Breeders' Cup Challenge Series | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Win and You’re In’ Television Schedule Announced

The 2021 “Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In–presented by America's Best Racing” television schedule, consisting of 12 live programs featuring more than 20 automatic qualifying races and other major stakes from six of the nation's premier racetracks on the road to the Breeders' Cup World Championships, was announced by the Breeders' Cup and NBC Sports Wednesday.

Now in its eighth year on NBC Sports, the series showcases the top horses as they vie for a coveted automatic berth, and free entry, into the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled for Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar. The World Championships will be televised live on NBC and NBCSN.

The complete Challenge Series television schedule can be viewed here.

“The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In – presented by America's Best Racing continues to be an excellent way for fans to stay connected to the top horses and races throughout the summer and fall leading up to the World Championships,” said Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming. “We thank NBC Sports for their continued commitment to our sport and are grateful for the broadcasting excellence they deliver in their domestic and international Thoroughbred racing coverage. We also thank our Challenge Series partner racetracks around the world along with America's Best Racing for their presenting sponsorship and promotion of the series.”

“We are excited to showcase the world's top horses in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series from Belmont Stakes Day throughout the summer and all the way to the Breeders' Cup World Championships in November,” said Justin Byczek, NBC Sports Senior Vice President of Programming and Rights Management.

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2021 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Unveiled

The 2021 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series schedule will consist of 84 automatic qualifying stakes races into the Breeders' Cup World Championships, it was announced Tuesday. This year's series, which includes a record nine “Win and You're In” races for the $6-million GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic division, will take place in 10 countries.

The complete 2021 schedule can be viewed here.

Horses from around the globe will be qualifying through the Challenge Series for the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, Nov. 5-6, and will be televised live on NBC and NBCSN.

The Challenge Series, now in its 15th year, will be hosted at many of the world's premier racetracks in Argentina, Canada, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Peru, South Africa and the United States.

As part of the benefits to horsemen, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees and guarantee a starting position in a corresponding Championships race for all Challenge Series race winners. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 25 to receive the rewards.

In addition, Breeders' Cup will provide a $40,000 travel allowance to the connections of all Championship starters from outside of North America and a $10,000 travel allowance for starters within North America that are stabled outside of California.

In support of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), which was signed into law in the U.S. last December, all Breeders' Cup Challenge races this year will not permit medications to be administered within 24 hours of race day.

“We look forward to the return of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series with horsemen from around the world participating in and taking advantage of the many incentives, such as automatic starting positions and paid entry fees, to qualify for the World Championships,” said Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming. “We also thank our international and domestic racetrack partners for their important work and dedication to support the Challenge Series.”

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30% Increase To Del Mar Summer Stakes Purses Led By $250,000 Boost To Pacific Classic

Building on the positive news it announced last week concerning a 30% increase to overnight purses and major enhancements to its popular “Ship & Win” program, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., released this year's summer stakes schedule showing a similar healthy increase of 30% to its major stakes compared to the 2020 racing season.

In 2020, the track presented 32 major stakes worth $5,175,000. For this year there will be two additional stakes and total purses will be $6,750,000, a value increase of 30%.

Twenty-one of this season's major stakes show increases from 2020 beginning at $25,000 and rising to $250,000. Notable in those escalations are an additional quarter-million dollars added to the Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic, raising it to $750,000; $150,000 to the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile making it worth $300,000, and $100,000 each to the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap (up to $300,000) and the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap (now worth $250,000).

“This is one of the strongest stakes schedules in Del Mar's history,” said David Jerkens, Del Mar's racing secretary. “We have increased purses virtually across the board. I am really excited to see the level of quality our stakes program will attract, especially being the home of the Breeders' Cup this year.”

Del Mar again will host the Breeders' Cup this fall, presenting the World Championships on Friday and Saturday, November 5 and 6. Del Mar hosted the Breeders' Cup previously in 2017.

Two stakes that took a hiatus in 2020 will return in 2021, the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes and the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, both carrying $100,000 purses.

Del Mar once again will present a power-packed program around its signature event, the TVG Pacific Classic, scheduled for Saturday, August 21. As it has done for the past several years, the track will offer four additional stakes that afternoon: the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks; the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap; the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile, and the Grade 3, $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes.

