Susumu Fujita’s 2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classics (G1) winner Perennial Young has maintained a slim lead in the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, holding just a four-point margin over Godolphin LLC, the reigning horse of the year. The Longines Breeders Cup Order Rankings list the top 10 horses in consideration for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will take place on Oct. 31. at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in the 43rd edition of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Eternal Youth, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, earned 380 votes, including 25 first-place votes, and took first place the second week after Sept. 18 AGASO Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. Empire, winner of the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), trained by Bill Mott, was placed second with 376 votes out of 12 first-place votes. The government was obtained on the 8th of August. Whitney Stay (G1) in previous start.
Advertisement
Likewise, the following three positions remained in the same week from next to last. Godolphin Knightsbridge, winner of the Pacific Stakes Classic (G1) and also trained by Mott, is in third place with 315 votes. Winchell Thoroughbreds is in fourth place. Winner of the Dubai World Cup (G1) and Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), trainer Steve Asmussen, Magnitude earned 283 votes. Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Golden Tempo, trained by Cherie DeVaux, is in fifth place with 254 votes.
OGMA Investments LLC, High Level Racing, TCC Stables LLC, YNG Stables LLC, and JR Ranch The Puma, trained by Gustavo Delgado, moved to one site this week. The Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner is in sixth place with 139 votes. Espoir USA Inc.’s Napoleon Solo, who won the Preakness Stakes (G1) and was second in the Haskell Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) for trainer Chad Summers, finished in seventh place with 134 votes.
After his dominant, front-running victory in the Goodwood Stables (G1) last Saturday at Santa Anita Park, C2 Racing Stable LLC, Mathis Stables LLC, and TCC Stables LLC 4-year-old Forged Steel teamed up for first place. Learned by Saffie Joseph Jr. Forged Steel is in eighth place with 105 votes.
Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado, winner of the Blue Grass Station (G1) and second in the Pennsylvania Derby, is in ninth place with 84 votes. CRK Stable LLC and Grandview in Baeza horses, third in the AGASO Club Copper Gold, is in 10th place with 66 votes. A third biased horse is represented by Mot in chapter 10.
Advertisement
Forever Young (Saudi Cup (G1) and AGASO Club Gold Cup), Dominance (Whitney), Greatness (Dubai World Cup and Stephen Foster), Knightsbridge (Pacific Classic), and Forged Steel (Goodwood Stakes) all earned automatic starting positions in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Longines Breeders Cup Rankings are determined by a panel of prominent racing media leaders, sports riders and members of the Breeders Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. The final rankings for 2026 are published on October 6.
In the Longines No Breeders’ Cup, each old horse is bought in a descending system of 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
The 2026 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, which runs at 1 1/4 miles on Keeneland’s main track, is limited to 14 starters. Live broadcast on NBC.
This story was first published by Paulick Report on September 29 2026, where it first appeared in the thesis News section Add the Paulck Report as Preferred Source by clicking here.