It’s another exciting Breeders’ Cup weekend this year with the best horses from five continents meeting up on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Only three of the 14 Breeders’ Cup races will not have an international entrant in this year race and many of the races will have multiple horses from abroad set to compete.

USA Network and FanDuel TV will both televise the first day of this year’s World Championships with USA Network showing the first four races. FanDuel TV will cover the whole card with Peacock streaming all the Breeders’ Cup races on both days as well. On Saturday, USA Network will air the first Breeders’ Cup race before the coverage switches to NBC for the next five races. USA Network coverage picks back up for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF to cover the final three races. Additionally, FanduelTV and Peacock will cover the entire card.

Are you interested in getting to know the international contenders competing in the 2025 Breeders' Cup? Read on to learn all you need to know.

Friday

$1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

True Love. (Shamela Hanley/Eclipse Sportswire)

The first Breeders’ Cup race of the week sees speedy juveniles take to the track with Brussels hoping to leave a streak of second-place finishes behind him. The colt trained by Aidan O’Brien was second by three-quarters of a length two starts ago going six furlongs but became much more interesting last out when second by just a nose in a Group 3 race at the same distance as the Juvenile Turf Sprint. He only has one win in six starts but has finished second three times, so he has a big chance of hitting the board.

O’Brien’s better chance of getting his first win in this race is True Love. The filly won the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot at the distance of this race and has stayed at the top of the division all summer and fall. She has only been running at six furlongs since the Queen Mary, but one of those starts was a victory in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes and another was a Group 2 Railway Stakes win. Her only loss since Royal Ascot was a good second in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes.

The horse to finish second behind True Love in the Cheveley Park Stakes was Havana Anna, trained by O’Brien’s son Donnacha O'Brien. A young trainer, Donnacha has only had three Breeders’ Cup runners and is searching for his first win. Havana Anna looks to have a good chance for him with two victories in three starts at the distance of this race. None of those were group stakes wins, but she did finish second by a nose in a Group 3 and second by three-quarters of a length to True Love, so she’s been knocking on the door at the level.

$1 Million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Switch in Love trains at Del Mar. (Carlos J. Calo/Eclipse Sportswire)

Juddmonte homebred Pacific Mission is looking to give her owner an 11^th Breeders’ Cup win and their first in this race. She is lightly raced with just three starts, but two of those were top three finishes with a victory going seven furlongs before finishing second by only three-quarters of a length in a Group 2 race last month. If she does win, she’ll also provide trainer Andrew Balding with his first Breeders’ Cup winner.

Joseph O’Brien is already in the record books as one of very few to win Breeders’ Cup races as a jockey and trainer and he looks to add a second winner in the trainer column with Queen of Hawaii. The filly has been perfect in her last two starts since stepping up to a mile and she has outclassed her competition in both runs with a 2 1/2-length maiden win and then a 2 ¼-length Group 3 victory.  Breeders’ Cup success in no stranger to Queen Of Hawaii’s family – she is out of a full-sister to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line of Duty, who won that race in 2018.

Japan has won three Breeders’ Cup races and is represented in this race by Switch In Love. That filly has made both of her starts going this distance on the turf and proved to be determined in her debut with a nose victory. She also has stakes experience with a second-place finish in a stakes on Sept. 20. She’s another with Breeders’ Cup form in the family – her grandam Switch finished second twice and third once in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

$1 Million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Gstaad. (Shamela Hanley/Eclipse Sportswire)

Aidan O’Brien has trained seven winners of this race, including the winners of the last three editions. This year, he sends Gstaad to try to keep his winning streak alive. Gstaad has never run at a mile, but all signs point to him liking it with the colt finishing close seconds in his last three starts – all at the Group 1 level. Two of those saw him miss the win by a neck or less while his last run saw him finish second by three-quarters of a length with indications that he’ll finally get his head in front if he goes farther.

Humidity has been consistent throughout the year with two wins early, including a Chesham Stakes win at Royal Ascot. He had a misstep when seventh three starts ago but bounced back well, crossing the line third while only a head behind the winner in the seven-furlong Solario Stakes in August, before being promoted to second via DQ in the Group 3 race. He then stepped up to a mile last out and wasn’t as close in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes, but he did finish second by a length and dug-in when confronted.

