A Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In race is coming to Uruguay, Breeders' Cup announced Dec. 19.
The one-mile Asociación Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera (G3) to be held June 29 at Hipodromo Nacional de Maroñas in Montevideo, has been designated as an automatic qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
Horses from around the globe will qualify through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series program, now in its 19th year, for the 42nd running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Consisting of 14 grade 1 races run during a two-day festival worth purses and awards totaling more than $34 million, the 2025 Breeders' Cup will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.
"Breeders' Cup Limited is pleased to bring our international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series to Uruguay with the addition of the Asociación Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera, a qualifying race for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile," said Dora Delgado, executive vice president and chief racing officer of Breeders' Cup. "Winners of designated Breeders' Cup Challenge races receive an automatic berth to the race of their applicable division at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, with entry fees paid and a travel stipend provided. We appreciate the many individuals who have collaborated to make this partnership a reality and look forward to celebrating the first Breeders' Cup Challenge winner from Uruguay in June."
"It is with great pleasure and gratitude to the Breeders' Cup authorities that we received the news of having a race of the 'Win and You're In' series in 2025, more specifically for the Dirt Mile version," said Guido Parrella, CEO of Codere Uruguay, which owns Maroñas.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Asociación Uruguaya de Propietarios de Caballos to start in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 20, 2025, to receive the rewards. Stallions standing in Uruguay may participate in the Breeders' Cup International Stallion Nomination program, which conveys automatic nomination to their progeny.
The 2024 Breeders' Cup saw a record number of international pre-entries, 80, well ahead of the previous record of 60 set in 2023. Eventual starters were represented from five continents—Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.
