Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Leading Change upsets the Travers

The 2026 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland is 60 days away. Catch up on the latest news and developments with our weekly Breeders’ Cup Roundup:

Leading Changes beats deep field in Travers

Leading Change upset many of the top three-year-olds in training to take the Travers (G1) at Saratoga, an important stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

The unbeaten Indiana Derby (G3) winner brought his record to 3-for-3 with a hard-fought triumph at 10-1 odds. Leading Change raced just off the pace in third place for most of the journey before chasing down Preakness (G1) winner Napoleon Solo to prevail by half a length, completing 1 1/4 miles in 2:02.98.

Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1) winner Golden Tempo rallied from far back to finish third.

Winning trainer Brad Cox indicated to the New York Racing Association that Leading Change is a candidate for the 2027 Dubai World Cup (G1). A start in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic isn’t out of the question for the lightly raced colt, but he may wait to make his Breeders’ Cup debut until 2027.

Englishman stuns in H. Allen Jerkens

Exciting sophomore Englishman picked up the second Grade 1 win of his career when blazing to victory in the seven-furlong H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) at Saratoga.

Previously triumphant in the Woody Stephens (G1), Englishman led all the way to reach the finish line, 3 3/4 lengths clear in 1:20.71. He’s shaping up as the possible favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

Ways and Means, Fully Subscribed, Hymn qualify at Saratoga

A trio of Grade 1 races on the Travers undercard at Saratoga awarded “Win and You’re In” berths to the Breeders’ Cup.

The seven-furlong Ballerina (G1) served as the first qualifier to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Ways and Means brought her record at Saratoga to 6-for-7 with a decisive win. She rated in fourth place before seizing command in the homestretch to dominate by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:22.05.

Fully Subscribed stamped her credentials as a serious Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) contender with a runaway win in the 1 1/8-mile Personal Ensign (G1). Victorious by half a length over multiple Grade 1 winner Scottish Lassie in last month’s Shuvee (G2) at Saratoga, Fully Subscribed widened the margin considerably in the Personal Ensign, charging from midfield to beat Scottish Lassie by 9 1/2 lengths in 1:49.23.

Hymn claimed a Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) berth in the seven-furlong Forego (G1). In only his second try at the graded stakes level, the four-year-old gelding pressed the pace in second place, then forged on to score by three-quarters of a length in 1:22.48.

Test Score, Iron Man Cal earn berths at Del Mar

Test Score, winner of the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) during the winter, bounced back from a subpar showing in the Arlington Million (G1) to take the 1 3/8-mile Del Mar H. (G2) at Del Mar, in the process earning a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1).

Test Score rated toward the middle of a large and strung-out field before launching a well-timed rally to win by a neck in 2:14.76. The top five finishers were separated by only one length at the finish.

A little while earlier, Iron Man Cal continued a remarkable transformation in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien (G2). Formerly a turf horse best known for finishing second in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), Iron Man Cal is now a dirt runner who owns a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. In the Pat O’Brien, he led all the way and held off challengers down the stretch to win by half a length in 1:22.02.

Rich qualifiers scheduled at Kentucky Downs

Two grass races with large purses will award Breeders’ Cup berths at Kentucky Downs this Saturday.

The Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2), a six-furlong dash, serves as a stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). The 14-horse field includes two also-eligible entrants, and key contenders include Troy (G2) winner John the Beer Man, Shakertown (G2) hero My Boy Prince, and last year’s Franklin-Simpson (G1) conqueror Troubleshooting.

Breeders’ Cup Turf contenders will square off in the 1 1/2-mile Kentucky Turf Cup (G2). The 10-horse lineup is led by reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Ethical Diamond, Arlington Million (G1) winner Burnham Square, Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1) heroine Tiffany, and defending Kentucky Turf Cup victor Ole Crazy Bone.

Spinaway offers Juvenile Fillies entry

The first automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) is on the line in Saturday’s seven-furlong Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga.

Adirondack (G3) winner Stress Relief and Schuylerville S. victor Harper’s Corner are the two proven stakes winners in the field, but they’re joined by numerous impressive maiden winners, setting the stage for a competitive race.

Korea Cup, Korea Sprint headline international action

Two international races at Seoul Racecourse in South Korea this week will award Breeders’ Cup berths.

The 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) Korea Cup (G2) offers an entry into the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

The Korea Sprint (G3), a dash over 1,200 meters (about six furlongs), is a stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Sovereignty favored in Breeders’ Cup Classic Future Wager

Sovereignty, the 2025 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year, closed as the favorite in the first of two future wager pools for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Pool 1 ran from Friday through Sunday. Sovereignty offered the shortest odds at 3-1, edging out reigning Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Forever Young (9-2). Golden Tempo (8-1) and Knightsbridge (9-1) were the only other horses to close at less than 10-1.

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifiers

The following horses have secured Win and You’re In berths to the 2026 Breeders’ Cup via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. Not all qualifiers are currently active or targeting the Breeders’ Cup.

Breeders’ Cup Classic

Baby Vino
Costa Nova
Forever Young
Item
Knightsbridge
Magnitude
Skippylongstocking
Sovereignty

Breeders’ Cup Turf

Calandagan
Eccentric
Kalpana
Meisho Tabaru
Obataye
Ombudsman
Survie
Test Score

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Claret Beret
Eunomia
Fully Subscribed
Herd Immunity
Immersive
Nitrogen

Breeders’ Cup Mile

Bow Echo
Deterministic
Ombudsman
Sixpence
Ten Bob Tony
The Real Prince

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

Dark Saffron
Imagination
Listenupshance

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Herr Kitten
Hymn
Iron Man Cal
Nysos

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Diamond Necklace
Embroidery
Kalpana
Se Va Colando
Wish List

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Ways and Means

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Bacio
Kingdundee
Mission Central
Reef Runner
Sorrento Sky

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Haffner

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Moonrise

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Orthodox
Pershaada