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.
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.
As promised, the Rookie Rankings have undergone significant revisions following the running of three Grade 1 races for juveniles last Saturday. However, our top three candidates for the 2027 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve remain unchanged.
