From the Breeders’ Cup Media Team:

BREEDERS’ CUP CHALLENGE SERIES FACT SHEET
Pacific Classic, Del Mar Handicap, Green Flash Handicap
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
Aug. 30, 2025
 
 
  • The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In is an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The full schedule may be viewed at BreedersCup.com/races/challenge-series.
  • Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, host of the 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, will also host six Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races this year.
  • The $150,000 Green Flash Handicap (G3) provides the winner with an automatic starting position into the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1); the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) gives the winner a guaranteed starting position into the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and the $300,000 Del Mar Handicap presented by Japan Racing Association (G2) awards a free berth to the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
  • In 2024, five Breeders’ Cup World Championships winners earned automatic berths via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series: Lake Victoria (IRE) (John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf), Citizen Bull (FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile), Immersive (NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies), Soul of an Angel (PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint), and Moira (ON) (Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf).
  • After the 2025 running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar, the 2026 edition will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the 2027 World Championships will be held at the new Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
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$150,000 Green Flash Handicap (G3), 5 furlongs, 3YO & Up
Race #9: Post Time – 5:39 p.m. PT
Entries courtesy of Equibase
Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1); $30,000 entry fee waived, $10,000 awarded to Breeders’ Cup nominator (when applicable). All Championship starters based outside of California receive a travel allowance.
Recent Winner Highlights: Motorious (GB) (2023, 2024) finished second in the 2023 TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and finished second in the 2024 Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint; Lieutenant Dan (2021, 2002) finished second in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint; Stormy Liberal (2018) won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in a successful Turf Sprint title defense. California Flag (2009) won the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
2025 Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint Division – Challenge Series Races
Race Date
Track
Race Name
Distance
Age
Winner
6/7/2025
SAR
The Jaipur (G1)
5 1/2 Furlongs (T)
3 YO & UP
Ag Bullet
6/17/2025
ASC
The King Charles III Stakes (G1)
5 Furlongs (T)
3 YO & UP
American Affair (GB)
8/22/2025
YOR
Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes (G1)
5 Furlongs (T)
2 YO & UP
Asfoora (AUS)
8/30/2025
DMR
Green Flash Handicap (G3)
5 Furlongs (T)
3 YO & UP
8/30/2025
KD
The Mint Kentucky Turf Sprint (G2)
6 Furlongs (T)
3 YO & UP
9/14/2025
CUR
Bar One Flying Five Stakes (G1)
5 Furlongs (T)
3 YO & UP
10/5/2025
LCH
Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (G1)
5 Furlongs (T)
2 YO & UP
 
$1 million Pacific Classic (G1), 1 ¼ Miles, 3YO & Up
Race #10: Post Time – 6:11 p.m. PT
Entries courtesy of Equibase
Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); $150,000 entry fee waived, $10,000 awarded to Breeders’ Cup nominator (when applicable). All Championship starters based outside of California receive a travel allowance.
Recent Winner Highlights: Mixto (2024) finished 11th in the 2024 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic; Arabian Knight (2023) finished fourth in the 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Flightline (2022) won the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and was voted the 2022 Champion Older Dirt Male and Horse of the Year; Higher Power (2019) finished third in the 2019 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic; Accelerate (2018) won the 2018 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic and was voted the 2018 Champion Older Dirt Male. California Chrome (2016) finished second in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Classic and was voted the 2016 Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year.
 
Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Division – Challenge Series Races
Date
Track
Races (All G1)
Distance
Age
Winner
2/22/2025
KAR
Saudi Cup
1 1/8 Miles
3 YO & UP
Forever Young (JPN)
2/23/2025
TOK
February Stakes
1 Mile
4 YO & UP
Costa Nova (JPN)
4/5/2025
MEY
Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airlines
1 1/4 Miles
3 YO & UP
Hit Show
6/28/2025
CD
Stephen Foster Stakes
1 1/8 Miles
4 YO & UP
Mindframe
7/19/2025
MTH
NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes
1 1/8 Miles
3 YO
Journalism
8/2/2025
SAR
The Whitney
1 1/8 Miles
4 YO & UP
Sierra Leone
8/20/2025
YOR
Juddmonte International Stakes
1 1/4 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
Ombudsman (IRE)
8/30/2025
DRM
Pacific Classic
1 1/4 Miles
3 YO & UP
8/31/2025
SAR
Jockey Club Gold Cup
1 1/4 Miles
3 YO & UP
9/27/2025
SA
Goodwood Stakes
1 1/8 Miles
3 YO & UP
 
 
$300,000 Del Mar Handicap presented by Japan Racing Association (G2)
1 3/8 Miles (Turf), 3YO & Up
 
Race #11 – Post Time: 6:43 p.m. PT
 
Entries courtesy of Equibase
Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1); $125,000 entry fee waived, $10,000 awarded to Breeders’ Cup nominator (when applicable). All Championship starters based outside of California receive a travel allowance.
Recent Winner Highlights: Gold Phoenix (IRE) (2022, 2023, 2024) finished 10th in the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf, fourth in 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf and fourth in the 2024 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf; Red King (2020) finished ninth in the 2020 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf; Ashleyluvssugar (2016) finished fifth in the 2016 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf; Vagabond Shoes (2013) finished fifth in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf Division – Challenge Series Races
Race Date
Track
Race Name
Distance
Age
Winner
12/14/2024
SIS
Carlos Pellegrini Stakes (G1)
1 1/2 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
Intense for Me (ARG)
4/5/2025
MEY
Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Presented by Longines (G1)
1 1/2 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
Danon Decile (JPN)
6/15/2025
HSN
Takarazuka Kinen (G1)
1 3/8 Mile (T)
3 YO & UP
Meisho Tabaru (JPN)
6/18/2025
ASC
The Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1)
1 1/4 Miles (T)
4 YO & UP
Ombudsman (IRE)
6/22/2025
GVA
Grande Premio Brasil (G1)
1 1/2 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
Sinsel (BRZ)
7/26/2025
ASC
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1)
1 1/2 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
Calandagan (IRE)
8/9/2025
SAR
The Sword Dancer (G1)
1 1/2 Miles (T)
4 YO & UP
El Cordobes (IRE)
8/30/2025
DMR
Del Mar Handicap Presented By   The Japan Racing Association (G2)
1 3/8 Mile (T)
3 YO & UP
9/6/2025
KD
The FanDuel TV Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational (G2)
1 1/2 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
9/13/2025
LEO
The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (G1)
1 1/4 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
10/5/2025
LCH
Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1)
1 1/2 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
10/18/2025
ASC
QIPCO Champion Stakes (G1)
1 1/4 Miles (T)
3 YO & UP
 
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 2025 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. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar in Del Mar, California. The 2026 World Championships will be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, 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. Press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, BreedersCup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media.