With the 2026 U.S. Triple Crown season completed, the focus of the horse racing world shifts from Saratoga Race Course to across the pond for one of the most prestigious events on the annual calendar. The five-day Royal Ascot meet begins Tuesday, June 16, at gorgeous Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, England.
Every year, the road to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships starts months before with a series of qualifying races that are known as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
The final Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga delivered a memorable five days of competition featuring 18 graded stakes and more than $11 million in purses. Headlined by nine Grade 1 races across Friday June 5 and Saturday June 6, the festival produced significant movement on the Equibase leaderboard. From track-record performances to historic achievements, the week was packed with standout moments that reshaped the leaderboard as the summer racing season begins.
