2015 Breeders’ Cup

Keeneland will host the 2015 Breeders' Cup on October 30 and 31 (Photo courtesy of BreedersCup.com)
Keeneland will host the 2015 Breeders’ Cup on October 30 and 31 (Photo courtesy of BreedersCup.com)

2015 Breeders’ Cup and Breeders’ Cup Challenge Schedule

The 2015 Breeders’ Cup will take place at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky for the first time. The two day event will take place on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31. The total purses awarded in 2015 will be $26 million.

The Breeders’ Cup consists of 13 Breeders’ Cup races that range from two-year old horses to older horses on both dirt and turf. All 13 Breeders’ Cup are listed below.

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (1 Mile on Turf for 2 year olds; Purse $1,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (1 Mile on Turf for 2-year-old Fillies; Purse $1,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (1 1/16 Miles on Dirt for 2 year olds; Purse $2,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (1 1/16 Miles on Dirt for 2-year-old Fillies; Purse $2,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (About 1 Mile on Dirt for 3 year olds and up; Purse $1,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Distaff (1 1/8 Miles on Dirt for Fillies & Mares 3 year olds and up; Purse $2,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (1 3/16 Miles on Turf for Fillies & Mares 3 year olds and up; Purse $2,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (7 Furlongs on Dirt for Fillies & Mares 3 year olds and up; Purse $1,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (5.5 Furlongs on Turf for 3 year olds and up; Purse $1,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Turf (1 1/2 Miles on Turf for 3 year olds and up; Purse $3,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Sprint (6 Furlongs on Dirt for 3 year olds and up; Purse $1,500,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Mile (1 Mile on Turf for 3 year olds and up; Purse $2,000,000)

The Breeders’ Cup Classic (1 1/4 Miles on Dirt for 3 year olds and up; Purse $5,000,000)

Prior to the Breeders’ Cup, there is a chance for horses to earn their spot to participate at the Thoroughbred World Championship via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge.

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is a series of 78 races that allow horses to clinch a spot in one of the Breeders’  Cup races. The entire 78 race schedule can be found here.

From the Breeders’ Cup Challenge release, “Breeders’ Cup will provide travel allowances to all starters outside of Kentucky for this year’s Championships including Challenge race winners. Breeders’ Cup will provide a $40,000 travel stipend to the connections of each Challenge winner from outside of North America and in North America, a $10,000 travel allowance for winners stabled outside of Kentucky. The Challenge winner must already be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program or it must be done by the Championships’ pre-entry deadline of October 19 to receive the rewards.”

Some of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge races will be televised as well. The entire television schedule can be found here, but some of the highlights are the Sword Dancer Invitational and Travers Stakes from Saratoga on August 29, the Spinaway Stakes and Woodward Handicap a week later (9/5) from Saratoga. In addition, there will be 5 races televised from Belmont Park and Keeneland on October 3 and October 4.

Post times and the wagering menu will be determined at a later date, but will be posted here when the information is available.

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