Field Selection & Points
Current Divisional Point Leaders
A complete list of rules, regulations and minimum entry qualifications can be obtained
by contacting the Breeders' Cup Racing Department at (859) 514-9422 or emailing
racing@breederscup.com.
A maximum of 14 starters are allowed in each of the 14 Breeders' Cup World Championships races with the exception of the Turf Sprint, and Juvenile Turf Sprint which will each start 12. Breeders' Cup Limited has adopted a field selection system to select runners in the event fields are oversubscribed. This system ranks horses in order of preference based upon (i) wins in Breeders' Cup Challenge races, (ii) a point system and (iii) the judgment of a panel of racing experts. The field selection system will be implemented, as necessary, following the taking of pre-entries on October 21, 2024 to officially rank the oversubscribed fields. The Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel (the “Panel”) will rank all the horses pre-entered in the oversubscribed races as described below. After pre-entry ranking, any vacancies in the fields will be filled by horses in order of panel preference.
Pre-Entry Procedures
Online Pre-Entry opens October 1st
Selection Procedures
In the case of an oversubscribed 14 or 12 horse field, the first horse(s) selected will be the winner(s) of Breeders' Cup Challenge races in the corresponding Breeders' Cup Championships division. After the selection of Challenge winners, the next horses will be ranked at pre-entry based on the total number of Graded Stakes points they have collected during the year until a maximum of seven or six horses (or all Challenge winners) have been ranked based on Breeders'' Cup Challenge races and Graded Stakes points. All horses will need to accumulate a minimum of eight (8) points in American and/or Canadian Graded Stakes races to be considered to receive an automatic selection on points in any Championships race with the exception of the five Juvenile races. In the five Juvenile races, horses will need to accumulate a minimum of six (6) points in American and/ or Canadian Graded Stakes races to be considered to receive an automatic selection on points.
The horses remaining after the first seven or six (or all Challenge winners) in oversubscribed 14 or 12 horse fields at the time of pre-entry will be ranked in order of preference by the Panel.
Horses will be allowed to pre-enter a maximum of two races. The races in which the horse pre-enters must be designated in order of choice at the time of pre-entry on October 21, 2024. Performance in Breeders'' Cup Challenge races and points earned in American Graded Stakes races and/ or Canadian Graded Stakes races have no bearing on a given Championships race field unless the race is oversubscribed (more than fourteen or twelve pre-entered).
Once a horse has been ranked among the first 14 or 12 horses in its race of first choice at pre-entry, its ranking in its race of second choice will be based first on whether it won a Breeders' Cup Challenge race in the Championships division of the second choice and then on the judgment of the Panel regardless of the number of points earned in American and/or Canadian Graded Stakes races. If a horse is not ranked among the first 14 or 12 horses in its race of first choice and it did not win a Challenge race in its Championships division of second choice, then its points earned in American and/or Canadian Graded Stakes races will be utilized for ranking in its race of second choice.
"Ties" at Pre-Entry
In the event more than 14 or 12 horses are pre-entered in a particular Championships race and two or more horses are tied for the seventh or sixth highest number of American and/or Canadian Graded Stakes races points at the time of pre-entry, the Panel shall decide in its sole discretion which of those horses shall be the seventh or sixth highest point earner. Horses not selected shall then be ranked in order of preference by the Panel at its discretion.
Pre-Entry Rankings
The Panel will issue a list of all horses ranked in order of preference for each Championships race that is oversubscribed at the time of pre-entry. After pre-entry, any vacancies in the fields of over¬subscribed races will be filled by horses in the Panel's order of preference as determined at pre-entry.
Breeders' Cup Graded Stakes Points
Specific point values are assigned to first-, second- and third-place finishes in stakes throughout the United States and/or Canada from January 1 through the pre-entry deadline date of October 21, 2024, which have been granted graded status by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and/or by The Jockey Club of Canada. International Group races outside of the U.S. and Canada have no point value. If the connections of a pre-entered horse have been notified by a regulatory body about an anti-doping or medication control violation from participation in a American or Canadian Graded Stakes race, and that violation would result in disqualification, any accrued points from the race will be revoked until the matter reaches a legal conclusion. Accrued points will be reinstated if the matter is legally overturned prior to the running of 2024 Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Based on this system, win, place and show horses in Grade I stakes earn ten, six and four points, respectively. The top three finishers in Grade II stakes earn six, four and two points, respectively, and in Grade III races the points earned are four, two and one, respectively.