It also will feature a stakes tripleheader on its opening day, Saturday, July 17. The traditional opening day headliner – the $100,000 Runhappy Oceanside Stakes – will be on the bill, joined by the Grade 2, $250,000 San Diego Handicap and the Osunitas Stakes, an overnight offering that carries an $80,000 purse.

There will be six Grade 1 events over the course of the summer – the $300,000 Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday, July 31; the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Sunday, August 1; the Del Mar Oaks and the TVG Pacific Classic, both on Saturday, August 21; the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante on Sunday, September 5, and the $300,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Monday, September 6, which is closing day.

As it has in all recent seasons, Del Mar will present five Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races all of which give their winners automatic admittance and entry fees to parallel Breeders' Cup races. They are:

Bing Crosby Stakes (guaranteeing admission and entry fees to the $2 million BC Sprint); Clement L. Hirsch Stakes ($2 million BC Distaff); the Del Mar Handicap ($4 million BC Turf); TVG Pacific Classic ($6 million BC Classic), and the $200,000, Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes ($2 million BC Dirt Mile).

Further, the track once more will tender its usual complement of eight California-bred stakes, part of the Golden State Stakes Series that consists of 36 stakes worth more than $4.4 million. Those stakes are the $175,000 Fleet Treat Stakes, the $150,000 California Dreamin' Stakes, the $175,000 Real Good Deal Stakes, the $100,000 CTBA Stakes, the $100,000 Graduation Stakes, the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes, the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes and the $100,000 I'm Smokin Stakes.

Del Mar will open with Saturday and Sunday (July 17, 18) cards, then go into a Thursday through Sunday format for the balance of the meet leading up to the closing card on Labor Day Monday, September 6. First post daily will be 2 p.m.

The list of stakes follows:

DATE	RACE / CONDITIONS	PURSE / DISTANCE
Sat. Jul 17	RUNHAPPY OCEANSIDE STAKES Three-year-olds, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o in 2021	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sat. Jul 17	SAN DIEGO HANDICAP (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$250,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles
Sat. Jul 17	Osunitas Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since September 1	$80,000 Added 1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 18	COUGAR II STAKES (Gr. III) Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 1/2 Miles
Sun. Jul 18	Wickerr Stakes* Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S of $50,000 at 1 M o/o in 2021	$80,000 Added 1 Mile (T)
Thu. Jul 22	Daisycutter Handicap* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$80,000 Added 5 Furlongs (T)
Fri. Jul 23	FLEET TREAT STAKES Fillies, Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$175,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 24	EDDIE READ STAKES (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$250,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Jul 24	SAN CLEMENTE STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sun. Jul 25	CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' STAKES Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Fri. Jul 30	REAL GOOD DEAL STAKES Three-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$175,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sat. Jul 31	BING CROSBY STAKES (Gr. I) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 01	CLEMENT L. HIRSCH STAKES (Gr. I) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles
Thu. Aug 05	CTBA STAKES Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 1/2 Furlongs
Fri. Aug 06	SORRENTO STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies, Two-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 07	YELLOW RIBBON HANDICAP (Gr. II) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 07	BEST PAL STAKES (Gr. II) Two-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 08	LA JOLLA STAKES (Gr. III) Three-year-olds	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 1/16 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 08	GRADUATION STAKES Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 14	CTT & TOC Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$80,000 Added 1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sun. Aug 15	SOLANA BEACH STAKES Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, Cal-Bred	$150,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Fri. Aug 20	RANCHO BERNARDO HANDICAP (Gr. III) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Added 6 1/2 Furlongs
Sat. Aug 21	TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC (Gr. I) Three-year-olds & up	$750,000 Guaranteed 1 1/4 Miles
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR OAKS (Gr. I) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR MILE (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Sat. Aug 21	DEL MAR HANDICAP (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$300,000 Guaranteed 1 3/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Aug 21	TORREY PINES STAKES (Gr. III) Fillies, Three-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile
Sun. Aug 22	GREEN FLASH HANDICAP (Gr. III) Three-year-olds & up	$100,000 Guaranteed 5 Furlongs (T)
Fri. Aug 27	Tranquility Lake Stakes* Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up, N/W S/S $50,000 at 1 M o/o since February 1	$80,000 Added 1 Mile
Sat. Aug 28	PAT O'BRIEN STAKES (Gr. II) Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sun. Aug 29	SHARED BELIEF STAKES Three-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile
Fri. Sep 03	GENEROUS PORTION STAKES Fillies, Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sat. Sep 04	DEL MAR DERBY (Gr. II) Three-year-olds	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Sep 04	JOHN C. MABEE STAKES (Gr. II) Fillies & Mares, Three-year-olds & up	$200,000 Guaranteed 1 1/8 Miles (T)
Sat. Sep 04	I'M SMOKIN' STAKES Two-year-olds, Cal-Bred	$100,000 Guaranteed 6 Furlongs
Sun. Sep 05	DEL MAR DEBUTANTE (Gr. I) Fillies, Two-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs
Sun. Sep 05	DEL MAR JUVENILE FILLIES TURF Fillies, Two-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Mon. Sep 06	DEL MAR JUVENILE TURF Two-year-olds	$100,000 Guaranteed 1 Mile (T)
Mon. Sep 06	RUNHAPPY DEL MAR FUTURITY (Gr. I) Two-year-olds	$300,000 Guaranteed 7 Furlongs

