The 2026 Breeders' Cup runs from Friday, October 30 through Saturday, October 31 at Keeneland Race Course. The marquee event, the Breeders' Cup Classic, is set for 6:16 p.m. ET / 3:16 p.m. PT on Saturday, which also works out to 10:16 p.m. GMT and 9:16 a.m. AEDT on Sunday.
The weekend covers 22 races across Future Stars Friday and Championship Saturday, including 14 Grade 1 contests worth a combined total of more than $34 million. The Classic alone carries a $7 million purse.
Where to watch
Country | Channel or service | Free or paid --- | --- | --- United States | FanDuel TV, USA Network, NBC (select races). Peacock and Sling TV also carry NBC's coverage | Free on FanDuel TV, USA Network and NBC. Peacock and Sling TV require a subscription United Kingdom | ITV4 (select races), ITVX | Free Australia | 7Mate, 7Two (select races), 7Plus | Free Canada | Breeders' Cup YouTube channel and website | Free Ireland | Virgin Media Play (select races) | Free
The Breeders' Cup YouTube channel and the organization's own website also carry extended coverage in a number of countries, including Canada, where that's the only option listed.
Free options
In the US, every race is free to watch on FanDuel TV, with select races also airing free on USA Network and NBC. Peacock and Sling TV are the paid routes for NBC's share of the coverage, with Peacock starting at $12.99 a month for a plan that includes live sports.
Viewers in the UK can watch select races free on ITV4 and ITVX, with coverage running 6:30 p.m. To 10 p.m. GMT on Friday and 8 p.m. To 10:45 p.m. GMT on Saturday. In Australia, 7Mate, 7Two and 7Plus carry select races free, with coverage from 5:30 a.m. To 9 a.m. AEDT on Saturday and 7 a.m. To 10 a.m. AEDT on Sunday. Ireland's Virgin Media Play also carries select races at no cost.
What to expect
Forever Young, the reigning Classic champion trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, is chasing something no horse has managed since Tiznow in 2000 and 2001: back-to-back Classic wins. The five-year-old faces a field stacked with recent Triple Crown winners.
Sovereignty, under Junior Alvarado, took two legs of the 2025 Triple Crown and was named American Horse of the Year. Golden Tempo, ridden by Jose Ortiz, won at Churchill Downs and Saratoga Race Course. Napoleon Solo, with John Velazquez aboard, took the Preakness Stakes. Whether any of them can get past Forever Young plays out Saturday evening at Keeneland.
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