Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Notable Speech stars in Woodbine Mile

The 2026 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland is 46 days away. Catch up on the latest news and developments with our weekly Breeders’ Cup Roundup:

Notable Speech repeats in Woodbine Mile

Notable Speech, one of the world’s best milers for the past three years, scored a repeat win in the prestigious Woodbine Mile (G1) on Saturday at Woodbine.

Entering off a productive European campaign that produced wins in the Lockinge (G1) and City of York (G1), Notable Speech kept his momentum going at Woodbine. He rated in fifth place for the first half of the race before rallying to defeat pacesetter and multiple Grade 1 winner Deterministic by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:33.86.

The Woodbine Mile awarded Notable Speech and “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). He swept both races in 2025 and has a strong chance to repeat the feat in 2026.

Gimme a Nother, Al Hudaiba, Voyager qualify at Woodbine

Three other Grade 1 races at Woodbine on Saturday awarded Breeders’ Cup entries.

The E.P. Taylor (G1), a 1 1/4-mile stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), went to Gimme a Nother. The South African-bred mare entered off three straight graded stakes wins and delivered an excellent performance at Woodbine, charging from two to three lengths behind slow pace fractions to take the lead and defeat a quartet of European raiders by a neck in 2:02.71.

Europe had better luck in the Summer (G1), a one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) qualifier. Al Hudaiba, a Charlie Appleby trainee who won the Superlative (G2) in England, rallied strongly despite ducking out in the homestretch to triumph by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:35.66.

Saratoga maiden winner Voyager brought her turf record to 2-for-2 with a victory in the one-mile Natalma (G1), stamping her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). A sharp rally from as far back as seventh place carried Voyager across the wire first by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:35.06.

Hotazhell, Blue Bolt among latest European qualifiers

Five Breeders’ Cup qualifiers took place in Ireland last weekend. The races produced a mix of expected and unexpected results.

Leopardstown hosted two qualifiers on Saturday:

• The 1 1/4-mile Irish Champion (G1), a Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) prep, ended in an upset as Hotazhell held off fellow longshot Wimbledon Hawkeye by a nose in 2:02.53. Item, Almaqam, and Constitution River—the top three finishers from last month’s Juddmonte International (G1)—ran below expectations, finishing sixth, fourth, and third.

• The one-mile Matron (G1) awarded a Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf entry to Blue Bolt. The accomplished four-year-old filly triumphed by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:38.11, in the process securing her third straight Group 1 win.

The Curragh joined in the on the action with three Sunday qualifiers:

• Sun Goddess continued her ascent to stardom with a blowout win in the seven-furlong Moyglare Stud (G1), a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Previously victorious over males in the Phoenix (G1), Sun Goddess dominated five rivals at the Curragh, powering away to win by 6 1/2 lengths in 1:27.68.

• Folsom Blues, runner-up to Sun Goddess in the Phoenix, bounced back to earn a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf berth in the seven-furlong Vincent O’Brien National (G1). He proved much the best in his second try at the Group 1 level, drawing clear to score by six lengths in 1:27.80.

• Comanche Brave reiterated his status as a top-tier grass dasher with a win in the five-furlong Flying Five (G1), a Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) qualifier. Victorious in the July Cup (G1) two months ago, Comanche Brave secured his second straight Group 1 win in fine fashion, unleashing a sharp kick to defeat 16 rivals—including 2024 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust—by 1 1/4 lengths in :58.80.

Kerry’s Kiss earns Filly & Mare Sprint berth

Kerry’s Kiss joined the prospective Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) field when posting a gate-to-wire victory in the seven-furlong Princess Roone (G3) on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Entering off wins in the Musical Romance H. and Sheer Drama H. at Gulfstream, Kerry’s Kiss set quick fractions of :22.12 and :44.71 before continuing on to triumph by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:25.33.

Splendora romps in Locust Grove

Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Splendora picked up her sixth graded stakes win from her last seven starts when trouncing the 1 1/16-mile Locust Grove (G2) on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

The Bob Baffert trainee led all the way to beat three rivals, including 2024 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Immersive, by 5 1/4 lengths in 1:43.30.

Forever Young returns to the U.S. in Jockey Club Gold Cup

Only one Breeders’ Cup qualifier is on the agenda for this week, but it’s a big one: the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Friday at Belmont Park.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup takes place over 1 1/4 miles and awards an entry into the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Japan’s globetrotting superstar Forever Young, winner of the Classic in 2025, is the expected favorite. Other high-profile entrants include runaway Suburban (G2) winner Phileas Fogg and 2025 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) conqueror Baeza.

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
Hotazhell
Kalpana
Meisho Tabaru
Obataye
Ombudsman
Survie
Test Score
Tiffany

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Claret Beret
Eunomia
Fully Subscribed
Herd Immunity
Immersive
Nitrogen

Breeders’ Cup Mile

Bow Echo
Deterministic
Notable Speech
Ombudsman
Sixpence
Ten Bob Tony
The Real Prince

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

Dark Saffron
Dragon Welds
Imagination
Listenupshance

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Diktaean
Herr Kitten
Hymn
Iron Man Cal
Nysos

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Blue Bolt
Diamond Necklace
Embroidery
Gimme a Nother
Kalpana
Se Va Colando
Wish List

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

Kerry’s Kiss
Ways and Means

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Bacio
Comanche Brave
Kingdundee
Mission Central
Possiblemente
Reef Runner
Sorrento Sky

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

Al Hudaiba
Folsom Blues
Haffner

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

Summer Starlet

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

Moonrise
Sun Goddess
Voyager

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Orthodox
Pershaada