Incentive Program for Breeders’ Cup World Championships Enters Fourth Year

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 11, 2025) ― Breeders’ Cup Limited has announced the 2025 schedule for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen, an incentive-driven program offering participation bonuses to horsemen preparing runners for dirt races at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. This 12-race program, launched in 2022, features existing graded stakes races held from May through October at six racetracks across the United States. The full schedule is available at https://www.breederscup.com/races/dirt-dozen.

The 42nd running of the World Championships will feature the world's best horses, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys in pursuit of 14 Grade 1 races and robust undercards during a two-day festival worth more than $34 million in purses and awards Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.  

“We are pleased to continue our valued Dirt Dozen program,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “Offering $525,000 in awards toward entry fees for our Championship dirt races, the program provides significant advantages to many horsemen. We look forward to extending the incentives once again to connections preparing for dirt division races as we return to Del Mar.” 

The Dirt Dozen program will continue to award bonus credits for first- through third-place finishers in applicable races. These credits can be applied by horsemen toward entry fees for one of the following six Breeders’ Cup World Championships dirt races: the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), $1 million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), and $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). 

For Dirt Dozen races within the $2 million Breeders’ Cup race divisions, the bonus tier is set at $30,000 for first, $15,000 for second, and $7,500 for third. For Dirt Dozen races within the $1 million Breeders’ Cup divisions, the bonus tier is set at $15,000 for first, $7,500 for second, and $3,750 for third. Contenders are eligible to accumulate multiple awards that may be applied toward eligible Championship dirt race entry fees. 

Further information on rules and participation in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Dozen program is available on the Breeders’ Cup Members site. 

ABOUT BREEDERS’ CUP

Breeders’ Cup Limited administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races through partnerships with host countries around the globe, and the U.S.-based Dirt Dozen Bonus Series. The Breeders’ Cup operates under the national, uniform rules and regulations of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and its Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU).

The 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, featuring 14 Grade 1 Championship races run during a two-day festival worth more than $34 million in purses and awards, will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar in Del Mar, California. The Championships will be televised live by NBC Sports. Press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, BreedersCup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media.

ABOUT DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB  Opened in 1937, San Diego’s iconic — and the nation’s only — seaside racetrack features the world’s top racehorses, trainers and jockeys, as well as the best in fashion and classic California culture "where the turf meets the surf.” What began as a Hollywood hotspot in the era of the racetrack’s founder, Bing Crosby, is now one of America's foremost racetracks and a premier Southern California destination, as well as being recognized as one of the safest major racetracks in the nation. For more information visit www.dmtc.com or follow Del Mar Racing on social media.