South Africa’s Kenilworth Racecourse will step onto the global stage Jan. 10 when it hosts three elite Group 1 events designated as automatic qualifiers for the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The trio of races—each already a pillar of Cape racing—will now serve as gateways into one of the sport’s most prestigious festivals through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.

The 2026 Breeders’ Cup, marking its 43rd running, is set for Oct. 30–31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. The two-day championship meet will offer 14 Grade 1 contests and more than $34 million in purses and awards. The Challenge Series, which turns 20 in 2026, continues to broaden its international footprint, and South Africa’s inclusion underscores the sport’s expanding global reach.

New to the program is the Cape Flying Championship (G1), a 1,000-meter dash that will now grant its winner an automatic berth in the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). It joins two established qualifiers already run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth: the King’s Plate (G1), a storied one-mile test offering entry to the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), and the Paddock Stakes (G1), the 1 1/8-mile feature for older fillies and mares that feeds into the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1).

As part of the Challenge Series benefits, Breeders’ Cup will cover entry fees for the winners of all three South African qualifiers. Additional support comes in the form of travel allowances for all runners based outside North America who start in the World Championships. To be eligible for these incentives, winners must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 19, 2026.

“Breeders’ Cup Limited is pleased to continue the expansion of our international Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series with the addition of the Cape Flying Championship,” said Dora Delgado, the organization’s Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer. “We're grateful for the collaborative efforts that brought this partnership to fruition and look forward to welcoming top South African contenders to the World Championships.*