The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In returns for its 20th year in 2026, providing the premier pathway for top contenders to earn automatic berths into the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The North American portion of the series will again deliver a robust schedule of races throughout the United States and Canada leading into the 43rd Breeders’ Cup World Championships Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.
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Breeders’ Cup has allocated a record $6.5 million in free entry fees for the 2026 Challenge Series, with the winners of 95 qualifying races across 14 countries receiving a guaranteed starting position into a corresponding race at the World Championships.
50 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races in 2026
There are 50 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races scheduled to take place in North America. Click here to view the full schedule.
After launching Jan. 24 as Skippylongstocking secured a berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) via victory in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), a new addition to the Challenge Series, the North American portion of the Challenge Series next moves to Oaklawn Park, where the April 11 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) will offer a berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) for the first time. The series then shifts to New York with a trio of races on Belmont Stakes weekend at Saratoga Race Course, and continues throughout the year until concluding with the Oct. 17 Champion Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse.
“North American racing provides the essential framework for the Challenge Series, presenting horsemen with a consistent and competitive path to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “The ongoing support of racing officials and track partners nationwide has been key to our success with the series, and we look forward to strong fields of global contenders at Keeneland this fall.”
Breeders’ Cup will offer a $10,000 travel allowance for all World Championships starters within North America that are located outside of Kentucky, and a $40,000 travel allowance to the connections of World Championships 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.
46 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Winners Make Show
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).
Breeders’ Cup will also continue the Dirt Dozen, an elite bonus program that features 12 North American graded dirt races, with two per World Championships division (excluding the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic). Horses finishing first, second, or third in these designated races will earn a tiered bonus bankroll which can be utilized towards pre-entry and entry fees at the World Championships. In total, over $525,000 in free entry fees await program participants. Bonus earnings may only be used to pay entry fees for dirt races in the World Championships. For more information, view the Dirt Dozen page here.
