Breeders’ Cup Introduces New Championship Lineup Featuring All Two-Year-Old Races on “Future Stars Friday”

By Jim Gluckson —-

DEL MAR, CA – NOVEMBER 04: Good Magic #6, ridden by Jose Ortiz, wins the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile race on Day 2 of the 2017 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar Racing Club on November 4, 2017 in Del Mar, California. (Photo by Carson Denis/Eclipse Sportswire/Breeders Cup)

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 10, 2018)- The Breeders’ Cup today announced a new and exciting race schedule for the 35th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on November 2-3, 2018. This year, and in the future, all five of the Breeders’ Cup races for 2-year-olds will be run on the first day of the event to be branded “Future Stars Friday.”

Under the new schedule, the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and the new $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will join the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) on the Friday race card, which will culminate with the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at 6:05 p.m. ET, the first and most prominent step on the road to the Kentucky Derby. The Juvenile had been run on the Saturday program in previous years.

The $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) and the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) have been moved to the Saturday program, which will feature nine Breeders’ Cup races, concluding with the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at 5:44 p.m. ET.

“With the increased excitement and international interest in our Juvenile races, ‘Future Stars Friday’ will create an identity to showcase the emerging stars of our sport on the first day of the World Championships,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO. “Churchill Downs also provides the perfect stage for our fans to witness the potential candidates for next year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, as well as standouts competing from overseas.

“We also look forward to the Distaff and Dirt Mile bolstering an already blockbuster line up of World Championship races on Saturday culminating with the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Fravel added.

A total of eight starters from the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Good Magic, Solomini, Bolt d’Oro, Firenze Fire, Free Drop Billy, Mendelssohn, My Boy Jack and Flameaway) competed in last Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Horses that ran in last year’s Juvenile Turf at Del Mar have combined for 12 stakes victories, seven of them graded or group events, since the 2017 Championships.

Below is the list of races for this year’s World Championships. The official race order will not be announced until October 24.

2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships
(Official Race Order to be announced on October 24)

RACE AGE, SEX DISTANCE PURSE
*
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint 2yo, C&G, Fillies 5 1/2 furlongs (T) $1,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) 2yo, Fillies 1 mile (T) $1,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) 2yo, Fillies 1 1/16 miles $2,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) 2yo, C&G 1 mile (T) $1,000,000
Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) 2yo, C&G 1 1/16 miles $2,000,000
(10 race program)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3

RACE AGE, SEX DISTANCE PURSE*
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) 3yo & Up, F&M 7 furlongs $1,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) 3yo & Up 5 1/2 furlongs (T) $1,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) 3yo & Up 1 mile $1,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) 3yo & Up, F&M 1 3/8 miles (T) $2,000,000
TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) 3yo & Up 6 furlongs $2,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) 3yo & Up 1 mile (T) $2,000,000
Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) 3yo & Up, F&M 1 1/8 miles $2,000,000
Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) 3yo & Up 1 1/2 miles (T) $4,000,000
Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) 3yo & Up 1 1/4 miles $6,000,000
(12 race program)
*Purse Includes Travel Awards

In addition to the new lineup of races, this year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf will be run at 1 3/8 miles. It was run at 1 1/8 miles last year. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint will be run at 5 ½ furlongs and the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint also will be run at 5 ½ furlongs.

Total purses and awards for the 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships will exceed $30 million, including more than $1 million in purses for the undercard races.

About Breeders’ Cup
The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 races (13 Grade 1 events) with purses and awards totaling more than $30 million, will be held November 2-3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
and YouTube.