Canadian graded stakes to count in Breeders' Cup point standings

Canadian graded stakes to count in Breeders' Cup point

standings

The Breeders' Cup announced Wednesday that horses finishing first, second or

third in graded stakes races run in Canada will receive official Breeders' Cup

points toward starting positions in the 2011 Breeders' Cup World Championships.

The Breeders' Cup, consisting of

15 races and purses totaling $26 million, will be held November 4-5 at Churchill

Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Breeders' Cup Points system is a qualification factor for positions in

the World Championships. Horses earn graded stakes points by finishing first,

second or third in a graded stakes race in the United States or Canada held from

January 1-October 23.

Breeders' Cup races are limited to 14 starters. In an oversubscribed field,

seven of the 14 starters are determined first by Breeders' Cup Challenge winners

and, secondly, by the highest number of Breeders' Cup Point earners. The

remaining seven are chosen by a panel of Racing Directors/Secretaries.

Under Breeders' Cup qualifying rules, win, place, and show horses in Grade 1

stakes earn ten, six, and four points, respectively. The top three finishers in

Grade 2 stakes earn six, four, and two points, respectively, and in Grade 3

stakes the points earned are four, two, and one, respectively.

There are 33 graded stakes races in Canada scheduled in 2011 to be run before

the Breeders' Cup Pre-Entry deadline on October 24. All Canadian graded race

results thus far in 2011 will be included retroactively in the Breeders' Cup

point standings.

"Given the high standard of international competition within Canadian racing,

our Racing and Nominations Committee strongly recommended that the graded stakes

races in Canada should be on equal footing with the American graded stakes races

in our overall Point standings," said Craig Fravel, Breeders' Cup President and

CEO. "Canadian breeders and owners have been an important part of the Breeders'

Cup program since its inception, and we believe this change will further

encourage Canadian participation in the Championships."

Woodbine will host six Breeders' Cup Challenge races this year.

Winners of the Natalma S. (Can-G3), Summer S. (Can-G3), Woodbine Mile (Can-G1),

E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1), Canadian International (Can-G1) and the Nearctic S.

(Can-G1) will receive an automatic berth into a corresponding race of the

Breeders' Cup World Championships if nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by

October 24.