerina Stakes | Saratoga | New York | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Serengeti Empress | second |
| August | Alabama Stakes | Saratoga | New York | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Swiss Skydiver | entered |
| August | Prix Jacques Le Marois | Deauville | France | Breeders' Cup Mile | Palace Pier | bypass |
| August | Juddmonte International | York | England | Breeders' Cup Classic | Ghaiyyath (IRE) | retired |
| August | Yorkshire Oaks | York | England | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Love (IRE) | bypass |
| August | Nunthorpe Stakes | York | England | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Battaash (IRE) | bypass |
| August | Del Mar Handicap | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Turf | Red King | entered |
| August | Fourstardave Handicap | Saratoga | New York | Breeders' Cup Mile | Halladay | entered |
| August | Pacific Classic | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Classic | Maximum Security | entered |
| August | Prix Morny | Deauville | France | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Campanelle | entered Juvenile Fillies Turf}} |
| August | Sword Dancer | Saratoga | New York | Breeders' Cup Turf | Channel Maker | third |
| August | Pat O'Brien Stakes | Del Mar | California | Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile | C Z Rocket | second |
| September | Pocahontas Stakes | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Girl Daddy | third |
| September | Iroquois Stakes | Churchill Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Sittin on Go | entered |
| September | Juvenile Stakes | Leopardstown | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Cadillac | entered |
| September | Matron Stakes | Leopardstown | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Champers Elysees | bypass |
| September | Irish Champion Stakes | Leopardstown | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Turf | Magical | second |
| September | Turf Sprint | Kentucky Downs | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Imprimis | entered |
| September | Moyglare Stud Stakes | Curragh | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Shale | bypass |
| September | Flying Five Stakes | Curragh | Ireland | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Glass Slippers | won |
| September | Woodbine Mile | Woodbine | Canada | Breeders' Cup Mile | Starship Jubilee | entered in the Filly & Mare Turf |
| September | Natalma Stakes | Woodbine | Canada | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Lady Speightspeare | injured |
| September | Summer Stakes | Woodbine | Canada | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Gretzky the Great | entered |
| September | Rockfel Stakes | Newmarket | England | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Isabella Giles | bypass |
| September | Royal Lodge Stakes | Newmarket | England | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | New Mandate | entered |
| September | Vosburgh Stakes | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Firenze Fire | third |
| September | Speakeasy Stakes | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Amanzi Yimpilo (IRE) | scratched |
| September | Rodeo Drive Stakes | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Mucho Unusual | entered |
| September | American Pharoah Stakes | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Get Her Number | injured |
| September | Chandelier Stakes | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Princess Noor | entered |
| September | Awesome Again Stakes | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Classic | Improbable | second |
| September | Grande Premio Brasi | Hipódromo da Gávea | Brazil | Breeders' Cup Turf | Pimper's Paradise (BRZ) | bypass |
| September | Santa Anita Sprint Championship | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Sprint | C Z Rocket | second |
| September | Zenyatta Stakes | Santa Anita | California | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Harvest Moon | entered |
| October | Phoenix Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Sprint | Diamond Oops | entered |
| October | Alcibiades Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Simply Ravishing | entered |
| October | Preakness Stakes | Pimlico Race Course | Maryland | Breeders' Cup Classic | Swiss Skydiver | entered in Distaff |
| October | First Lady Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Uni | entered in Mile |
| October | Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Inthemidstofbiz | scratched |
| October | Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Mile | Ivar | entered |
| October | Breeders' Futurity Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Essential Quality | entered |
| October | Belmont Derby | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Turf | Gufo | bypass |
| October | Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp | Longchamp | France | Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint | Wooded | bypass |
| October | Prix de l'Opéra | Longchamp | France | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Tarnawa | won the Turf |
| October | Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère | Longchamp | France | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Sealiway | entered |
| October | Prix Marcel Boussac | Longchamp | France | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Tiger Tanaka | bypass |
| October | Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe | Longchamp | France | Breeders' Cup Turf | Sottsass | retired |
| October | Indian Summer Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Bodenheimer | entered |
| October | Bourbon Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf | Mutasaabeq | entered |
| October | Spinster Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Distaff | Valiance | second |
| October | Jessamine Stakes | Keeneland | Kentucky | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Aunt Pearl (IRE) | won |
| October | Belmont Futurity | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Second of July | entered |
| October | Frizette Stakes | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies | Dayoutoftheoffice | second |
| October | Flower Bowl | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Civil Union | entered |
| October | Champagne Stakes | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Jackie's Warrior | entered |
| September | Jockey Club Gold Cup | Belmont Park | New York | Breeders' Cup Classic | Happy Saver | bypass |

## Television coverage

Most of the Challenge Series races were televised, either by NBC, NBC Sports, TVG or Fox Sports.

