BC Challenge: Personal Ensign, Ballerina, Forego 

Saratoga (Chris Rahayel)

2025 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Fact Sheet for Saratoga Race Course

Breeders’ Cup Release

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In is an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The full schedule may be viewed at BreedersCup.com/races/challenge-series.

The $500,000 Personal Ensign winner will earn a guaranteed starting position into the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1); the $500,000 Ballerina (G1) provides the winner with an automatic starting position into the $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) and the $500,000 Forego (GI) gives with winner a free berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series debuted at Saratoga in 2007. There will be 17 Challenge Series races conducted at New York Racing Association tracks this year.

In 2024, five Breeders’ Cup World Championships winners earned automatic berths via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series: Lake Victoria (IRE) (John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf), Citizen Bull (FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile), Immersive (NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies), Soul of an Angel (PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint), and Moira (ON) (Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf).

After the 2025 running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the 2026 edition will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the 2027 World Championships will be held at the new Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

$500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1), 1 1/8 Miles, 4YO & Up, F&M

Race #7 – Post Time: 3:45 p.m. ET, Entries courtesy of Equibase

Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1); $60,000 entry fee waived, $10,000 awarded to Breeders’ Cup nominator (when applicable). All Championship starters based outside of California receive a travel allowance.

Recent Winner Highlights: Raging Sea (2024) finished second in the 2024 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff; Idiomatic (2023) won the 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff and was voted 2023 champion older dirt female; Malathaat (2022) won the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff and was voted 2022 champion older dirt female; Midnight Bisou (2019) finished second in the 2019 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff and was voted 2019 champion older dirt female; Forever Unbridled (2017) won the 2017 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff and was voted 2017 champion older dirt female. Royal Delta (2013) won the 2011 and 2012 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic before finishing fourth in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff Division – Challenge Series Races

$500,000 Resorts World Casino Ballerina Stakes (G1), 7 furlongs, 3YO & Up F&M

Race #11 – Post Time: 4:59 p.m. ET, Entries courtesy of Equibase

Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1); $30,000 entry fee waived, $10,000 awarded to Breeders’ Cup nominator (when applicable). All Championship starters based outside of California receive a travel allowance.

Recent Winner Highlights: Society (2024) finished second in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint; Goodnight Olive (2022) won the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and was voted 2022 champion female sprinter. She finished second in the 2023 Ballerina Stakes and won the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and was voted 2023 champion female sprinter. Gamine (2021) won the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and finished third in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint; Serengeti Empress (2020) finished second in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

2025 PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Division – Challenge Series Races

$500,000 Forego Stakes (G1), 7 furlongs, 4YO & Up

Race #12 – Post Time: 5:36 p.m. ET, Entries courtesy of Equibase

Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1); 30,000 entry fee waived, $10,000 awarded to Breeders’ Cup nominator (when applicable). All Championship starters based outside of California receive a travel allowance.

Recent Winner Highlights: Mullikin (2024) finished third in the 2024 Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1); Gunite (2023) finished second in the 2023 Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint; Cody’s Wish (2022) won the 2022 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, the 2023 Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile and was voted 2023 champion older dirt male and Horse of the Year; Mitole (2019) won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and was voted 2019 champion male sprinter; Whitmore (2018) finished second in the 2018 TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint, and won the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.  

2025 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile Division – Challenge Series Races