Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Knightsbridge joins Classic field

The 2026 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland is four days away. Catch up on the latest news and developments with our weekly Breeders’ Cup Roundup:

Breeders’ Cup draws 255 pre-entries

Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup races were revealed on Wednesday. The 14 races drew a record 255 pre-entries from 222 horses.

RELATED: 2026 Breeders’ Cup: 10 observations from pre-entries

Major names in the prospective fields include champions and/or past Breeders’ Cup winners Sovereignty, Forever Young, Nitrogen, Notable Speech, Super Corredora, Immersive, Splendora, Full Serrano, Ethical Diamond, Cy Fair, Shisospicy, Starlust, and Nobals.

Knightsbridge confirmed for Classic; Sovereignty completes preparations

Knightsbridge, runaway winner of the Pacific Classic (G1), will contest the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) alongside stablemate Sovereignty.

Knightsbridge had been pre-entered in both the Classic and the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and on Monday morning it was announced he’ll target the $7 million Classic, the richest race of the Breeders’ Cup.

Preakness (G1) winner Napoleon Solo and 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) participant T O Password will likewise enter the Classic after considering the Dirt Mile. Blue Grass (G1) winner Further Ado and Goodwood (G1) conqueror Forged Steel, on the other hand, will skip the Classic and contest the Dirt Mile.

These decisions leave an eight-horse field for the Classic. Six of the contenders have posted timed workouts in recent days:

• Golden Tempo: Four furlongs in :48.40 on Friday at Keeneland.
• Knightsbridge: Four furlongs in :48.00 on Saturday at Keeneland.
• Magnitude: Five furlongs in 1:01.00 on Saturday at Keeneland.
• Napoleon Solo: Five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Friday at Keeneland.
• Sovereignty: Four furlongs in :48.20 on Sunday at Keeneland.
• The Puma: Five furlongs in 1:00.40 on Saturday at Keeneland.

Sovereignty, in his last serious exercise before the Classic, worked in company with Thunder Roll.

“It could not have gone any better,” said Bill Mott, Sovereignty’s trainer. “We were pleased with the way it worked out. He stalked (Thunder Roll) down the back and around the turn and, when they straightened up in the lane, in three jumps, he engaged him, and they finished down to the wire together.”

Lush Lips, Blue Bolt, Classic Q head for Filly & Mare Turf

Lush Lips, victorious in the 2025 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) and recently runner-up in the First Lady (G1), has produced some of her finest efforts at Keeneland. She’s returning to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup and will contest the 1 3/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) rather than the shorter Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) against males.

“She’s going to the Filly & Mare Turf,” said trainer Brendan Walsh. “She won going a mile-and-an-eighth here last year in the ‘QE2,’ and I think the extra sixteenth will be fine for her; she’ll probably get it. The Mile looks like maybe a tougher race, though it looks like Blue Bolt is going in the Filly & Mare Turf now, but she’s got to stretch out as well.”

Blue Bolt, a European raider, boasts a perfect 6-for-6 record this year, including four Group 1 wins. She pre-entered the Filly & Mare Turf and Mile, but will contest the Filly & Mare Turf even though she’s yet to race farther than one mile.

Classic Q faced the same distance question; an accomplished miler who defeated Lush Lips by a nose in the First Lady. After pre-entering the Filly & Mare Turf and Mile, she has been confirmed for the Filly & Mare Turf.

Gstaad, Dotsy among high-profile withdrawals

Per the Breeders’ Cup, a number of horses pre-entered across the 14 races have been withdrawn from Breeders’ Cup consideration and will not join the final fields:

• Al Hudaiba will pass on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).
• Almaqam, Lambourn, Minnie Hauk, and Ombudsman are out of the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).
• Dotsy has withdrawn from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
• Carry the Flag, Drazinda, and Nabati have withdrawn from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1).
• Constitution River, Gstaad, Power Blue, and Ten Bob Tony will skip the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
• Ecoro Reve, pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), will pass on both races.
• Net Par is skipping the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
• Phileas Fogg will miss the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
• So Lovely will skip the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

Final entries and post positions are imminent

Breeders’ Cup entries will be finalized, and post positions drawn, on Monday.

The post draws are scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. ET. The draws can be watched live in a variety of places, including the Breeders’ Cup website.