Buy TicketsBy Matt Shifman and Bob Ehalt
1st race – [Md Sp Wt, 7F] – (5) Powerline was a $1.8 million yearling purchase who ran in two strong maiden races at Saratoga behind two first-place finishers who came back to win their next start including my top choice in the BC Juvenile. (4) Knicks Diamonds was third in his first start at Keeneland at the beginning of the month. (2) Highwaymen was a $925,000 yearling purchase making his first start for a 21% trainer with debut winners. (11) Overtime Bonus was third on the grass at Kentucky Downs and then was second on the main track at Keeneland.
2nd race – [OC 100k/N1X, 7F] – (3) Master Queen was a maiden winner by almost 10 lengths in her debut in July who tried a turf stake at Kentucky Downs to no avail, but moved back to dirt at Keeneland to set the pace and finish second. (8) Don’t Tell Mom won her second start at Churchill Downs in September by almost six lengths. (9) Right in Time was a first-time starter who was a front-end winner at Keeneland at 6-1. (1) Betty Sue won a Parx Racing maiden special weight in August by 10 lengths in her second start and then was fifth in the Pocahontas (G3).
3rd race – [OC 100k/N3X, 6 ½ F] - (1) Booth has been racing extensively in stakes and was the winner of the Iowa Sprint in July and then was fourth in the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland. (11) Saudi Crown won the Commonwealth (G3) seven-furlong sprint at this Kentucky track in April and last seen was fourth in the Parx Dirt Mile. (5) Extra Anejo came back from a two-month layoff to win an allowance and is 2 for 2 at Keeneland with a graded stakes win. (2) Steeze ran one of his best races three weeks ago in a Keeneland allowance.
4th race - [Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), 7F] – (2) Ways and Means is a seven-furlong specialist with two recent big wins at Saratoga in the Ballerina (G1) and Bed O Roses (G2). (4) R Disaster won 6 out of her last 9 starts including the Derby City Distaff (G1). (11) Explora won the Test (G1) at Saratoga and is a Baffert runner who has been training at his Kentucky barn. (1) Look Forward came back from a long layoff to run second in a sprint stakes at Churchill and is a past graded-stakes winner at this seven-furlong distance.
5th race – [Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), 5 ½ F TURF] – (3) Bacio won the Nunthorpe (G1) at York in England but began his career with 3 wins from his first 4 starts at four different American tracks. (6) Yellow Card won the Turf Sprint (G2) at Churchill on Derby weekend with his best career performance. (5) Time to Dazzle won the Franklin (G2) at Keeneland three weeks ago with his best-ever effort. (7) Commanche Brave won his last starts in Group 1 races at top tracks in the United Kingdom.
6th race – [Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), 1 mi] – (7) Bracket Buster is rounding into top form after two starts in 2026 and is a bit of a “buzz” horse. (9) Forged Steel won the Goodwood (G1) at Santa Anita after pressing the pace. (10) Owen Almighty raced a mile his last three starts and got a pair of triple digit Beyer Speed Figures. (2) Further Ado won both of his starts at Keeneland by combined margins of 31 lengths including the Blue Grass (G1).
7th race – [Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), 1 3/16 mi TURF] – (12) Blue Bolt won her last six races in Europe and the four most recent were in Group 1 stakes going a mile. (11) Precise won a Group 1 at Royal Ascot in June and chased the top pick three times since then. (5) Kathrynmarissa is the best American turf female based on her victories in the Diana (G1) and the Flower Bowl (G2). (1) Gimme a Nother won his last four races in a row at four different tracks most recently in the EP Taylor (G1) at Woodbine.
8th race – [Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1),6F] - (11) T O Elvis won his last five races with four in Japan and last time in the Churchill Downs (G1) back in May. He will get a hot pace to set up his closing move. (13) Englishman is clearly the horse to beat and is very fast as he showed in the Jerkens (G1) and the Woody Stephens (G1). He will face older horses for the first time from the far outside and could face pressure in the early going. (7) Built never runs a bad race and has plenty of impressive speed figures. (4) Hymn won the Forego (G1) while racing from off the pace.
9th race – [Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), 1 mi TURF] – (8) Notable Speech won this race last year after he prepped in the Woodbine Mile (G1) with a victory. Coming to the Mile this year he won the City of York (G1) and once again the Woodbine Mile. (12) True Love won the Prix de la Foret (G1) at Longchamp in France at the beginning of October. (1) Deterministic is the best American miler with three wins this year before running second to Notable Speech in Canada. (9) Rhetorical will try and win this race on the lead which he did in the Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland.
10th race – [Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), 1 1/8 mi] – (2) Nitrogen is the one to beat and the defending 3-year-old filly champion who finished second in the Distaff last year. He prepped with a win in the Beldame (G2) after running second in the Whitney (G1) against the top older males in the country. (4) Fully Subscribed is in the best form of her career after three wins in a row including the Personal Ensign (G1) and the Spinster (G1). (8) Splendora won three Grade 2 stakes in a row heading to the Distaff and won the BC Filly & Mare Sprint last year. (7) Super Corredora won the Zenyatta (G1) last month at Santa Anita.
11th race – [Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), 1 ½ mi TURF] – (1) Ethical Diamond won this race last year when he rallied from last. He won a Group 3 in Ireland in August and was second in the Turf Cup (G2) at Kentucky Downs. (7) Hotazhell won the Irish Champion (G1) and a Group 1 in Germany to prep for this spot. (12) Diamond Necklace was third in the Arc de Triomphe (G1) and is a past Group 1 winner in France. (2) Benvenuto Cellini ran in the Arc, was the winner of the Irish Derby (G1) in June, and Ryan Moore stays on board for Aidan O’Brien.
12th race – [Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), 1 ¼ mi] – (6) Magnitude was the last horse to defeat Forever Young which he did in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in March. (5) Forever Young is the horse to beat as the leading career money winner of any horse to run in North America. He does his best pressing the pace and there is plenty of early speed in the race. (2) Sovereignty is the defending American Horse of the Year who was last seen winning the Whitney. (4) The Puma had the best victory of his career in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) last month and will be running late down the stretch.
Saturday Pick 3 Special:
In the Breeders’ Cup races 10-12 include the Distaff, Turf, and the Classic. $1 Pick 3
2, 4 with 1, 2, 4, 7, 12, with 2, 4, 5, 6 = $40.