Approaching its 43rd running on Oct. 31, the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic is well-established as one of Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious contests, often the deciding factor in determining Horse of the Year.
Can American Soul shatter half a century of history and become the first horse with experience racing outside of North America to win the Kentucky Derby since 1976?
Last year's winner of the Grade 1 American Grand National Hurdle Stakes, Zanahiyr, didn't repeat in the $300,000 race Oct. 17 at Far Hills, but trainer Gordon Elliott and jockey Jack Kennedy did.
Keeneland Race Course has been a treasured Thoroughbred Racing venue for many years —Keeneland celebrated its 90th anniversary Oct. 15, 2026 — but for the first 30-plus years of the Breeders’ Cup the Lexington track had not hosted the World Championships.
One of the perennial highlights of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships is the Longines Distaff, which brings together many of the best fillies and mares in training to compete for a $2 million purse and boost their chances at being honored as champion older female at the Eclipse Awards.
