2026 Breeders' Cup Classic predictions, odds, horses, time, post positions: Surprising picks from elite expert
This page may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and sign up, make a deposit, place a wager, or make a trade, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Michelle Yu reveals her Breeders' Cup Classic 2026 picks for Saturday's race at Keeneland Race Course
• 3 min read
The 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships is a two-day event that started on Friday and continues on Saturday from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Today is the marquee day, and the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic is the featured event. It has a 6:16 p.m. ET post time as seven thoroughbreds will compete over 1 1/4 miles for a $7 million purse. Open to horses aged 3 or older, it's possible for a horse to win it multiple times, which is what defending champion Forever Young is seeking to do. Bet the Breeders' Cup Classic with the TwinSpires promo code CBSSPORTS and get an exclusive $400 bonus:
The Japanese stallion is priced at 2-1 in the latest Breeders' Cup Classic odds, narrowly edging the reigning American Horse of the Year, Sovereignty (5-2). Knightsbridge (9-2) and Golden Tempo (5-1) round out the top four, while The Puma (10-1) is one of three double-digit longshots in the field. Before making any 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic picks, you'll want to see the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic predictions from SportsLine's Michelle Yu, who is on site in Lexington to cover this race.
Yu started off 2025 by correctly going all-in on Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and she also predicted Forever Young's win in the Saudi Cup, Journalism's win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman's win in the Arkansas Derby and Mindframe's win in the Churchill Downs Stakes. She also hit the exacta in the Kentucky Derby.
Last year she hit the Fierceness-Journalism exacta in the Pacific Classic, and in March she nailed the Renegade-Silent Tactic-Taptastic trifecta in the Arkansas Derby. On the Kentucky Derby undercard, she smashed two races: Crude Velocity's win in the Pat Day Mile and Stark Contrast's win in the American Turf.
Now, with the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic post positions set and odds on the board, Yu is sharing her picks and predictions over at SportsLine. You can head here to see them.
Top 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic predictions
One surprise: Yu is not high on Golden Tempo as a win contender at 5-1. Golden Tempo navigated Triple Crown season flawlessly, winning the Kentucky Derby before trainer Cherie DeVaux opted to sit him for the Preakness Stakes. He was fresh for the Belmont Stakes, and pulled off the win there.
He wasn't quite as strong in the prep season, however, finishing third at the Louisiana Derby and the Risen Star Stakes. He also came up short at the Travers Stakes in August. Yu is putting him in exotics, but not among her top-four choices to win.
"The Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner ran well in the Travers Stakes, but couldn't get it done," Yu told SportsLine. "Since Keeneland generally plays pretty forward-friendly, I'm concerned about his come-from-the-clouds style. He has looked very strong in his gallops this week, but he's facing some serious elders." See which 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic horses to back at SportsLine.
How to make 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic picks
Yu's top pick is a horse who "has looked in excellent spirits" this week at Keeneland. She also is high on a longshot who "has high cruising speed." She's sharing which 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic horses to back over at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic, and which huge longshot should you back? Visit SportsLine to see Yu's picks for the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic, all from the expert who hit the exacta at the Kentucky Derby this year, and find out.
2026 Breeders' Cup Classic odds, post positions
| Post | Horse | Odds | Projection |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | T O Passwod | 30-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 2 | Sovereignty | 5-2 | SEE PICKS |
| 3 | Golden Tempo | 5-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 4 | The Puma | 10-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 5 | Forever Young | 2-1 | SEE PICKS |
| 6 | Magnitude | 6-1 | SCR |
| 7 | Knightsbridge | 9-2 | SEE PICKS |
| 8 | Napoleon Solo | 15-1 | SEE PICKS |
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.