Keeneland will host nine Breeders’ Cup Challenge races during its 17-day fall meeting, which begins Friday, October 9.

 The Breeders’ Cup Challenge is a series of automatic qualifying races for the $25.5 million 2009 Breeders’ Cup World Championships.  A record 62 races in seven countries comprise the series.

 The expanded Challenge series, with its “Win and You’re In” provision, will include 12 overseas races from racetracks in England, Ireland, France, Australia and Hong Kong.

 Eight Breeders’ Cup Challenge races will be run during Keeneland’s FallStars Weekend, comprising the first three days of the fall meeting.  The meeting continues through October 31.

 Keeneland will host the following Breeders’ Cup Challenge races:

 October 9—Darley Alcibiades Stakes (gr. I) (Breeders’ Cup qualifying race for the Juvenile Fillies) and Phoenix Stakes (gr. III) (Sprint).

 October 10—Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. I) (Mile); Breeders’ Futurity (gr. I) (Juvenile); First Lady (gr. I) (Filly and Mare Turf); Thoroughbred Club of America (gr. II) (Filly and Mare Sprint).

 October 11—Juddmonte Spinster (gr. I) (Ladies’ Classic); Bourbon (gr. III) (Juvenile Turf).

 Octeober 15 --J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine (Juvenile Fillies Turf).

 This year’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held November 6-7 at the Oak Tree Racing Association meet at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. and will be televised live on ABC and ESPN.

 The 2009 Challenge races will be televised on ESPN, TVG and HRTV, TSN in Canada and in more than 120 countries.