Two days before the best Thoroughbred racehorses in the world take center stage at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., officials outlined key racing, operations, safety, and integrity measures in place for the 2026 Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Know Before You Go: Hospitality, Ticketing & Parking
To ensure a world-class entertainment and hospitality experience at the World Championships, Breeders' Cup and Keeneland have capped attendance each day at 43,000. Saturday is sold out and limited General Admission tickets remain for Friday. In addition to Keeneland's usual capacity, Breeders' Cup has added approximately 5,000 seats in temporary luxury suites, chalets, and box seating on the apron.
Ticket holders arriving in their personal vehicles each day must have pre-paid parking passes, Breeders' Cup officials emphasized at a media briefing today. For ticket holders without pre-paid parking, in addition to ride-share, Breeders' Cup is offering shuttle service from the Blue Grass Airport Park and Ride and from downtown Lexington at West Short Street and North Upper Street departing every 20 minutes. More information is available at BreedersCup.com/transportation.
Early Preparations: Out-of-Competition Testing, Veterinary Coordination & Oversight
This year marks the fourth running of the World Championships under the full jurisdiction of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). Breeders' Cup participants are subject to out-of-competition (OOC) testing, pre-race TCO2 testing, and post-race testing administered by HISA's Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU).
The Breeders' Cup Veterinary Team has held regular coordination meetings with partners at Keeneland, HISA, HIWU and the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation (KHRG) to determine OOC testing schedules and protocols for veterinary exams, injury management, emergency preparedness, and diagnostic tool implementation.
A list of possible starters, including graded stakes and Challenge Series winners, was compiled and has been monitored on an ongoing basis, so HIWU could begin OOC testing potential starters for banned substances. This includes collaborating with regulators in jurisdictions outside the United States to coordinate testing of potential competitors hailing from those jurisdictions. OOC testing will be ongoing through race day.
Keeneland's Racing Surfaces team works with the University of Kentucky's Racing Surface Testing Laboratory to test and monitor its tracks, including a thorough review before each race meet. Track Superintendent Alfredo Laureano oversees daily surface maintenance. Dr. Mick Peterson, Director of the University of Kentucky Racetrack Safety Program, conducts regular research on Keeneland's tracks. Moisture readings and surface-depth measurements guide the maintenance of the dirt and turf courses.
Safety & Integrity Protocols: October Through World Championships
Preliminary screening protocols conducted by the Breeders' Cup Veterinary Review Panel include assessment of veterinary and treatment records, training and racing patterns, and physical examinations of select horses, conducted by regulatory veterinarians in the applicable racing jurisdictions around the world.
If needed, PET scan and MRI technology are available through nearby veterinary providers, including Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital and Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.
Upon the close of pre-entries Oct. 19, medical records for all domestic contenders were requested from HISA and reviewed by the Review Panel a second time. For international contenders, the previous 30 days of medical records were requested and submitted for review. Mandatory 24-hour surveillance for all runners will be in place for the World Championships.
Additionally, every Breeders' Cup runner is subject to:
- Comprehensive on-site veterinary exams, including jog-up exams and the use of diagnostic technology as needed
- Additional physical examinations and the use of the AI-powered SLEIP app to analyze the horse's gait, at the determination of the Breeders' Cup Veterinary Team
- In-stall and on-track veterinary oversight during training and schooling
- Mandatory jog-up exams before entering any racing surface at Keeneland
- HISA-mandated pre-race veterinary examinations in the barn and veterinary monitoring of horses in the paddock and during warm-up on race day
- Extensive pre-race TCO2 testing, as well as post-race testing of the first four finishers along with other runners as designated by the stewards
- Observation of all other finishers cooling out as they exit the racetrack to determine if any aid or further assessment is required
The Breeders' Cup Veterinary Guide details exam procedures and requirements for horses competing in the World Championships. Additional resources detailing health and safety protocols for the 2026 World Championships can be found at BreedersCup.com/Safety.
This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.
