About the race
The Breeders’ Cup Classic is staged by Breeders’ Cup Limited as the richest race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which move between North American racecourses. It is run over 1 1/4 miles on dirt for horses aged three and upwards, males and females, with a maximum of 14 starters. Breeders’ Cup lists the race’s history from 1984, the year the championships were founded. The 2026 running carries a USD 7,000,000 purse and is scheduled for Saturday 31 October 2026 at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, rather than Del Mar.
The 42nd running took place at Del Mar, California, on 1 November 2025 for a guaranteed USD 7,000,000. Susumu Fujita’s Forever Young (JPN), trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, won by half a length from Sierra Leone, with Fierceness third, in 2:00.19. The IFHA rated the race at 125.50, third in its 2025 list of the world’s top Group and Grade 1 races.
The 2025 running
| Date | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 November 2025 | Forever Young (JPN) | Ryusei Sakai | Yoshito Yahagi | Susumu Fujita |
From the official result.
Recognition and facts
- Part of
- Breeders' Cup World Championships
- 2026 venue
- Keeneland, Lexington, Kentucky (30 and 31 October 2026)
- Weights (2025 conditions)
- Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds 122 lb, older horses 126 lb, fillies and mares allowed 3 lb
- Prize split (2025 conditions)
- 52% of the guaranteed purse to the winner's owner
- IFHA 2025 rating
- 125.50 (rank 3)
Questions readers ask
When is the Breeders' Cup Classic run?
The 2026 running is scheduled for Saturday 31 October 2026 at Keeneland, Lexington, Kentucky, on the second day of the Breeders' Cup World Championships (30 and 31 October 2026).
What is the prize fund of the Breeders' Cup Classic?
Breeders' Cup lists a purse of USD 7,000,000 for the 2026 running. The 2025 running at Del Mar had a guaranteed purse of USD 7,000,000.
Who won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2025?
Forever Young (JPN), owned by Susumu Fujita, trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, won at Del Mar on 1 November 2025.
Sources
The rank and rating are from the IFHA's LONGINES World's Top 100 Group/Grade 1 Races 2025, published 21 January 2026, which ranks races by the ratings of their first four finishers. Other facts are from the pages listed below.