Nine Grade 1 races, $23 million in purses and five hours from the Filly and Mare Sprint at 1:10pm ET to the Classic at 6:16pm ET. Our Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday 2026 guide gives you a short read and a pick for every race on the card at Keeneland, with links through to our full previews of the biggest three.
If you missed Friday’s five juvenile races, our Future Stars Friday guide covers them, and the Breeders’ Cup 2026 hub guide has both days in one place.
Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday 2026 Schedule and Post Times
Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday 2026 runs as Races 4 through 12 on Keeneland’s card. All times below are ET. Prices are ante-post guide prices from Oddschecker on October 25. The morning line and live tote are in the MyWinners app, and the pari-mutuel dividend settles every ticket.
| Post (ET) | Race | Distance | 2025 Winner | Favorite* | Our Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:10pm | Filly and Mare Sprint | 7f, dirt | Splendora | Ways and Means 2/1 | Explora |
| 1:48pm | Turf Sprint | 5 1/2f, turf | Shisospicy | Bacio 6/4 | Bacio |
| 2:26pm | Dirt Mile | 1m, dirt | Nysos | Knightsbridge 2/1 | Knightsbridge |
| 3:04pm | Filly and Mare Turf | 1 3/16m, turf | Gezora | Blue Bolt 11/4 | Blue Bolt |
| 3:42pm | Sprint | 6f, dirt | Bentornato | Englishman 10/11 | Englishman |
| 4:20pm | Mile | 1m, turf | Notable Speech | Notable Speech 6/4 | Notable Speech |
| 4:58pm | Distaff | 1 1/8m, dirt | Scylla | Nitrogen 5/4 | Nitrogen |
| 5:36pm | Turf | 1 1/2m, turf | Ethical Diamond | Diamond Necklace 6/4 | Diamond Necklace |
| 6:16pm | Classic | 1 1/4m, dirt | Forever Young | Forever Young 5/2 | Forever Young |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. All nine races are Grade 1. Check morning lines and scratches in the MyWinners app.
The Early Sprints and the Dirt Mile
Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint 2026, 1:10pm ET
Seven furlongs on the dirt for $1 million. Chad Brown’s Ways and Means heads the market at 2/1 after winning the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga. Her best form has come at Saratoga, which gives the rest a chance. Bob Baffert’s Explora won the Grade 1 Test Stakes over this same seven furlong trip, and Evanescence is three for three at Keeneland after taking the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes by a neck. Defending champion Splendora holds an entry here but lists the Distaff as her first choice.
We side with Explora at 5/1. She has the Grade 1 form at the distance and a better price than the favorite.
| Horse | Trainer | Key Form | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ways and Means | Chad Brown | Ballerina (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 2/1 |
| Explora | Bob Baffert | Test (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 5/1 |
| Sweet Azteca | Richard Baltas | Rancho Bernardo (G3) winner | TBC | TBC | 6/1 |
| Kilwin | George Arnold II | To come | TBC | TBC | 10/1 |
| R Disaster | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Gallant Bloom (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 10/1 |
| Evanescence | Eddie Kenneally | Thoroughbred Club of America winner | TBC | TBC | 12/1 |
| Splendora | Bob Baffert | 2025 Filly and Mare Sprint winner | TBC | TBC | 14/1 |
| Majestic Oops | Philip D'Amato | Zenyatta, 2nd | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Nooni | Bob Baffert | To come | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Praying | Robert Medina | Thoroughbred Club of America, 2nd | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| Foie Gras | Michael Maker | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Kerry's Kiss | Saffie Joseph Jr. | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Simply Joking | Michael McCarthy | To come | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Look Forward | Michael McCarthy | To come | TBC | TBC | 50/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Splendora lists the Distaff as her first preference, and Praying lists this race first with the Sprint second.
Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint 2026, 1:48pm ET
Five and a half furlongs on the grass for $1 million. Wesley Ward’s Royal Ascot winner Bacio took the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August, and he has not lost in three starts this year. Donnacha O’Brien’s Comanche Brave won the July Cup at Newmarket and the Flying Five at the Curragh, two Group 1s in a row, and he sits second in the betting at 3/1. Shisospicy won this race last year at Del Mar, but he returns from a six month break.
