In its 18th year, the Win and You're In (WAYI) program gives each winner an automatic qualifying position with fees paid into the corresponding race at the 2024 World Championships. In addition to the domestic schedule, forty-one international races will be held at premier tracks in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Peru, South Africa, and South Korea.

Newly included races this season are the G3 Korea Cup (WAYI for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile) and G3 Korea Sprint (WAYI for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint), both run Sept. 8 at Seoul Racecourse. England picked up three additional races as well–the G3 Acomb S., G3 William Hill Prestige S., and the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares S. They will offer berths into the GI Juvenile Turf, GI Juvenile Fillies Turf, and GI Filly & Mare Turf, respectively.

Domestically, the GIII City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita Park will offer an automatic berth into the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile for the first time. The 2024 series in the U.S. will again feature a regional qualifying program to balance divisional competition. In 10 of the 14 race divisions, there will be one Challenge Series race per region, identified as East, Midwest, and West. The Breeders' Cup also announced that it would promote these regional rivalries on the road to the World Championships. All North American races must be graded to be included.

Of the eight berths awarded for the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, one has already been claimed by G1 February S. victor G1SW-Jpn Peptide Nile (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in Japan Feb. 19.

Purse increases for the 2024 Championships raised the Classic to a $7-million purse while the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf will reward $5-million.

As part of the benefits, $5,485,000 has been allocated for free entry fees as well as a $10,000 travel allowance for all starters within North America that are stabled outside of California. A $40,000 travel allowance to the connections of all Championship will be awarded to starters based outside of North America. If not already, the Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 21 to receive the rewards. The Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees and guarantee a starting position in a corresponding Championships race for all Challenge Series race winners.

A full schedule of the Win and You're In Races, as well as a list of the race winners, may be found here.

“We take great pride in seeing horsemen from around the world capitalize on the advantages provided by the Challenge Series, the premier route to securing a starting position in the World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited.

“Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to the racing jurisdictions across five continents for their invaluable support and administration of this year's series. We encourage all horsemen to target the Challenge Series en route to the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar.”

The Challenge Series will also make a return to the television screen as NBC, FOX, and CNBC will feature five live programs in the U.S. this summer and autumn. Coverage on NBC and CNBC will be simulcast on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Coverage of the 2024 Challenge Series features two NBC broadcasts, two FOX broadcasts, and one CNBC program.

A complete television schedule can be viewed here.

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(4) Two Item Saver a convincing winner of race 3 with jockey @VCheminaud aboard! (2) Yes Day and (1) New Beat follow. pic.twitter.com/fJZSdIIJfj

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 6, 2023

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Breaking in good order from barrier 13 over a rain-drenched course, First Force was pushed along by Taisei Danno to hold an outside spot from mid-pack and contentedly tracked pacesetters from that position. Taking closer order with 600 metres to the wire, he unfurled his closing kick from between rivals the length of the stretch and collared Travesura (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) in the last 100 to pull away for a length score. Namura Clair followed the winner into the straight and showed good acceleration to reach contention to claim runner-up honors in the final strides before the line.

“I thought our gate number turned out for the better as the track today seemed to work better for those on the outside. The trip went smoothly for us, much better than I had expected. I was able to give him a short breather before the fourth corner and he responded well at the homestretch,” commented jockey Taisei Danno, who also picked up his first Group 1 victory here and his fourth Group win. Conditioner Masayuki Nishimura would also make personal history claiming his career-first Group 1 victory since opening his yard in 2015, here.

First Force is out of MSP Rush Life, who claims five winners from eight to race including his accomplished half-brother A Day In The Life (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Their dam is herself a half-sister to millionaire SW Tagano Dangerous (Jpn) (End Sweep) as well as to the dam of SP Single Up (Jpn) (Kinshasa no Kiseki {Aus}). This is the extended female family of Japanese champion older mare Louisiana Pit (Jpn), MGSW Meisho Naruto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), and MGSP Epicharis (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}). Rush Life's more recent offspring on course include 5-year-old Alcione (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who went undefeated in six starts last season. The dam also has a 3-year-old filly Sterilize (Jpn) (Mikki Rocket {Jpn}) as well as a 2-year-old colt by Black Tide (Jpn). She is last reported due to Shuji (Jpn) for 2023.

