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 in Lexington.
Breeders' Cup has allocated a record $6.5 million in free entry fees for the 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.
There are 50 Challenge Series races scheduled to take place in North America. The full schedule may be viewed at BreedersCup.com/races/challenge-series.
After launching Jan. 24 as Skippylongstocking secured a berth into the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) via victory in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (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 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) for the first time. The series then shifts to New York with a trio of races on Belmont Stakes (G1) 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. "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.
Last year, 46 Challenge Series winners competed in the World Championships at Del Mar and three won their respective divisional races: Forever Young in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic; Notable Speech in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T), and Ted Noffey in the $2 million 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 Breeders' Cup Classic). Horses finishing first, second, or third in these designated races will earn a tiered bonus bankroll which can be utilized toward 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, visit BreedersCup.com/races/dirt-dozen.
Television Schedule
The 2026 Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In television programming will consist of seven live programs across NBC, FOX, and Peacock.
"The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series provides a compelling way for fans to follow the journey from the sport's premier races to the World Championships," said Drew Fleming, president and CEO of Breeders' Cup. "Thanks to our strong partnerships with NBC and FOX, we look forward to elevating these races on a global stage while highlighting the world-class competition that defines the Breeders' Cup."
All Breeders' Cup Challenge Series coverage on NBC will also be streamed on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. NBC Sports will also continue to present the World Championships on NBC and Peacock as part of its long-term partnership with Breeders' Cup.
"We're proud to continue our partnership with Breeders' Cup, showcasing the Challenge Series races as we build to the exciting culmination this fall at the World Championships at Keeneland," said Gary Quinn, vice president of partnerships and general manager of owned properties, NBC Sports.
New for 2026, the Challenge Series television coverage begins internationally during Royal Ascot, with four consecutive days of programming on Peacock from June 16-19, followed by a three-hour show on NBC and Peacock June 20 from 9 a.m. to noon ET. The coverage features several marquee races, including the King Charles III Stakes (G1), a qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T); the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), a Challenge race for the Breeders' Cup Mile; the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1), a qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T); and the Norfolk Stakes (G2), which offers a berth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).
NBC and Peacock resume coverage July 18 from 5-6 p.m. ET with the Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, an automatic qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Classic.
On Aug. 8, FOX will broadcast the Fourstardave Stakes (G1T) and Whitney Stakes (G1) from Saratoga Race Course from 5-6 p.m. ET, Challenge races for the Breeders' Cup Mile and the Breeders' Cup Classic, respectively.
On Sept. 5, NBC and Peacock will present a two-hour broadcast from 4-6 p.m. ET featuring the Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) and Kentucky Turf Cup Invitational Stakes (G2T), key Challenge races for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and Breeders' Cup Turf, respectively.
The series concludes Oct. 3 from 4-6 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock with live coverage from Keeneland, featuring the Breeders' Futurity (G1), an automatic qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile; the Turf Mile Stakes (G1T), a "Win and You're In" event for the Breeders' Cup Mile; and the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2), which awards a berth into the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).
The majority of the Breeders' Cup Challenge races will be televised on FanDuel TV, which will continue to provide extensive special programming in the lead-up to the World Championships.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
