Eligibility & Fees
Pre-Entry opens October 1st
Breeders' Cup Condition of Entry
As a condition of entry for any BCWC race, no horse
- (i) within six (6) months of the BCWC shall test positive in a BCL out-of-competition test sample for, or have a veterinarian reported administration of any anabolic steroid, any bisphosphonate, or any other prohibited substance described under the Association of Racing Commissioners International (“ARCI”) prohibited substance list at ARCI-011-015 V.11.0 (Annex I) of ARCI’s Model Rules, and any horse in violation of this Condition (i) shall be ineligible to participate in the 2022 BCWC. Any horse nominated, pre-entered or entered to race is subject to blood, hair, or urine testing at any time.
- (ii) within thirty (30) days of the BCWC shall have been treated with extracorporeal shock wave therapy; and any horse in violation of this Condition (ii) shall be ineligible to participate in the 2022 BCWC. (See complete HISA rule on page 100 of this Guide).
- (iii) will have a positive finding of any medication or substance carrying a Category “A”, “B” or “C” penalty as designated in Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Uniform Drug, Medication, and Substance Classification Schedule KHRC 8-020-1 (11/2018) in a BCWC postrace test sample; and a positive finding for any of these medications or substances, as described above, will lead to a disqualification of the horse, a redistribution of the purse, and a suspension of the trainer for one year from competing in the next BCWC.
If any connection of the above-described horse has been notified by a regulatory body, racetrack or racing association (i) about a pending or potential anti-doping or medication control violation involving the connection, or (ii) that such connection is currently banned, ejected or denied from participating in racing in its jurisdiction or facility, such connection must immediately report the same to Breeders’ Cup. A positive test may report the presence of substance(s) administered to a horse prior to six (6) months before the BCWC.
Breeders’ Cup Prohibited Substances Rule
For any horse participating in a Breeders’ Cup World Championships race that is found by the racing regulatory agency in the jurisdiction where the race is conducted to have tested positive for any medication or substance carrying a Category “A”, “B” or “C” penalty as designated in Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Uniform Drug, Medication, and Substance Classification Schedule KHRC 8-020-1 (11/2018), in addition to any penalties imposed by the racing regulatory agency in the jurisdiction, the following sanctions shall be imposed: (i) the horse shall be disqualified to last in the race and any purse earned by the horse shall be forfeited and redistributed in accordance with the revised order of finish; (ii) in the event of a first violation of the prohibited substance rule in a Breeders’ Cup World Championships race, the horse’s trainer and all horses directly or indirectly in such trainer’s care shall be ineligible to participate in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships races conducted in the year immediately following the final determination that such trainer’s horse violated the prohibited substance rule; (iii) in the event of a second violation of the prohibited substance rule by a trainer in a Breeders’ Cup World Championships race, the trainer and all horses directly or indirectly in such trainer’s care shall be ineligible to participate in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships races conducted in the two years immediately following the final determination that such trainer’s horse violated the prohibited substance rule a second time; (iv) in the event of a third violation of the prohibited substance rule by a trainer in a Breeders’ Cup World Championships race, the trainer and all horses directly or indirectly in such trainer’s care shall be ineligible to participate in all Breeders’ Cup World Championships races conducted for the remainder of such trainer’s life following the final determination that such trainer’s horse violated the prohibited substance rule a third time.
Breeders' Cup Out of Competition Testing
Breeders’ Cup Limited will be conducting out-of-competition (OOC) testing on all Challenge win¬ners and any other possible starters prior to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. This testing is separate from any testing the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) performs. The Breeders’ Cup OOC testing will be performed by The Kenneth L. Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at UC Davis. Routine testing at the Maddy Lab meets or exceeds the protocols established by TOBA and required by Breeders’ Cup World Championships to ensure that the highest possible level of testing is performed on all samples.
The KHRC conducts out of competition (OOC) testing of horses under the KHRC’s jurisdiction. The primary focus of OOC testing for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be for Epogen, darb-EPO, and other blood doping agents but the KHRC may also test and prosecute for any other drugs or medications restricted by 810 KAR 8:040, including anabolic steroids. Out of competition testing may be conducted at any time. 810 KAR 8:040 provides that every horse nominated, pre-entered or entered in a race is subject to testing and no owner, trainer or other person having the care of a horse shall refuse to submit it for testing when directed by the Stewards or the Official Veterinarian. Racing officials from other state jurisdictions and internationally will assist the KHRC in obtaining blood samples for OOC testing. Horses must be timely produced for testing if requested. A horse is not eligible to start unless the owner and trainer comply with any pre-race testing request. A horse testing positive for any prohibited substance will initiate regulatory action. If a violation is determined, serious penalties may be imposed, including fines and suspension or revocation of licenses.
Eligibility
Horses that are nominated to Breeders' Cup and are eligible for Breeders' Cup Championship races must pay entry fees as indicated. Horses that were not nominated as weanlings may be late nominated. No horse can be pre-entered for more than two races. When a horse is pre-entered for two races, the required pre-entry payment must be for the race of greatest value, regardless of whether it is the race of first preference.
Horses that are nominated to Breeders' Cup
The pre-entry fee is due by 12 noon (local time at place of pre-entry) on Monday, October 24, 2022.
An entry fee is required to pass the box at the time of entry closing- 10:00 a.m. (ET) on Monday, October 31, 2022 at the Breeders' Cup Racing Office-Keeneland.
All Championship starters will receive a travel award if based outside of Kentucky.
- $10,000 for North America
- $40,000 for International
All runners are subject to the highest standards in medication testing and security while competing in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships which include the following:
- Out-of-competition testing performed in advance on potential runners
- All Breeders’ Cup World Championships and undercard races will be Lasix free
- 24-Hour Security on every runner that will begin at the mandatory security check-in time on Tuesday, November 1st
- All Championship runners must be on the grounds of the racetrack by Tuesday, November 1st for a security check-in.
- All runners will be inspected physically and on track every day in the week prior to the Championships by a combined team of KHRC regulatory veterinarians and the Breeders’ Cup Veterinary team.
- TC02 testing performed on every runner.
- The first four finishers plus any other will be sent for post-race testing from every Championship race. Testing will be performed for over 100 performance enhancing substances.
- All runners may request pre-race testing if they are concerned about withdrawal times for medications permitted during training but not racing.
- For additional security/safety measures put in place by Keeneland and the KHRC, please see the list on the yellow attention page in the front of the Horsemen’s Information Guide.
All horses must be nominated to compete in the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Horses not Nominated to Breeders' Cup may be nominated under the Horses of Racing Age nomination program.
Horses of Racing Age Nominations
Refunds for Pre-Entry and Entry Fees
Pre-entry fees and entry fees for nominated horses are non-refundable except in the event of sickness or disability certified by the track or state veterinarian (or veterinary certification acceptable to Breeders' Cup Limited) or in the event a horse is prevented from starting by a decision of the Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel in order to limit the field of starters.