From the Breeders’ Cup Media Team / Claire Crosby:

BREEDERS’ CUP ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE SERIES SCHEDULE FOR 2026

Record $6.5 Million in Free Entry Fees Allocated
Winners Receive Automatic Berths in Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 8, 2026) – Fourteen countries on five continents will host races from the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In as the international qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships enters its 20th year in 2026.

Breeders’ Cup has allocated a record $6.5 million in free entry fees for the 2026 Challenge Series, with all winners guaranteed a starting position in a corresponding race at the 43rd Breeders’ Cup World Championships Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

Argentina, Canada, Chile, England, France, Ireland, Japan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Uruguay will host Challenge Series races in 2026. The 45-race international schedule may be viewed at BreedersCup.com/races/challenge-series. The North American portion of the Challenge Series, including races in Canada, will be announced in the spring when racing schedules have been further finalized.

“Global participation is a cornerstone of the Breeders’ Cup, and the Challenge Series remains the premier pathway for horsemen worldwide to secure automatic qualification for the World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “We are grateful to the racing authorities and partner organizations spanning five continents for their continued commitment, which is essential to the strength of the Challenge Series, and we anticipate another outstanding edition of the World Championships at Keeneland this fall.”

Breeders’ Cup will offer a $10,000 travel allowance for all starters within North America that are located outside of Kentucky, and a $40,000 travel allowance to the connections of Championship starters that are based outside of North America. If not already nominated, each Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 19 to receive the rewards.

Momentum Builds as Global Challenge Series Gets Underway

The 2026 Challenge Series launched in December of 2025 with Obataye winning an entry to the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) through the Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini Stakes (G1) in Argentina. On Jan. 6, the international action continued with Herr Kitten (BRZ) securing a berth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) via the Gran Premio Pedro Pineyrua (G3) in Uruguay.

The spotlight shifts Jan. 10 to Kenilworth Race Course in South Africa, with the King’s Plate (G1) offering a free berth to the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), the Paddock Stakes (G1) serving as an automatic qualifier for the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and the Cape Flying Championship (G1) providing entry to the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

The Saudi Cup (G1) card at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 14 and the Feb. 22 February Stakes (G1) card at Tokyo Race Course in Japan will again feature key Challenge Series races, along with the Dubai World Cup (G1) festival at Meydan Race Course in the United Arab Emirates in late March. The Royal Ascot meeting in England in June will also provide four automatic qualifiers. The series continues throughout the summer and fall, winding down with the Oct. 4 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) meeting at ParisLongchamp and the Oct. 17 Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse.

Last year, 46 Challenge Series winners competed in the World Championships at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and three won their respective divisional races: Forever Young (JPN) in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); Notable Speech (GB) in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), and Ted Noffey in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

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ABOUT BREEDERS’ CUP

Breeders’ Cup Limited administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races through partnerships with host countries around the globe, and the U.S.-based Dirt Dozen Bonus Series.

The 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, featuring 14 Grade 1 Championship races run during a two-day festival worth more than $34 million in purses and awards, will be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the 2027 World Championships will be held Oct. 29-30 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The Championships will be televised live by NBC Sports and FanDuel TV. Press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, BreedersCup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media.