Bacio gets our vote at 6/4. A Nunthorpe win is the best piece of sprint form in this field.
| Horse | Trainer | Key Form | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bacio | Wesley Ward | Nunthorpe (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 6/4 |
| Comanche Brave (IRE) | Donnacha O'Brien | July Cup and Flying Five (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 3/1 |
| Cy Fair | George Weaver | 2025 Juvenile Turf Sprint winner | TBC | TBC | 10/1 |
| Miss Yechance (IRE) | Karl Burke | Prix de l'Abbaye (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 14/1 |
| Shisospicy | Jose Francisco D'Angelo | 2025 Turf Sprint winner | TBC | TBC | 14/1 |
| In Our Time | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf Sprint winner | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Sorrento Sky (IRE) | Philip D'Amato | Eddie D (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Joe Shiesty | Eric Foster | Woodford (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Possiblemente | Joe Sharp | Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| John the Beer Man | Rob Atras | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Time to Dazzle | Mark Casse | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Roja | Graham Motion | Four-race win streak | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Starlust (GB) | Ralph Beckett | Flying Five (G1), 4th | TBC | TBC | 50/1 |
| Lugal (JPN) | Haruki Sugiyama | To come | TBC | TBC | 66/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Lugal lists the Mile as his first preference.
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile 2026, 2:26pm ET
One mile on the dirt for $1 million, with the field capped at 12. Monday’s draw settled the cross-entries, so check the app for whether Knightsbridge, Forged Steel, T O Password, Further Ado and Napoleon Solo lined up here or in the Classic. Knightsbridge is the one that matters. If Bill Mott sent the Pacific Classic winner here, he is a strong favorite. Full Serrano won this race in 2024, and Nysos took it last year by a head.
Knightsbridge is our pick if he runs here. If he goes to the Classic, we side with Forged Steel, who wanted the Dirt Mile all along.
| Horse | Trainer | Key Form | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knightsbridge | Bill Mott | Pacific Classic (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 2/1 |
| Forged Steel | Saffie Joseph Jr. | Goodwood winner | TBC | TBC | 8/1 |
| Further Ado | Brad Cox | Pennsylvania Derby (G1), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 8/1 |
| Napoleon Solo | Chad Summers | Travers (G1), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 8/1 |
| Chunk of Gold | Ethan West | To come | TBC | TBC | 9/1 |
| Full Serrano (ARG) | John Sadler | 2024 Dirt Mile winner | TBC | TBC | 12/1 |
| Lord Fons (JPN) | Shogo Yasuda | Kashiwa Kinen, 3rd | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Built | Wayne Catalano | Louisville Thoroughbred Society winner | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| T O Password (JPN) | Daisuke Takayanagi | Elm Stakes (JPN G3), 3rd | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Hymn | Ron Moquett | Forego (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| Iron Man Cal | Philip D'Amato | Pat O'Brien (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| T Kraft | Bill Mott | Vosburgh (G3) winner | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Field capped at 12. Knightsbridge, Further Ado and Napoleon Solo list the Classic first; Built, Hymn, Iron Man Cal and T Kraft list the Sprint first. Check the draw for where each one runs.
The Turf Majors and the Sprint
Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf 2026, 3:04pm ET
A mile and three sixteenths on the grass for $2 million. Andrew Balding’s Blue Bolt has won all six of her starts in 2026, including four straight Group 1s at a mile. Two of them, the Prix Rothschild at Deauville and the Sun Chariot at Newmarket, came at the expense of Precise. The longer trip is her test. Graham Motion’s Gimme a Nother has won four graded stakes in a row, including the Beverly D. and the E.P. Taylor at Woodbine. Classic Q beat Lush Lips by a nose in the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland on October 3, and Chad Brown’s Kathynmarissa won the Diana and the Flower Bowl.
Blue Bolt is the bet at 11/4. Six for six is six for six, and we back her to carry that class over the extra distance.
| Horse | Trainer | Key Form | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Bolt (IRE) | Andrew Balding | Sun Chariot (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 11/4 |
| Precise (IRE) | Aidan O'Brien | Prix de l'Opera (G1), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 7/2 |
| Diamond Necklace (IRE) | Aidan O'Brien | Arc (G1), 3rd | TBC | TBC | 6/1 |
| Kathynmarissa | Chad Brown | Flower Bowl (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 8/1 |
| Lush Lips (GB) | Brendan Walsh | First Lady (G1), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 12/1 |
| Classic Q | Mark Casse | First Lady (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Gimme a Nother (SAF) | Graham Motion | E.P. Taylor (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Survie (IRE) | George Boughey | Christophe Clement Turf (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Jancis (IRE) | Willie McCreery | To come | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Red Letter (GB) | Ger Lyons | To come | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Thought Process | Philip D'Amato | Rodeo Drive (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Eccentric (CHI) | Wesley Ward | To come | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| Expensive Queen (IRE) | Brendan Walsh | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Bless the Broken | Brad Cox | To come | TBC | TBC | 50/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Diamond Necklace and Survie list the Turf as their first preference.