Sunday, Chukyo, Japan
TAKAMATSUNOMIYA KINEN-G1, ¥329,400,000, Chukyo, 3-26, 4yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.20, sf.
1–FIRST FORCE (JPN), 128, h, 7, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
           1st Dam: Rush Life (Jpn) (MSW-Jpn, $733,670), by Sakura Bakushin-Oh (Jpn)
           2nd Dam: Friend Lei (Jpn), by Danehill
           3rd Dam: Martin Miyuki (Jpn), by Maruzensky (Jpn)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Koji Yasuhara; B-Mishima Bokujo (Jpn); T-Masayuki Nishimura; J-Taisei Danno; ¥173,780,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn, 25-4-5-1, ¥313,847,000. *Half to A Day In The Life (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, $1,222,321. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Namura Clair (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Mikki Isle (Jpn)–Sun Queen, by Storm Cat. O-Mutsuhiro Namur; B-Tanikawa Farm (Jpn); ¥69,080,000.
3–Travesura (Jpn), 128, h, 8, Dream Journey (Jpn)–Jaja Machan (Jpn), by Admire Cozzene (Jpn). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Teruya Yoshida; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥43,540,000.
Margins: 1, HF, HF. Odds: 31.30, 4.40, 41.10
Also ran: Naran Huleg (Jpn), Grenadier Guards (Jpn), Lotus Land, Aguri (Jpn), Vento Voce (Jpn), Kir Lord (Jpn), Win Marvel (Jpn), Daddy's Vivid (Jpn), Meikei Yell (Jpn), Pixie Knight (Jpn), Divination (Jpn), Toshin Macau (Jpn), Water Navillera (Jpn), Opal Charme (Jpn), Buon Voyage (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart and Video.

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The eventual winner, battle-tested Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), came into the race sporting his most-successful campaign to-date. In 2022 alone, the 5-year-old has recorded stakes victories in three of his last four starts with the last one coming Nov. 27 at Hanshin Race Course by 2 1/2 lengths in the Canopus S.

Sent off at odds just above 3-1, the bay was content to race towards the back of the pack, as the field passed the grandstand. It was Shonan Nadeshiko (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) who planned to take them all the way, as the mare set the pace with Casino Fountain (Jpn) (Casino Drive) in close pursuit down the backstretch.

Around the far turn, it was time for the eventual winner to get moving, and he did just that by taking the overland route to the outside. That swinging motion allowed him to get clear of the fading leaders, and with good energy down the lane, he kicked for home en route to 1 3/4 length and his first G1 win. Notturno (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), one of the youngest runners in the bunch earned second; while, the short-priced favorite, Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro) was forced to settle for third.

Pedigree Notes:
Not only is the victor by a Horse of the Year, but his mare also comes from a strong family. She produced Casale (Jpn) in 2015, a filly by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn),that has $222,886 in earnings, and she was also bred back to the champion, which yielded a colt named Miyaji Hayakaze (Jpn) in 2016. Her last recorded live foal was Dantsu Capri (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) in 2019. Click for the chart & video.

Thursday, Oi, Japan
TOKYO DAISHOTEN-G1, ¥170,000,000, Oi, 12-29, 3yo/up, 2000m, 2:05.00, gd.
1–USHBA TESORO (JPN), 126, h, 5, Orfevre (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Millefeui Attach (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Sixieme Sens, by Septieme Ciel
          3rd Dam: Samalex (GB), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire)
   1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥25,000,000 wnlg '17 JRHAJUL). O-Kenji Ryotokuji
Holdings; B-Chiyoda Farm; T-Noboru Takagi; J-Kazuo Yokoyama;
¥100,000,000. Lifetime Record: 27-7-1-5.
   Werk Nick Rating: A+++ ***Triple Plus***
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Notturno (Jpn), 121, c, 3, by Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Sheikh's
Serenade, by Unbridled's Song. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings;
B-Shimokobe Farm; ¥35,000,000.
3–Meisho Hario (Jpn), 126, h, 5, by Pyro–Meisho Ohi (Jpn), by
Manhattan Café (Jpn). O-Yoshio Matsumoto; B-Mishima
Bokujo; ¥20,000,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2 1/2, 1; Odds: 3.30, 6.10, 1.30.
Also Ran: Sunrise Hope (Jpn), Light Warrior (Jpn), Shonan Nadeshiko (Jpn), Lucky Dream (Jpn), Gold Heuer (Jpn), Miyagi Zao (Jpn), Casino Fountain (Jpn), Dos Hearts (Jpn), Red Galan (Jpn), Rinzo Channel (Jpn), Atomic Force (Jpn).

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Top betting choices and hot early pacesetters Private Mission, Malathaat, and Shedaresthedevil were overcome midstretch by an arsenal of closers, including Marche Lorraine (JPN) and Dunbar Road scrapping in the final strides. It was Marche Lorraine, who had sat well off the pace early in the 1 1/8-mile contest, who fought her way through under British champion jockey Oisin Murphy, edging Dunbar Road by the narrowest of noses in the photo finish.

The race gave Japanese shippers their second victory of the day, after Loves Only You took the Filly and Mare Turf earlier in the afternoon, also running for trainer Yoshito Yahgi.

Letruska, who had been the heavy 8-5 favorite, had room to run but faded going into the final turn, finishing up tenth.

Malathaat hung on for third in another photo finish over Clariere.

Off at odds of 45-1, Marche Lorraine paid $101.80, $41.00, and $18.80.

Early fractions were blistering at :21.84, :44.97, 1:09.70, and 1:35.28, with a final time of 1:47.67.

