Breeders' Cup announced Sept. 22 the broadcast schedule and post times for the 43rd running of the Oct. 30-31 Breeders' Cup World Championships, with the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) notably returning to its past position as the anchor Breeders' Cup race on the Saturday program. It is scheduled for a 6:16 p.m. ET post time and will wrap up NBC's main network coverage, which airs from 3:30-6:30 p.m. ET.
The return of the Breeders' Cup to the Eastern time zone—the two-day event will take place at Keeneland in Lexington this fall—allows for the Classic's placement late on the card.
Recent Breeders' Cups in California, held in the Pacific time zone, saw the Classic run in the middle of the card to accommodate a strict broadcast window on NBC and avoid clashing with prime-time college football.
The two-day Breeders' Cup will feature extensive live coverage across NBC Sports platforms, FanDuel TV, and Breeders' Cup-owned digital and social channels, providing fans with multiple ways to watch the best horses from around the globe compete for top honors.
The marquee Breeders' Cup Classic will conclude the action as a power-packed festival featuring 14 grade 1 races worth more than $34 million in purses and awards, bringing together the world's top racehorses and their connections.
Keeneland will host the Breeders' Cup for a fourth time, following memorable editions in 2015, 2020, and 2022.
NBC Sports will broadcast 10 1/2 hours of live coverage featuring all 14 Breeders' Cup races beginning Friday, Oct. 30, from 1-6 p.m. ET on USA Network. Coverage continues Saturday, Oct. 31, from 1-3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network before moving to NBC for the remainder of the Saturday coverage.
Fans may also watch live continuous coverage on Peacock, FanDuel TV, Breeders' Cup YouTube, Facebook, and X channels, BreedersCup.com, and the Breeders' Cup mobile app.
Friday's program, traditionally known as Future Stars Friday, will feature five Breeders' Cup races exclusively for 2-year-olds. The first Breeders' Cup race, the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), is scheduled for 2:55 p.m. ET. It will be followed by the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at 3:35 p.m.; the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) at 4:15 p.m.; the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at 4:55 p.m.; and the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at 5:35 p.m.
Saturday's Championship action begins at 1:10 p.m. ET on USA Network with the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1T), the first of nine Breeders' Cup races on the card. The $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) follows at 1:48 p.m., with the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at 2:26 p.m. and the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) at 3:04 p.m.
NBC's broadcast begins at 3:30 p.m. ET, with five Championship races comprising the final portion of their coverage. The $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) is scheduled for 3:42 p.m., followed by the $2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at 4:20 p.m.; the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at 4:58 p.m.; and the $5 million Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) at 5:36 p.m. The Turf precedes the Classic.
This race order and post times are subject to change before they are finalized Oct. 21.
"Consumer viewing habits continue to evolve, particularly around live sports, and fans increasingly expect to be able to watch premium content on the platforms and devices they use every day," said Justin McDonald, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Breeders' Cup. "Our expanded distribution strategy reflects that shift by meeting fans where and how they want to consume live content—across traditional broadcast television, streaming, digital, and social platforms.
"Together with NBC Sports, FanDuel TV and our Breeders' Cup-owned channels, we are making the World Championships more accessible than ever and creating more opportunities for both existing fans and new audiences around the world to experience every Breeders' Cup race live."
The 2026 World Championships will also be distributed to more than 182 territories worldwide, continuing the Breeders' Cup's extensive international reach and providing racing fans around the globe with access to the World Championships. Final international broadcast details will be announced in the coming weeks.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