Breeders’ Cup Sprint 2026, 3:42pm ET
Six furlongs on the dirt for $2 million. Cherie DeVaux’s three-year-old Englishman won the Woody Stephens and the H. Allen Jerkens at Saratoga, running seven furlongs in 1:20.71 in the Jerkens and winning by 3 3/4 lengths. Japan sends T O Elvis, a Kentucky-bred who won the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby day and has not raced since. Doug O’Neill’s Listenupshance won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
Englishman wins this at 10/11 for us. He is the fastest horse in the race, and T O Elvis has to come back from a six month break.
| Horse | Trainer | Key Form | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Englishman | Cherie DeVaux | H. Allen Jerkens (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 10/11 |
| T O Elvis | Daisuke Takayanagi | Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 3/1 |
| Built | Wayne Catalano | Louisville Thoroughbred Society winner | TBC | TBC | 14/1 |
| Listenupshance | Doug O'Neill | Santa Anita Sprint Championship winner | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Nakatomi | Wesley Ward | Phoenix (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Hymn | Ron Moquett | Forego (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 22/1 |
| Dark Saffron | TBC | Golden Shaheen (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| Lord Fons (JPN) | Shogo Yasuda | Kashiwa Kinen, 3rd | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Roll On Big Joe | Robert Hess Jr. | Aristides (G3), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| American Stage | Yoshito Yahagi | To come | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Iron Man Cal | Philip D'Amato | Pat O'Brien (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| T Kraft | Bill Mott | Vosburgh (G3) winner | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Stradale | Steve Asmussen | Gallant Bob (G2) winner | TBC | TBC | 66/1 |
| Moonlight | Peter Miller | Vosburgh (G3), 7th | TBC | TBC | 100/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Lord Fons lists the Dirt Mile first, and American Stage lists the Turf Sprint first.
Breeders’ Cup Mile 2026, 4:20pm ET
One mile on the grass for $2 million. Charlie Appleby’s Notable Speech won this race last year at Del Mar and comes in off a Grade 1 win in the Woodbine Mile. Christophe Clement’s Deterministic finished behind him at Woodbine, but he won the Manhattan and the Fourstardave at Saratoga before that. Rhetorical won the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic in May and has won Keeneland’s Coolmore Turf Mile twice, over this exact course and distance.
Notable Speech is our call at 6/4, with Rhetorical as the course specialist for the exotics.
| Horse | Trainer | Key Form | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notable Speech (GB) | Charlie Appleby | Woodbine Mile (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 6/4 |
| Blue Bolt (IRE) | Andrew Balding | Sun Chariot (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 5/1 |
| True Love (IRE) | Aidan O'Brien | To come | TBC | TBC | 7/1 |
| Deterministic | Christophe Clement | Woodbine Mile (G1), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 9/1 |
| Lake Forest (GB) | William Haggas | To come | TBC | TBC | 11/1 |
| Rhetorical | Will Walden | Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 12/1 |
| Puerto Rico | Aidan O'Brien | To come | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Ask Ikigomi (JPN) | Hideaki Fujiwara | To come | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Hotazhell (GB) | Jessica Harrington | Irish Champion (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Qirat | Ralph Beckett | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Classic Q | Mark Casse | First Lady (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Zulu Kingdom (IRE) | Chad Brown | To come | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Formidable Man | Michael McCarthy | To come | TBC | TBC | 50/1 |
| Cabo Spirit | George Papaprodromou | To come | TBC | TBC | 66/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Field reflects reports on October 24 that Gstaad, Constitution River and Ten Bob Tony are out. Blue Bolt and Classic Q list the Filly and Mare Turf first; Hotazhell lists the Turf first.
The Big Three: Distaff, Turf and Classic
Breeders’ Cup Distaff 2026, 4:58pm ET
A mile and an eighth on the dirt for $2 million. Mark Casse’s Nitrogen won the Ogden Phipps by 12 3/4 lengths and the Beldame, and ran second to Sovereignty against males in the Whitney. Chad Brown’s Fully Subscribed has won three straight, including the Personal Ensign by 9 3/4 lengths and the Spinster over this track. Our full Distaff preview publishes on Friday.
Nitrogen is our pick at 5/4.
| Horse | Trainer | Key Form | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notable Speech (GB) | Charlie Appleby | Woodbine Mile (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 6/4 |
| Blue Bolt (IRE) | Andrew Balding | Sun Chariot (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 5/1 |
| True Love (IRE) | Aidan O'Brien | To come | TBC | TBC | 7/1 |
| Deterministic | Christophe Clement | Woodbine Mile (G1), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 9/1 |
| Lake Forest (GB) | William Haggas | To come | TBC | TBC | 11/1 |
| Rhetorical | Will Walden | Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 12/1 |
| Puerto Rico | Aidan O'Brien | To come | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Ask Ikigomi (JPN) | Hideaki Fujiwara | To come | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Hotazhell (GB) | Jessica Harrington | Irish Champion (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 20/1 |
| Qirat | Ralph Beckett | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Classic Q | Mark Casse | First Lady (G1) winner | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Zulu Kingdom (IRE) | Chad Brown | To come | TBC | TBC | 40/1 |
| Formidable Man | Michael McCarthy | To come | TBC | TBC | 50/1 |
| Cabo Spirit | George Papaprodromou | To come | TBC | TBC | 66/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Field reflects reports on October 24 that Gstaad, Constitution River and Ten Bob Tony are out. Blue Bolt and Classic Q list the Filly and Mare Turf first; Hotazhell lists the Turf first.
