(Further Ado / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Breeders’ Cup Media Team / Jim Gluckson:

2026 BREEDERS’ CUP FACT SHEET

July 18
Haskell Stakes

Monmouth Park

  • The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In is an international series of 95 stakes races in 14 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The schedule may be viewed at BreedersCup.com/races/challenge-series.  
  • The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series debuted in 2007. Since its inception and through the end of 2025, 767 Challenge Series races have produced Breeders’ Cup World Championships runners, and 773 Challenge winners have gone on to run in the World Championships. There have been 96 Breeders’ Cup Challenge winners that have also won at the World Championships. 
  • The $1 million Haskell Stakes (G1) provides the winner with an automatic starting position into the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). 
  • In 2025, three Challenge Series winners won their respective divisions at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships: Forever Young (JPN) took the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Notable Speech won the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), and Ted Noffey took the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). 
  • After the 2026 running of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland Race Course, the 2027 World Championships will be held at the new Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. 

$1 million Haskell Stakes (G1), 1 1/8 Miles, 3YO

 

  • Winner Receives: Automatic starting position in $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), $150,000 entry fee waived, $10,000 awarded to Breeders’ Cup nominator (when applicable). All Championship starters based outside of Kentucky receive a travel allowance. 

Recent Winner Highlights

Horse Name

Year of Win

Breeders’ Cup Starter

BCWC Finish Position

Awards

Journalism

2025

2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic

4 (2025)

Cyberknife

2022

2022 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

2 (2022)

Authentic

2020

2020 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic

1 (2020)

Eclipse Award 2020 Champion 3-year-old Male and Horse of the Year

American Pharoah

2015

2015 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic

1 (2015)

 Eclipse Award 2015 Champion 3-year-old Male and Horse of the Year

Bayern

2014

2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic

1 (2014)

2026 Longies Breeders’ Cup Classic Division – Challenge Series Races

 

Race Date 

Trk. 

Race Name 

Dist. 

Age 

Winner 

 1/24/26

GP

Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1)

1 1/8 Miles

4 YO & UP

Skippylongstocking

 2/14/26

KAR

Saudi Cup (G1)

1 1/8 Miles

3 YO & UP

Forever Young (JPN)

 2/22/26

TOK

February Stakes (G1)

1 Mile

4 YO & UP

Costa Nova (JPN)

 3/28/26

MEY

Dubai World Cup (G1)

1 1/4 Miles

3 YO & UP

Magnitude

 6/27/26

CD

Stephen Foster Stakes (G1)

1 1/8 Miles

4 YO & UP

Magnitude

 7/18/26

MTH

Haskell Stakes (G1)

1 1/8 Miles

3 YO

 8/8/26

SAR

Whitney (G1)

1 1/8 Miles

4 YO & UP

 8/19/26

YOR

Juddmonte International Stakes (G1)

1 1/4 Miles (T)

3 YO & UP

 8/22/26

DMR

Pacific Classic (G1)

1 1/4 Miles

3 YO & UP

 9/18/26

BEL

Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1)

1 1/4 Miles

3 YO & UP

 9/26/26

SA

Goodwood Stakes (G1)

1 1/8 Miles

3 YO & UP

 

ABOUT BREEDERS’ CUP

Breeders’ Cup Limited administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races through partnerships with host countries around the globe, and the U.S.-based Dirt Dozen Bonus Series.

The 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, featuring 14 Grade 1 Championship races run during a two-day festival worth more than $34 million in purses and awards, will be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and the 2027 World Championships will be held Oct. 29-30 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. The Championships will be televised live by NBC Sports and FanDuel TV. Press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, BreedersCup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media.