While plenty of folks will be focused on Halloween this weekend, horse racing fans will have their eyes on Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. That's where the 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships will take place on Friday and Saturday.
The Breeders' Cup Classic is always the marquee event of the weekend, but fans will be served a full slate of racing action on both Friday evening and Saturday.
Here's a look a the weekend's schedule, along with prize pool information and predictions.
2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships
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When: October 30 and 31
Where: Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY
TV and Live Stream (all times ET)
Friday, October 30: 1 - 6 p.m. on USA Network
Saturday, October 31: 1 - 3:30 p.m. on USA Network, 3:30 - 6:30 on NBC
Live Stream: Peacock, FanDuel TV and breederscup.com
*Odds for all races, via FanDuel Sportbook, can be found on breederscup.com
2026 Breeders' Cup Championships: Race Schedule, Purses and Predictions
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Friday, October 30 (all times ET)
2:55 p.m.: Juvenile Turf Sprint ($1 million). Brickyard Belle (3-1)
3:35 p.m.: Juvenile Fillies ($2 Million), Miss Monica (5-2)
4:15 p.m.: Juvenile Fillies Turf ($1 Million), Domestic Agenda (8-1)
4:55 p.m.: Juvenile ($2 Million), Hughes (1-1)
5:35 p.m.: Juvenile Turf ($1 Million), Folsom Blues (7-2)
Saturday, October 31 (all times ET)
1:10 p.m.: Filly & Mare Sprint ($1 Million), Ways and Means (7-5)
1:48 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint ($1 Million), Possiblemente (12-1)
2:26 p.m.: Dirt Mile ($1 Million), Coal Battle (6-1)
3:04 p.m.: Filly & Mare Turf ($2 Million), Precise (7-2)
3:42 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Sprint ($2 Million), Built (10-1)
4:20 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Mile ($2 Million), Lake Forest (6-1)
4:58 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Distaff ($2 Million), Nitrogen (6-5)
5:36 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Turf ($5 Million), Burnham Square (8-1)
6:16 p.m.: Breeders' Cup Classic ($7 Million), Sovereignty (5-2)
Breeders' Cup Classic Preview
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As is always the case, the Breeders' Cup Classic will be the highlight of the weekend. Not only will the race feature a massive $7 million prize purse, but it will also feature an epic eight-horse field.
Defending champion Forever Young is back and poised to defend the crown. The Japanese horse, who will be guided by jockey Ryusei Sakai, is considered the early favorite.
Forever Young will have a favorable starting spot in the middle of the pack and certainly has the goods to win again. The Yoshito Yahagi-trained colt has never finished lower than third in a race and has two first-place finishes this year.
However, Forever Young will have to fend off a very talented field.
Sovereignty should be considered the top challenger. Last year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner hasn't finished lower than third since taking fourth at his maiden race in 2024. The Bill Mott-trained horse was considered the favorite for last year's Breeders' Cup but was a late scratch.
Guided by jockey Junior Alvarado, Sovereignty will break from the inside, but that shouldn't be an issue in a smaller field.
"He's pretty special," Mott said of Sovereignty, per Steve Sherack of Thoroughbred Daily News. "He won my Triple Crownโthe Derby, Belmont and Travers. I don't know what more you could ask. That was the highlight of his career and mine."
Sovereignty is one of two horses that Mott will have in the field, along with Knightsbridge, who owns eight first-place finishes.
Golden Tempo, trained by Cherie DeVaux, is also among the early favorites. The reigning Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner is a strong closer who could potentially win this one with a strong finish in a smaller field.
Reigning Preakness winner Napoleon Solo, Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude, Fukuryu Stakes winner T.O. Password, and Pennsylvania Derby winner The Puma will round out Saturday evening's field.
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