Every two weeks through early October, a panel of media members, horseplayers, and Breeders’ Cup World Championships officials release a poll tabulating their votes on the nation's top contenders for the 2026 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course is just around the corner after a frenetic stretch of qualifying races over the last few weeks.
It’s a rare occurrence when a 2-year-old manages to earn the Horse of the Year title at the Eclipse Awards, but then again, it’s not every day that a 2-year-old as talented and dominant as Favorite Trick emerges on the scene.
The Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes may be a Grade 1 turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies run at Keeneland, but even with the Breeders’ Cup set for the Lexington track this year it’s unlikely the top finishers on Saturday will move on to the World Championship.
Some of the best long-distance turf horses in North America, and probably a few from Europe, will be on the grounds at Keeneland late this month to compete in the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf Oct. 31.