2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge series

The 2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge series provided winners of the designated races an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2014 Breeders' Cup. Races were chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and included key prep races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions from around the world.

For 2014, seven new races were added to the series: the Paddock Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Grande Premio Brasil, Clasico Cesar del Rio, Copa De Oro Vinas De Chile, The Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Haskell Invitational, Belmont Oaks, Matron Stakes, Juddmonte International and Rockfel Stakes. NBC broadcast 18 of the races.[1]

For 2014, thirty-seven horses entered in the Breeders' Cup races qualified via the challenge series, including four of the winners. These were:[2]

The 2014 Breeders' Cup races were missing several prominent horses due to injury or illness. Most notably, American Pharoah, favored in the Juvenile after winning the FrontRunner Stakes, missed the race due to a bruise to the left front hoof.[3] Similarly, Wise Dan, two-time winner of the Mile, qualified for the third time by winning the Shadwell Turf Mile but suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right foreleg.[4] Beholder qualified in the Zenyatta but came down with an illness and missed the chance to defend her Distaff championship.[5] Bal a Bali qualified for the Turf in the Gran Premio Brazil but developed laminitis and missed the race.[6]

The winners of the 2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge series races are shown below. The last column shows whether the horse was subsequently entered in the Breeders' Cup, and if so, whether they achieved a top three finish. The 2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge races included:[7][8][9][10]

Month Race Track Location Division Winner BC Result
January Paddock Stakes Kenilworth South Africa Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Beach Beauty not entered
January Queen's Plate Kenilworth South Africa Breeders' Cup Mile Cape Town Noir entered
April Doncaster Mile Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Mile Sacred Falls entered
April TJ Smith Stakes Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Lankan Rupee not entered
April Queen Elizabeth Stakes Randwick Australia Breeders' Cup Turf It's A Dundeel not entered
May Gran Premio 25 de Mayo San Isidro Argentina Breeders' Cup Turf Sir Winsalot not entered
June Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Palace Malice not entered
June Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Close Hatches entered
June Grande Prêmio Brasil Hipódromo da Gávea Brazil Breeders' Cup Turf Bal A Bali injured
June Stephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Classic Moonshine Mullin not entered
June Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Obviously entered
June The Gold Cup at Santa Anita Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Majestic Harbor entered
June Takarazuka Kinen Hanshin Japan Breeders' Cup Turf Gold Ship not entered
July Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Minorette not entered
July King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Taghrooda not entered
July Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Distaff Iotapa 3rd
July Bing Crosby Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Sprint Big Macher entered
July Haskell Invitational Monmouth New Jersey Breeders' Cup Classic Bayern 1st
August Whitney Handicap Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Classic Moreno entered
August Beverly D. Stakes Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Euro Charline not entered
August Arlington Million Arlington Illinois Breeders' Cup Turf Hardest Core entered
August Prix Jacques Le Marois Deauville France Breeders' Cup Mile Kingman not entered
August Juddmonte International York England Breeders' Cup Turf Australia not entered
August Yorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Tapestry not entered
August Nunthorpe Stakes York England Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Sole Power not entered
August Pacific Classic Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Classic Shared Belief 4th
August Del Mar Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Turf Big John B entered
August Pat O'Brien Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Goldencents 1st
August Personal Ensign Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Close Hatches entered
August Ballerina Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Artemis Agrotera entered
August Forego Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Palace entered
September Grosser Preis von Baden Baden-Baden Germany Breeders' Cup Turf Ivanhowe not entered
September Matron Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Fiesolana entered
September Irish Champion Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf The Grey Gatsby not entered
September Juvenile Turf Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf John F. Kennedy not entered
September Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Cursory Glance not entered
September Pocahontas Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Christina's Journey entered
September Iroquois Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Lucky Player entered
September Canadian Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Deceptive Vision not entered
September Woodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Mile Trade Storm 3rd
September Natalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Conquest Harlanate entered
September Summer Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Conquest Typhoon entered
September Rockfel Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Lucida not entered
September Royal Lodge Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Elm Park not entered
September Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Stephanie's Kitten 2nd
September Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Turf Main Sequence 1st
September Vosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Private Zone 3rd
September Jockey Club Gold Cup Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Classic Tonalist entered
September Awesome Again Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Shared Belief 4th
September FrontRunner Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile American Pharoah injured
September Chandelier Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Angela Renee entered
September Rodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Emollient entered
September Zenyatta Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Distaff Beholder illness
October Prix de l'Opéra Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Winner We Are not entered
October Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Full Mast not entered
October Prix Marcel Boussac Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Found not entered
October Alcibiades Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Peace and War not entered
October Phoenix Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Sprint Work All Week 1st
October Champagne Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Daredevil entered
October Frizette Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies By The Moon entered
October Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Mile Wise Dan injured
October Breeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Carpe Diem 2nd
October Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Leigh Court entered
October Santa Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Sprint Rich Tapestry entered
October Bourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Lawn Ranger entered
October Spinster Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Don't Tell Sophia 2nd
October Jessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Rainha Da Bateria entered

References

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  1. ^ "2014 Breeders' Cup Challenge Features 55 Group/Grade 1 Races in 13 Countries". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  2. ^ "2015 Breeders' Cup Challenge series features 78 qualifying races - Handicappers' Edge". www.brisnet.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-20. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  3. ^ Grening, David. "Foot problem forces American Pharoah out of Breeders' Cup Juvenile". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  4. ^ Hersh, Marcus. "Wise Dan injured, will miss Breeders' Cup". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  5. ^ Shinar, Jack. "Untapable Powers to Breeders' Cup Distaff Win". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Bal a Bali Being Treated for Laminitis". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Breeders' Cup Challenge 2014 archive". challenge.breederscup.com. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Breeders' Cup 2014 Challenge Schedule". ladyandthetrack.com. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Breeders' Cup 2014 pre-entries, odds". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  10. ^ "2014 Breeders' Cup Entries". www.chef-de-race.com. Retrieved 5 September 2016.