Breeders' Cup Graded Stakes Points
| Win | Place | Show | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade I | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Grade II | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Grade III | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Except for the five two-year-old Championships races, Graded Stakes points for dirt races will be the only points considered for horses pre-entered in dirt Championships races and Graded Stakes points for turf races will be the only points considered for horses pre-entered in turf Championships races. All Graded Stakes points will be considered for the five two-year-old Championships races.
Entry Procedures
Entries for all Breeders' Cup World Championships races will close promptly at 10:00 am (PDT) on Monday, October 28, 2024, in the Breeders' Cup Racing Office at Del Mar only. A horse shall not be entered in the body of two (2) races to be run on the same day. At the time of entry a maximum of fourteen horses and up to four (4) also-eligibles may be accepted for entry in each race based on the order of preference in the rankings established at pre-entry, except for the Turf Sprint and Juvenile Turf Sprint which will each start twelve horses with up to six (6) also-eligibles. Scratch time for all Friday Championships races to be contested will be 8:00 am (PDT) on Friday, November 1, 2024. Scratch time for all Saturday Championships races to be contested will be 8:00 am (PDT) on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
Entry Fees
Entry fees are payable to Del Mar. Entry fee amounts are listed on individual race pages.
Breeders' Cup Condition of Integrity
- If any connection of a pre-entered 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 suspended, banned, ejected or denied from participating in racing in its jurisdiction or facility, such connection must immediately report the same to Breeders' Cup.
- BCL may, in its sole and absolute discretion, declare ineligible any horse in any BCWC race if any connection (e.g., owner, trainer, jockey) of such horse has engaged in any conduct that is unlawful, unethical or may otherwise compromise the integrity or reputation of the BCWC.
Minimum Entry Qualifications
To be eligible to compete in the Breeders' Cup World Championship races, all starters must have made at least one official start between January 1, 2024, and the pre-entry deadline of Monday, October 21, 2024, before being allowed to pre-enter and a horse must at such time be aged nine (9) or younger.
The following is for any 3-year-old and older horse that has broken its maiden. Any horse that has started for $15,000 or less and has not won for $20,000 or more in the previous two (2) years or has not finished second, third, fourth or fifth for $20,000 or more since running for $15,000 or less is not eligible to be pre-entered, to be entered or to run in a Breeders' Cup World Championships race.
The following is for any maiden 3-year-old or older, which has started in a Maiden Claiming race of $32,000 or less. Maidens that have started in a maiden race of $18,000 or less will not be eligible. Maidens that have started in a maiden race of $32,000 or less at ANY TIME and have not finished second, third, fourth or fifth in a maiden race greater than $18,000 within their last four starts will not be eligible. Horses must start in at least four maiden claiming races for this rule to apply.
Also-Eligible Horses
There may be up to four also-eligible horses for each Championships race, excluding the Turf Sprint, and Juvenile Turf Sprint, which will each carry a total of up to six also-eligible horses. The also-eligible horses will be designated in accordance with the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel's order of preference for each Championships race that is oversubscribed at the time of pre-entry.
For Medication and Safety Regulations, please visit https://hisaus.org/ or https://www.hiwu.org/.
Pre-Race Inspection
Breeders' Cup Limited, the CHRB, and Del Mar have assembled a team of impartial, experienced regulatory veterinarians who will be conducting a series of physical inspections, as well as observing each horse under tack during the week preceding the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Horses will be inspected on multiple occasions in the days preceding their Championships races. Additional diagnostic imaging may be required as the result of BC vet team exams before a horse will be allowed to start.
All BCWC runners and undercard runners are required to pass a mandatory jog-up exam in the designated jogging lane prior to being allowed on any surface to train.
The cooperation of the horsemen in scheduling and having horses available and prepared (no bandages) will aid these team members in their task. If you would like to schedule the visit in advance, please contact Dr. Will Farmer (260) 438-4151 or Dr. Deborah Lamparter (856) 625-5600.
Please view important procedures here.
All of these forms may be obtained by emailing the Breeders' Cup racing department at racing@breederscup.com or may be located in the Horsemen's Information Guide.
The Breeders' Cup World Championships will be run in accordance with the rules and regulations of HISA, HIWU, the State of California, as promulgated by the California Horse Racing Board and Del Mar. A complete listing of these rules may be obtained at HISA, HIWU, CHRB, and Del Mar.