2024 E.P. Taylor winner Full Count Felicia. (Michael Burns)
2025 Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Fact Sheet
Woodbine Racetrack, Aug.16, 2025
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 $750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1) provides the winner with an automatic starting position into the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).
Woodbine will host four Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races this year: the E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1) (Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf) and three races on Sept. 13 ─ the Rogers Woodbine Mile (G1) (FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile, G1) the Johnny Walker Natalma Stakes (G1) (John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, G1), and the Summer Stakes (G1), (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, G1).
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.
$750,000 E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1), 1 1/4 Miles, 3YO & Up, Fillies and Mares
Race #7 – Post Time: 4:14 p.m. ET
Entries, courtesy of Equibase, are here
Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (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: Full Count Felicia (2024) finished seventh in the 2024 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf; Moira (ON), the runner-up in the 2024 E.P. Taylor, won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf; Rougir (FR) (2023) finished 11th in the 2023 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf; Al’s Gal (2016) finished ninth in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf; and Just the Judge (IRE) (2014) finished third in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
2025 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Division – Challenge Series Races
| Race Date | Track | Race Name | Distance | Age | Winner |
| 1/4/2025 | KEN | Cartier Paddock Stakes (G1) | 1 1/8 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Double Grand Slam (SAF) |
| 5/18/2025 | TOK | Victoria Mile (G1) | 1 Mile (T) | 4 YO & UP | Ascoli Piceno (JPN) |
| 6/22/2025 | MON | Gran Premio Pamplona (G1) | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | La Kika (PER) |
| 7/31/2025 | GOO | Qatar Nassau Stakes (G1) | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | Whirl (IRE) |
| 8/16/2025 | WO | E.P. Taylor Stakes (G1) | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | |
| 8/21/2025 | YOR | Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (G1) | 1 1/2 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | |
| 8/30/2025 | SAR | The Flower Bowl (G2) | 1 3/8 Mile (T) | 4 YO & UP | |
| 9/13/2025 | LEO | Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron Stakes (G1) | 1 Mile (T) | 3 YO & UP | |
| 10/4/2025 | SA | Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2) | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP | |
| 10/5/2025 | LCH | Prix de l’Opera Longines (G1) | 1 1/4 Miles (T) | 3 YO & UP |