* Indicates Overnight Stakes

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Cafe Pharoah Takes ‘Win And You’re In’ February Stakes In Japan

In 2015, American Pharoah took the racing world by storm when he captured the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). On Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, Koichi Nishikawa's Cafe Pharoah, a Kentucky-bred son of American Pharoah, earned the first automatic berth into this year's $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series with a three-quarter length victory over Air Spinel (JPN) in the one-mile $1.84 million February Stakes (G1) on dirt.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Cafe Pharoah to start in the 1 ¼-mile Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Breeders' Cup also will provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

Trained by Noriyuki Hori and ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the 4-year-old Cafe Pharoah, the 3-1 favorite, completed the mile in 1:34.40. In defeating 15 rivals for his first career Group 1 victory, Cafe Pharoah improved his overall mark to five wins in seven starts. Out of the More Than Ready mare, Mary's Follies, Cafe Pharoah was bred by the late Paul Pompa Jr.

Absent of fans and cheers, the 38th running of the February Stakes, the first Group 1 event of the Japanese racing season, was on its way on the backstretch with Air Almas (JPN), Helios (JPN) and Wide Pharaoh (JPN) fighting for the lead. As Helios slipped back in the early stages, Cafe Pharoah, breaking from stall three, stalked the two frontrunners while saving ground before smoothly angling out right beside them to enter the lane in third. From there on, Cafe Pharoah unleashed a powerful stretch drive, securing the lead by the furlong marker and held off the fast-closing 35-1 Air Spinel.

“His condition was super, and I had confidence already at the paddock,” said Lemaire, who also won last year's February Stakes on Mozu Ascot (JPN). “We decided to use cheek pieces [headgear strips similar to blinkers] hoping for a more aggressive performance. His start was good, we were positioned well and he responded beautifully. The colt has such high potential. I had no doubt that he could land a G1 win if he gave his best. I'm happy that it all worked out today.”

Air Spinel was settled on the rail in mid-division and struggled to find room in early stretch. Once he angled out, finding a clear path 300 meters out, he finished fast, overtaking the tiring pacesetter in the final sixteenth and threatening the winner. Wonder Lider (JPN), sent off at 19-1, took an economic route behind the winner up to the last turn and displayed a powerful stretch drive furiously chasing the runner-up to the line while holding off a strong challenge by 6-1 third choice Red le Zele (JPN) for third. Air Almas finished fifth, followed by Inti (JPN), the 2019 February Stakes winner, in sixth.

In 2020, Cafe Pharoah won twice at the race distance over the Tokyo track, taking the two Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying races, the listed Hyacinth Stakes and the Unicorn Stakes (G3). He suffered his first defeat as the favorite in the Japan Dirt Derby on July 8 at Ohi, finishing seventh. He rebounded on Oct. 3 to win the 1 3/16-mile Sirius Stakes (G3) at Chukyo. In his final start last year, Cafe Pharoah stepped into Group 1 company for the first time, in the 1 1/8-mile Champions Cup at Chukyo on Dec. 6, finishing sixth.

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