For horses and their respective connections, earning a spot in the prestigious Breeders' Cup ranks among the top achievements in Thoroughbred racing. At the 2025 Santa Anita Autumn Meet, which opens Friday, Sept. 26, seven coveted Breeders' Cup bids will be on the line as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
This year's Breeders' Cup is Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Del Mar, about a two hour drive south of Santa Anita. The two-day extravagance features many of the world's best horses competing in14 Grade I events worth $31 million in total prize money. The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, first established in 2007, this year has a record 93 automatic qualifying races to be held across 15 countries The winners of these races each receive free entry to their respective Breeders' Cup races along with a travel allowance if stabled outside of California.
Last year, two horses—Straight No Chaser and Citizen Bull—parlayed wins at the Santa Anita Autumn Meet into victories at the 2024 Breeders' Cup. Each ultimately would also win the Eclipse Award as their divisions' respective champions.
Straight No Chaser, trained by Dan Blacker for owner My Racehorse, scored in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship before also taking down the Breeders' Cup Sprint. While the Santa Anita Sprint last year was not a Breeders' Cup Challenge race, it is this year, and Straight No Chaser will be back to defend his title.
"It carries a lot of weight when a race is a 'Win and You're In'," Blacker said. "Owners want to run in the Breeders' Cup and rightfully so. It's our championship. I think it has a big effect on the decision making of which race to run in."
Citizen Bull, trained by Bob Baffert, won the GI American Pharoah at Santa Anita to earn a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. In the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Citizen Bull and jockey Martin Garcia went gate-to-wire for a 1 ½-length upset at odds of 15-1.
At the Autumn Meet, all seven Breeders' Cup Challenge races will be run during the first two weekends of the meet. Below is the full lineup of races with additional details including some notable previous winners.
Saturday, Sept. 27 (Races drawn on Monday, Sept. 22)
GI Goodwood Stakes (3-year-olds and up, 1 1/8 miles on dirt)
The winner earns an automatic bid to the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at 1 ¼ miles. Since the start of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series in 2007, two horses have won this race and then the Breeders' Cup Classic. Accelerate did so in 2018 for trainer John Sadler, and Mucho Macho Man did likewise 2013 for trainer Kathy Ritvo. Additionally, both California Chrome in 2016 and Medina Spirit in 2021 finished second in the Classic after winning this race.
GII City of Hope Mile (3-year-olds and up, 1 mile on turf)
Last year's City of Hope winner, Johannes, came back to finish a bang-up second in the Breeders' Cup Mile, losing by just three-quarters of a length to More Than Looks. Johannes, trained by Tim Yakteen for owner CUYATHY LLC, will try for a City of Hope repeat in this year's edition.
From 1999 to 2001, when known as the Oak Tree Mile, three consecutive winners of this race also prevailed in the Breeders' Cup Mile. In 1999, Silic completed the double for trainer Julio Canani. He was followed by War Chant in 2000 for trainer Neil Drysdale and then Val Royal in 2001, who was also trained by Canani.
Sunday, Sept. 28 (Races drawn on Tuesday, Sept. 23)
GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship (3-year-olds and up, 6 furlongs)
Straight No Chaser last year joined Roy H and Amazombie as horses in the Challenge Series era to win this race and also the Breeders' Cup Sprint in the same year. Roy H, trained by Peter Miller, did so in both 2017 and 2018. Amazombie accomplished the feat in 2011 for trainer Bill Spawr when this race was known as the Ancient Title Stakes.
Also noteworthy was 2021 winner Dr. Schivel. Trained by Mark Glatt, Dr. Schivel led that year's Breeders' Cup Sprint in deep stretch before getting nailed on the wire for a gut-wrenching nose loss to Aloha West.
GII Zenyatta Stakes (3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, 1 1/16 Miles)
This is an automatic qualifier for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff. The race's namesake, Zenyatta, won this event three consecutive years from 2008-2010 when it was known as the Lady's Secret Stakes. Then a fellow member of the Racing Hall of Fame, Beholder, equaled the feat by winning three straight Zenyatta Stakes from 2013-2015.
Following her win in 2008, Zenyatta went on to victory in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic, as the Distaff was known at the time. In 2009, Zenyatta made racing history when she became the only female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. Then in 2010, in her final career start, Zenyatta valiantly endured her only career defeat when coming up a head short in the Breeders' Cup Classic to Blame. Trained by John Shirreffs for Jerry and Ann Moss, Zenyatta was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2016.
Beholder, trained by Richard Mandella for owner Spendthrift Farm, as a 3-year-old in 2013 also won the Distaff after her Zenyatta Stakes victory. She later bagged a second Distaff title in 2016 after finishing second in the Zenyatta. A four-time champion in five seasons on the track, Beholder entered the Racing Hall of Fame in 2022.
Saturday, Oct. 4 (Races drawn on Monday, Sept. 29)
GI American Pharoah Stakes (2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles)
Citizen Bull last year became just the latest Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to emerge from this race in the Challenge Series era. Baffert also completed the double in 2021 with Corniche and 2018 with Game Winner. Nyquist, trained by Doug O'Neill, did likewise in 2015 when this race was named the FrontRunner Stakes.
Since 2007, three other horses won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile after being defeated in this race: Storm the Court in 2019, Texas Red in 2014 and Midshipman in 2008.
GII Oak Leaf Stakes (2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles)
The winner of this race receives an automatic bid for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, also at 1 1/16 miles. In the Challenge Series era, two fillies have won this race and the Juvenile Fillies: Songbird in 2015 for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and Stardom Bound, trained by Christopher Paasch, in 2008.
GII Rodeo Drive (3-year-olds & up, fillies and mares 1 1/4 miles turf)
The winner earns a spot in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Expected to try and defend her title is last year's Rodeo Drive winner Hang the Moon. Trained by Phil D'Amato for owner CJ Thoroughbreds, Hang the Moon returned from a lengthy layoff this summer at Del Mar and finished off the board in a pair of graded stakes.
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