Horse Racing: Breeders’ Cup 2022 Schedule, Challenge Series, Vegas Odds & How To Watch
- Keeneland hosts the prestigious Breeders’ Cup in 2022, with 14 Grade 1s set to be run
- The Breeders’ Cup Classic, worth $6 million, is the feature of the two-day meet
Following the conclusion of the Triple Crown season in the U.S. with the running of the Belmont Stakes, all eyes will now turn to potential routes to the Breeders’ Cup in November. The Breeders’ Cup 2022 will be staged at Keeneland, Lexington, and you can find everything you need to know about the event this year below.
Breeders’ Cup 2022 Schedule
- When: Friday, November 4 2022- Saturday, November 5 2022
- Where: Keeneland, Lexington
- How To Watch: NBC Sport
Breeders’ Cup 2022 Races
Like every year, there will be an international flavor to the Breeders’ Cup in 2022, with races being run on both dirt and turf. Five championship races are held on the Friday for horses aged two, while Saturday’s action attracts stars from around the world, with nine further championship races being staged.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is the big race of the meet, while the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Breeders’ Cup Distaff have also created memorable moments for international connections over recent years. The full lineup of races that will be staged at Keeneland in 2022 can be found below.
| Race | Date | Purse | Distance | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breeders’ Cup Classic | Saturday, November 5 | $6 million | 1 ½ miles | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Turf | Saturday, November 5 | $4 million | 1 ½ miles | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Mile | Saturday, November 5 | $2 million | 1 mile | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Distaff | Saturday, November 5 | $2 million | 1 1/8 miles | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf | Saturday, November 5 | $2 million | 1 3/8 miles | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Sprint | Saturday, November 5 | $2 million | 6 furlongs | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint | Saturday, November 5 | $1 million | 5 furlongs | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | Saturday, November 5 | $1 million | 7 furlongs | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile | Saturday, November 5 | $1 million | 1 mile | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile | Friday, November 4 | $2 million | 1 1/16 miles | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf | Friday, November 4 | $2 million | 1 mile | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies | Friday, November 4 | $2 million | 1 1/16 miles | 1 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | Friday, November 4 | $1 million | 5 furlongs | 2 |
| Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | Friday, November 4 | $1 million | 1 mile | 1 |
Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races
In order to line up in one of the lucrative races that are staged at the Breeders’ Cup, horses will need to first win a race in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. These races are held across the globe, with winning connections automatically gaining entry to the relevant race.
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Selected qualification races for this year’s event can be found below, including winners of previous Challenge Series races held this year.
| Winning Horse | Location of Challenge Race | Challenge Race | Race Qualified For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village King (ARG) | Argentina | Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf |
| Jet Dark (SAF) | South Africa | L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| Captain’s Ransom (SAF) | South Africa | Cartier Paddock Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf |
| Café Pharoah (USA) | Japan | February Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Classic |
| La Validada (Arg) | Argentina | Gran Premio Criadores | Breeders’ Cup Distaff |
| Sodashi (JPN) | Japan | Victoria Mile | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf |
| Viejos Tiempos (CHI) | Chile | Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| Count Again (USA) | USA | Shoemaker Mile | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| Songline (JPN) | Japan | Yasuda Kinen | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| Flightline (USA) | USA | Hill N Dale Metropolitan Handicap | Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile |
| Casa Creed (USA) | USA | Jaipur | Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint |
| Clairiere (USA) | USA | Ogden Phipps | Breeders’ Cup Distaff |
| Nature Strip (AUS) | UK | King’s Stand Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint |
| Baaeed (GB) | UK | Queen Anne Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| State of Rest (IRE) | UK | Prince of Wales’s Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf |
| The Ridler (GB) | UK | Norfolk Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint |
| Nautilus (BRZ) | Brazil | Grande Premio Brasil | Breeders’ Cup Turf |
| Old Perfecta (PER) | Peru | Grand Premio Pamplona | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf |
| Titleholder (JPN) | Japan | Takarazuka Kinen | Breeders’ Cup Turf |
| Ce Ce (USA) | USA- July 2 | Princess Rooney Invitational | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint |
| Olympiad (USA) | USA- July 2 | Stephen Foster Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Classic |
| Cyberknife | USA- July 23 | Haskell Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Classic |
| Pyledriver | UK- July 23 | King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf |
| Baaeed | UK- July 27 | Sussex Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| American Theorem | USA- July 30 | Bing Crosby Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Sprint |
| Life Is Good | USA- August 6 | The Whitney | Breeders’ Cup Classic |
| Blue Stripe (ARG) | USA- August 7 | Clement L. Hirsch Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Distaff |
| Dalika | USA- August 13 | Beverly D. Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf |
| Casa Creed | USA- August 13 | Fourstardave Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| Inspiral | France- August 14 | Prix Du Haras De Fresnay | Breeders’ Cup Mile |
| Baaeed | UK- August 17 | Juddmonte International Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Classic |
| Alpinista | UK- August 18 | Yorkshire Oaks | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf |
| UK- August 19 | Nunthorpe Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint | |
| France- August 21 | Darley Prix Morny | Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint | |
| USA- August 27 | Pat O’Brien Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile | |
| USA- August 27 | Sword Dancer Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf | |
| USA- August 28 | The Ballerina | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint | |
| USA- September 3 | Jockey Club Gold Cup | Breeders’ Cup Classic | |
| USA- September 3 | Flower Bowl | Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf | |
| USA- September 3 | Del Mar Handicap | Breeders’ Cup Turf | |
| USA- September 3 | Pacific Classic | Breeders’ Cup Classic | |
| Ireland- September 10 | Irish Champion Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf | |
| UK- September 23 | Rockfel Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf | |
| UK- September 24 | Royal Lodge Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf | |
| USA- October 1 | Awesome Again Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Classic | |
| France- October 2 | Prix De l’Arc De Triomphe | Breeders’ Cup Turf | |
| UK- October 15 | Champion Stakes | Breeders’ Cup Turf |
Breeders’ Cup Classic Latest Vegas Odds & Pick
| Horse | Vegas Odds |
|---|---|
| Flightline | +300 |
| Life Is Good | +800 |
| Jack Christopher | +800 |
| Country Grammer | +1200 |
| Mo Donegal | +1200 |
| Epicenter | +1600 |
| Hot Rod Charlie | +2000 |
| Mandaloun | +2000 |
The latest odds for the Breeders’ Cup Classic can be found above. Flightline for trainer John Sadler is a very clear favorite at this early stage. The four-year-old boasts a perfect record on track with four wins from four starts. He returned following a six-month break in June, with a dominant success in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap. That form is the strongest of the leading contenders at present.
Life Is Good was excellent in the G1 Dirt Mile last year at Del Mar, and looked strong when beating last year’s Classic winner Knicks Go in the G1 Pegasus World Cup. However, he will need to bounce back following a disappointing run overseas. Jack Christopher could be the most interesting horse in the field after returning from injury with two victories. However, I get the sense that he is more likely to line-up in the G1 Dirt Mile at Keeneland this year.
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