The 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic is set for Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, with a post time of 6:16 p.m. ET. Reigning champion Forever Young, a Japanese thoroughbred, opens as the 2-1 favorite in a field of eight after Magnitude was scratched. Trainer Bill Mott holds a unique position as the only handler with two entries among the favorites: Sovereignty at 5-2 and stablemate Knightsbridge at 9-2.
Odds and Post Positions
The post positions and morning-line odds are as follows: Post 1, T O Password, 30-1; Post 2, Sovereignty, 5-2; Post 3, Golden Tempo, 5-1; Post 4, The Puma, 10-1; Post 5, Forever Young, 2-1; Post 6, Magnitude, 6-1 (scratched); Post 7, Knightsbridge, 9-2; Post 8, Napoleon Solo, 15-1. Napoleon Solo won the Preakness Stakes in May but enters as a longshot.
Expert Analysis
SportsLine handicapper Jeff Hochman, who posted a combined 65.7% win rate at Saratoga and Del Mar during the summer 2025 meet, has released his predictions for the Classic. Hochman expressed reservations about Knightsbridge despite the horse's back-to-back graded stakes victories, including a 10¼-length win in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup and a 6¼-length score in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic. He noted that jockey Luis Saez is 0-for-6 in the Breeders' Cup Classic and has just one victory in 75 starters across the Breeders' Cup World Championships.
"Knightsbridge made a big impression switching to two-turn routes this summer... However, I don't think he's faced the toughest competition in those races. He has the fastest early speed in the field and will have to contend with Napoleon Solo, who starts just outside of him. Knightsbridge would have been an even stronger contender in the Dirt Mile," Hochman told SportsLine.
Hochman's top selection is a horse that has "looked good in his morning workouts," and he also favors a double-digit odds entrant that "has thrived at Keeneland." His complete picks are available on SportsLine. Meanwhile, TwinSpires is offering a $400 bonus with promo code CBSSPORTS for wagering on the race.