Saturday

Fee Blanche trains at Del Mar. (Carlos J. Calo/Eclipse Sportswire)

$1 Million PNC Bank Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint

Japan kicks off Saturday in the first Breeders’ Cup race of the day with Fee Blanche. The only international entry in the Filly and Mare Sprint, she has won two of her four starts this year, including her only career start at the seven-furlong distance three starts ago when she proved much the best with a five-length victory in the Shirasagi Sho Stakes. She won going a mile the following start before finishing a close fourth going 1 1/8 miles in her final Breeders’ Cup prep race.

$1 Million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Arizona Blaze. (Kaz Ishida/Eclipe Sportswire)

Arizona Blaze has been one of the best turf sprinters in Europe this season and comes into the race off a win in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes at five furlongs. He also has wins in two other stakes. He’s raced mostly at five and six furlongs this year, so this race is well within his wheelhouse. If his name sounds familiar, it should, because he missed a win last year’s Juvenile Turf Sprint by only half a length at the same course and distance at Del Mar.

Adrian Murray is coming into this race loaded with talent. In addition to Arizona Blaze he also has Bucanero Fuerte pre-entered in this race with first preference (he’s cross-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Mile). Bucanero Fuerte is one to take seriously despite only three starts in 2025. He won the Sole Power Sprint Stakes at five furlongs in May before a win going six furlongs in the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint, and showed he belongs here when finishing just a length behind Arizona Blaze when third in the Flying Five Stakes. The 4-year-old has been exceptionally consistent for most of his career with six wins and three third-place finishes in 12 races.

Invincible Papa brings plenty of international flare to the Breeders’ Cup as an Australian-bred trained in Japan. Only three horses bred in Australia have ever competed in the Breeders’ Cup (Strawberry Road ran in two editions) with no winners. Invincible Papa has never tackled five furlongs before, but he does have six wins in 10 starts with two other top-three finishes. Invincible Papa has a win last out in the Group 3 CBC Sho Stakes going six furlongs on the turf. Eight of his 10 starts have come on dirt, however, so that could be concerning even though he does have a win in the aforementioned race in one of his two turf starts.

$2 Million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint

American Stage. (Shamela Hanley/Eclipse Sportswire)

Bred in the U.S., but based in Japan, American Stage is already a world traveler this year after starting his season in Dubai. That trip had mixed results but did see him finish second in his first start of the year before finishing sixth in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen against his elders. He had a long break after his return to Japan and has only made one start in the last seven months with a stakes second in his Breeders’ Cup prep. Never count out the Japanese horses, however, because they’ve proved to be successful Breeders’ Cup performers in the past ... even if the path to the U.S. looks a little unconventional.

Valiant Force is on the outside looking in when it comes to the pre-entry rankings, but with three horses having first preference in other races it is likely the Adrian Murray runner gets into this field. He is coming to the U.S. from Europe, so you’d be fair to question if he can handle dirt, but he was based in the U.S. for a stretch in 2024 and finished fourth in Gulfstream Park’s Hutcheson Stakes. He has also spent the majority of his time in the last year racing on an all-weather surface at Dundalk, so he has more non-turf experience than most Europeans who ship to the U.S.

$2 Million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Alice Verite. (Kaz Ishida/Eclipe Sportswire)

Fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Alice Verite returns this year for another try in the race. She has returned to turf in 2025, however, as the 2024 Distaff remains her only dirt attempt. Her 2025 campaign hasn’t gone as smoothly as her connections hoped, but it could be argued that her races are better than just looking at the placings on paper. One such example is the Group 1 Victoria Mile two starts ago where she finished fifth but was beaten by just 1 ¼ lengths. She showed that she can handle dirt last year and arguably there’s no huge standout in the race this year, so it won’t be a surprise if she does better than last year.

Sarawak Rim is now in the care of a U.S.-based trainer, but the very lightly raced 4-year-old will be making her first U.S. start. She has proven to be a superstar in Argentina with only one loss in five starts. Three of her races came before she tackled stakes company but she won those races by a combined margin of 17 lengths. She proved to not love rain when second by nine lengths on a sloppy track when stepping up to the stakes level for the first time in March,  but then she came back to win a Group 1 Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series race to secure her spot in the Distaff. She hasn’t raced since May 1, but has been working regularly at Keeneland.

$5 Million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf

Rebel's Romance. (Evers/Eclipse Sportswire)

After winning two of the last three editions of this race, Rebel’s Romance is back in hopes of becoming only the third horse to win three Breeders’ Cup races. In his seven starts in 2025, Rebel's Romance has been a world traveler with runs in Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., England, Germany, and the U.S. and he’s won five of those starts including a victory in his final prep race in New York’s Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes.

