Series To Include New Races In Toronto, Seattle, Boston, Miami, Delaware and New Jersey

NEW YORK, N.Y. (February 14, 2008) – The Breeders’ Cup Challenge, a series of automatic qualifying races for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, will be expanded from 24 races to a minimum of 49 races at 12 of North America’s premier racing venues in 2008, Breeders’ Cup announced today.

The expanded Challenge will now include six international races at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada.  Other new markets and tracks for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge include Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash.; Suffolk Downs in Boston; Delaware Park in Wilmington, Del.; Calder Race Course near Miami; and Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J.  The 2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge races will begin on July 5 with races from Monmouth Park, host of last year’s Breeders’ Cup.  Breeders’ Cup Challenge races will be televised on ABC, ESPN, TVG and HRTV in more than 120 countries.

The 2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge will be highlighted by its “Win and You’re In” provision, with the winner of each of the 49 Challenge races automatically qualifying for a spot in the corresponding divisional race in the fourteen-race, $25.5 million Breeders’ Cup World Championships.  The 2008 Breeders’ Cup marks the 25^th running of the event, which will be held October 24-25 at The Oak Tree Racing Association meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and will be televised live on ESPN. 

The addition of Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Canada is a significant step for the Breeders’ Cup Challenge entering its second year as it incorporates six races internationally and expands the Challenge footprint across North America.  Woodbine moved its October 4 race card back two weeks to ensure two of Canada’s most prominent races were included in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge – E P Taylor, a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and the Canadian International, a qualifier for the Turf division.  Other race qualifiers that day include the Nearctic, for the Turf Sprint and the Summer Stakes, for the Juvenile Turf.

“Following last year’s successful launch of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, there was a great deal of interest from tracks around the country and internationally to be a part of this years series, and that interest led to the expansion of the Challenge,” said Greg Avioli, president and chief executive officer of Breeders’ Cup.   “The creation of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge has served as a powerful link between America’s greatest races to the Breeders’ Cup and has created an increased level of awareness for the horses competing in the World Championships.”

Five of the 49 races will be automatic qualifiers for starting positions in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic beginning with the Whitney Handicap in Saratoga (July 26), the Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar (Tentative - August 24), the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs (September 20), The Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park (September 27), and the Goodwood Stakes at the Oak Tree Racing Association’s meet at Santa Anita Park (Tentative - September 27).  The Classic is limited to 14 starters.

Breeders’ Cup Challenge expansion also includes the addition of qualifying races for the $1 Million Dirt Mile, $2 Million Juvenile Fillies, $ 1 Million Juvenile Fillies Turf and $1 Million Juvenile Turf.

In its first year the Breeders’ Cup Challenge had 14 winners who competed in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup World Championships; four horses won - War Pass (Juvenile), Ginger Punch (Distaff), English Channel (Turf), and Curlin (Classic).

Shamdinan (Turf), Lawyer Ron (Classic), Tiago (Classic), Greg’s Gold (Sprint), Idiot Proof (Sprint), Wicked Style (Juvenile), Tough Tiz’s Sis (Distaff), Unbridled Belle (Distaff), Purim (Mile) and My Typhoon (Mile) were BC Challenge winners who also competed in the 2007 Breeders’ Cup.

While 49 races have been established as the preliminary Challenge schedule for 2008, Breeders’ Cup officials indicated that they might expand by an additional 5-6 races pending ongoing discussions with partner tracks.

Introduced in 2007, the Breeders’ Cup Challenge helped drive attendance, wagering, television and media coverage in participating markets where Breeders’ Cup and its partner tracks co-promoted the events.

“The Breeders’ Cup Challenge made a big day even bigger at Del Mar last year and helped us set a single-day wagering record,” said Craig Fravel, DMTC’s executive vice president.  “We’re delighted to be part of this unique series again in 2008 and hope our fans find it even more appealing this time around.” 

2008 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Schedule

Date/Track                                Race                                         BC Qualifying Race

July 5, 2008

Monmouth Park                       Salvator Mile                             Dirt Mile

                                                United Nations                          Turf

July 12, 2008

Calder Race Course                 Princess Rooney                       Filly & Mare Sprint

                                                Smile Sprint                              Sprint

July 13, 2008

Delaware                                  Delaware Handicap                  Distaff

July 19, 2008

Del Mar*                                  San Diego Handicap                 Dirt Mile

July 26, 2008

Saratoga                                   Whitney Handicap                     Classic

                                                Go For Wand Handicap            Distaff

                                                Diana Stakes                             Filly & Mare Turf

                                                A.G. Vanderbilt Handicap         Sprint

August 3, 2008

Del Mar *                                 John Mabee                              Filly & Mare Turf

August 9, 2008

Arlington Park                          Arlington Million                        Turf

                                                Beverly D                                  Filly & Mare Turf

August 16, 2008

Saratoga                                  Sword Dancer                           Turf

August 17, 2008

Emerald Downs                       Longacres Mile Handicap           Dirt Mile

Del Mar*                                 Del Mar Handicap                      Turf

August 23, 2008

Arlington Park                         Arlington Sprint                         Turf Sprint

Del Mar*                                Del Mar Handicap                     Mile

August 24, 2008

Del Mar*                                Pacific Classic                          Classic

                                               Rancho Bernardo Handicap      Filly & Mare Sprint

                                               Pat O’Brien Handicap               Sprint

Saratoga                                   Ballerina                                  Filly & Mare Sprint

September 7, 2008

Woodbine                                 Woodbine Mile                      Mile

September 14, 2008                 

Woodbine                                 Natalma                                 Juvenile Fillies Turf

September 20, 2008

Suffolk Downs                          Massachusetts Handicap         Classic

September 24, 2008

Oak Tree at

Santa Anita Park*                      Morvich Handicap                  Turf Sprint

September 27, 2008

Belmont Park                            The Jockey Club Gold Cup      Classic

Oak Tree at

Santa Anita Park*                    Goodwood Stakes                    Classic

                                                Lady’s Secret Stakes                 Distaff

                                                Yellow Ribbon                           Filly & Mare Turf

                                                Oak Leaf                                   Juvenile Fillies

                                                Ancient Title Stakes                   Sprint

September 28, 2008

Belmont Park                            Miss Grillo                                Juvenile Fillies Turf

                                                The Pilgrim                                Juvenile Turf

Oak Tree at

Santa Anita Park*                     Norfolk                                     Juvenile

                                                Oak Tree Mile Stakes                 Mile

October 3, 2008

Keeneland*                               Darley Alcibiades                      Juvenile Fillies

October 4, 2008

Keeneland*                              Thoroughbred Club of America  Filly & Mare Sprint

                                                Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity     Juvenile

                                                Shadwell Mile                            Mile

Woodbine                                E P Taylor                                 Filly & Mare Turf

                                                Summer Stakes                         Juvenile Turf

                                                Canadian International                Turf

                                                Nearctic                                    Turf Sprint

Belmont Park                           Champagne                              Juvenile

                                                Frizette                                     Juvenile Fillies

October 5, 2008

Keeneland*                               Juddmonte Spinster Stakes       Distaff

                                                JP Morgan Chase Jessamine     Juvenile Fillies Turf

                                                Woodford Reserve Bourbon      Juvenile Turf

*  = Tentative date

The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships consisting of 14 races and $25.5 million in purses. The organization also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, and the Breeders’ Cup Stakes Program. Breeders’ Cup has offices in Lexington, Ky., and in New York City. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com.