U. Carrot Farm owns Marche Lorraine, who was bred in Japan by Northern Farm. The 5-year-old mare is the daughter of Orfevre and French Deputy mare Vite Marcher. She came to the race off a win in the Breeders' Gold Cup Stakes on Aug. 12 at Mombetsu. Earlier this year, she won both the nine-furlong Tck Jo-O Hai and the eleven-furlong Empress Hai. Marche Lorraine has found success on both turf and dirt, and has excelled on a variety of track conditions in her dirt races.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

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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 Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California on Nov. 5-6.

Trained by Kazuo Fujisawa and ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Gran Alegria, a bay daughter of Deep Impact (JPN) out of the Tapit mare Tapitsfly, won her fifth career Group 1 race. The odds-on favorite in the 18-horse field, Gran Alegria completed the mile in 1:31 over a course listed as good to firm.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Gran Alegria to start in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Breeders' Cup also will provide a minimum travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

Tapitsfly, Gran Alegria's dam, won the 2009 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Breaking from stall six, Gran Alegria settled in mid-division around 10^th place from the front-runner Christie (JPN). Taking an outer route turning the corners, Gran Alegria made a bid from around the 400-meter pole and promptly took the lead over 7-1 second-choice Resistencia (JPN) 200 meters from the finish. Gran Alegria further accelerated with a powerful drive to the wire.

“She was very strong as we had all expected,” commented Lemaire, who won his 38^th JRA Group 1 race and his 1,400^th overall victory in Japan. “She's not a very good starter so we settled in mid-division, but she raced in good rhythm. After I took her to the outside entering the lane, she showed a remarkable response and geared up on her own. She showed that she's at a different level than her competitors and will probably win more G1 titles going forward.”

Tenth pick Rambling Alley hugged the rail in 11th eying Gran Alegria on the outside. The 5-year-old dark bay swung to the outside entering the lane and chased the race favorite persistently until the wire, nailing Magic Castle (JPN) in her last stride for a runner-up effort. Fifth choice Magic Castle saved ground, around ninth, inside Gran Alegria, met traffic at the top of the stretch but showed sustaining speed and passed the tenacious Resistencia 100 meters out. Although overtaken by fast-closing Rambling Alley just before the wire, Magic Castle held off the rest of the field to complete a 1-2-3 finish by filly and mares sired by Deep Impact.

Gran Alegria, the 2020 Best Sprinter or Miler in Japan, became the first horse to win all three of the JRA's G1 mile titles for 4-year-olds and up, which included her Yasuda Kinen and Mile Championship titles last year. Her other two G1 victories were the 2019 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, 1,600m) and last year's Sprinters Stakes (1,200m).

Now 8 of 12 lifetime, Gran Alegria, bred by Northern Farm, came into Sunday's race off a fourth-place finish in the 1 ¼-mile Osaka Ha (G1) at Hanshin on April 4 over a yielding course.

Lemaire won his third Victoria Mile. He captured the 2017 race on Admire Lead (JPN) and aboard the brilliant champion Almond Eye (JPN) last year.

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At the end of the summer, Michel plans to return to the Far East to sit the first part of the JRA license course for a permanent license.

She was a massive hit in Japan earlier this year when she set a new record of wins by a visiting jockey on a short-term license on the second-tier National Association of Racing.

Japan now wants to encourage more elite women jockeys like her to participate in its racing and this week announced a different set of eligibility rules to those for men, who must either be champions of their country or winners of G1 races like the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, for a short-term license.

“It's fantastic news,” said Michel's partner and agent Frederic Spanu. “It means Mickaelle can make an application for the JRA short-term license. She is so happy and excited.

“But she will also take the test for a permanent JRA license on September 29 – if obviously we can get on the plane.”

To qualify, jockeys from the UK and France must be the leading female in their country in either of the last two seasons, have ridden more than ten winners and ranked in the top 50 for prize-money, or ridden a G1 winner. There are similar criteria for riders from the USA, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong and New Zealand. Only five short-term licenses will be granted at any one time.

In Japan, Nanako Fujita is the only female jockey riding the JRA circuit but more females are entering the jockey school and the governing body wants more role models for them.

A spokesman for the JRA said: “The purpose of this rule introduction is to create a better open environment for more female jockeys to take part in our races.

“We currently have a number of female students at our racing school. By introducing a separate criteria for overseas female jockeys to ride in Japan, we hope that the best female jockeys will be able to get a short-term licence and hopefully be great role models for the females in Japan and influence them to become a jockey as well as having a positive impact in the Japanese horse racing industry.”

Michel was sponsored by the powerful Shadai Farm on her last trip to Japan where visiting jockeys must also find an owner and trainer to support them.

She will also need coronavirus restrictions to be lifted as Japan is currently not allowing foreigners into the country due to COVID-19.

This article was reprinted with permission from Horse Racing Planet. You can find more of their content here.

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