Godolphin owns Rebel’s Romance, but they’re also sending El Cordobes to the Turf. If his name is familiar it’s because he won the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga and was third behind Rebel’s Romance in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic this year. He’s won three of his eight starts in 2025 with his five other outings resulting in top-three finishes. He looks like a threat to at least hit the board.

Arguably the best female in Europe and one of the best horses overall is Minnie Hauk, who comes into this race after a duel for the ages in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe where she lost by a head. That Arc defeat is the only loss for the 3-year-old filly in 2025 after winning both the Group 1 Epsom Oaks and Group 1 Irish Oaks before beating older females with a 3 ½-length win in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks. Trainer Aidan O’Brien obviously has a lot of faith as Minnie Hauk is the only horse he even pre-entered in this race that he’s won seven times.

Forever Young. (Shamela Hanley/Eclipse Sportswire)

$7 Million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic

We’re in for a treat when all three of the 2024 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve top-three finishers race on the Breeders’ Cup card with Sierra Leone and Forever Young set to reunite in the Classic while Derby winner Mystik Dan opts for the Dirt Mile. Forever Young will be in the Classic for the second straight year after finishing third behind Sierra Leone and Fierceness in the 2024 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. After winning a Group 1 race in December to end his 2024 campaign, the now 4-year-old Forever Young won the $20 million Saudi Cup by a neck in February before finishing third in the $12 million Dubai World Cup in April. He got a well-deserved freshening after the Dubai World Cup but came back on Oct. 1 to win the Nippon TV Hai in Japan, which serves as his only Breeders’ Cup prep race. The Classic is a strong race this year, but you definitely can’t count out Forever Young.

$2 Million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile Presented by PDJF

Argine trains at Del Mar. (Carlos J. Calo/Eclipse Sportswire)

Argine comes into the Breeders’ Cup Mile about half a length away from being undefeated in her three starts this year. One of those was a half-length loss in the Group 1 Victoria Mile and the another was a nose loss in the Group 2 Hai Hanshin Himba Stakes. The 5-year-old mare did win her final start in August as a final prep and has finished in the top two in four of seven starts at the one-mile distance. 

One Stripe is now a U.S. based runner in training with Graham Motion, but he made nine of his 10 starts in his home country of South Africa. The colt won a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile in South Africa and was transferred to Motion in March. A dual Group 1 winner in his home country and has won six times and finished fifth in the Grade 1 Rogers Woodbine Mile last time out in first North American start. There have been four South African-bred horses to start in Breeders’ Cup races so far without a win.

Fresh off a win by a nose in the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Sahlan is looking for a second straight top-level victory. His final prep race was the same one that Goldikova used as her final start before her 2008 Breeders’ Cup Mile victory. Sahlan is by proven Breeders’ Cup sire Wootton Bassett, who has sired three Breeders’ Cup winners with two of those coming in one-mile races.

$2 Million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf

Cinderella's Dream. (Gary Johnson/Eclipse Sportswire)

Cinderella’s Dream finished second by a half a length in last year’s Filly and Mare Turf and is looking to do even better in 2025. This season has seen the 4-year-old at her most consistent with her only non-top three finish coming two starts ago when fourth by 2 ¼ lengths in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet. She hasn’t gone this far in distance this year but that wasn’t a problem in 2024 and shouldn’t be a problem here. She did win the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes going a mile in July after winning the 1 1/8-mile Group 2 Dahlia Stakes in May in her second 2025 start, so versatility is the name of the game.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was not kind to Gezora, who finished 13^th, but that was her only bad race this year. Racing against females in every other start in 2025 she won the Prix de Diane against fellow Filly and Mare Turf entrant Bedtime Story and won the Group 2 Prix Saint Alary with a second and a third to round out her four non-Arc starts.

See The Fire is still searching for her first career Group/Grade 1 win, but she is one you should pay attention to if looking for top three finishers. The filly has finished in the top three in four of six races this year and she was beaten just two lengths in one of those off-the-board finishes. Her sole win in 2025 was a 12-length romp in the Group 2 Middleton Stakes and she finished third against males in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Her last start also catches the eye, finishing second by just a neck in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera. She’s one who likes to come running late, so watch for her to show her best in the stretch.