Breeders’ Cup Turf 2026, 5:36pm ET
A mile and a half on the grass for $5 million. Arc third Diamond Necklace heads the betting for Aidan O’Brien, and Kentucky Turf Cup winner Tiffany is our value play. Read the full Breeders’ Cup Turf 2026 preview for the field and our exacta.
We take Diamond Necklace at 6/4.
| Horse | Trainer | Last Start | Post | ML | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Necklace (IRE) | Aidan O'Brien | Arc (G1), 3rd | TBC | TBC | 6/4 |
| Bay City Roller (IRE) | George Scott | Champion Stakes (G1), 3rd | TBC | TBC | 8/1 |
| Benvenuto Cellini (IRE) | Aidan O'Brien | Arc (G1), 9th | TBC | TBC | 8/1 |
| Tiffany (IRE) | Sir Mark Prescott | Kentucky Turf Cup (G2), 1st | TBC | TBC | 10/1 |
| Burnham Square | Ian Wilkes | Arlington Million (G1), 1st | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Ethical Diamond (IRE) | Willie Mullins | Kentucky Turf Cup (G2), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Hotazhell (GB) | Jessica Harrington | Irish Champion (G1), 1st | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Johanna Walsh | Joseph O'Brien | To come | TBC | TBC | 16/1 |
| Minaret Station | Will Walden | Joe Hirsch (G1), 1st | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| Survie (IRE) | George Boughey | To come | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| Test Score | Graham Motion | To come | TBC | TBC | 25/1 |
| Deep Monster (JPN) | Yasutoshi Ikee | To come | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Far Bridge | Miguel Clement | Joe Hirsch (G1), 2nd | TBC | TBC | 33/1 |
| Eccentric (CHI) | Wesley Ward | To come | TBC | TBC | 66/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Add post positions and morning lines (ML) after the October 26 draw. Also eligible: El Cordobes, Map of Stars.
Breeders’ Cup Classic 2026, 6:16pm ET
A mile and a quarter on the dirt for $7 million. Defending champion Forever Young bids to join Tiznow as the only two-time winner, against 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty, Dubai World Cup winner Magnitude and Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Golden Tempo. Our Breeders’ Cup Classic 2026 preview has the full field and our tickets.
Forever Young is our Classic pick at 5/2.
| Horse | Age | Trainer | Jockey | Last Start | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forever Young (JPN) | 5 | Yoshito Yahagi | Ryusei Sakai | Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), 1st | 5/2 |
| Sovereignty | 4 | Bill Mott | Junior Alvarado | Whitney (G1), 1st | 7/2 |
| Knightsbridge | 5 | Bill Mott | TBC | Pacific Classic (G1), 1st | 11/2 |
| Magnitude | 4 | Steve Asmussen | Flavien Prat | Whitney (G1), 6th | 6/1 |
| Golden Tempo | 3 | Cherie DeVaux | Jose Ortiz | Travers (G1), 3rd | 9/1 |
| Napoleon Solo | 3 | Chad Summers | John Velazquez | Travers (G1), 2nd | 16/1 |
| The Puma | 3 | Gustavo Delgado | Javier Castellano | Pennsylvania Derby (G1), 1st | 16/1 |
| Further Ado | 3 | Brad Cox | TBC | Pennsylvania Derby (G1), 2nd | 20/1 |
| Forged Steel | 4 | Saffie Joseph Jr. | TBC | Goodwood, 1st | 50/1 |
| T O Password (JPN) | 5 | Daisuke Takayanagi | TBC | Elm Stakes (JPN G3), 3rd | 66/1 |
*Oddschecker ante-post guide prices, October 25. Post positions and morning lines follow the draw at 5pm ET on October 26.
How to Bet Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday 2026 With MyWinners
Nine races in five hours is plenty to work through on Breeders’ Cup Championship Saturday 2026, so pick your spots. The strongest opinions in this guide sit with Englishman, Blue Bolt and Forever Young, and our best value angles are Explora and Tiffany. Keeneland is not a Churchill Downs track, so every MyWinners customer aged 18 and over can bet the full card. Read how to bet the Breeders’ Cup in Connecticut, check scratches on the official Breeders’ Cup site on race morning, and keep the Breeders’ Cup 2026 hub guide open for post times.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
