Lexington, Kentucky (May 28, 2025) – One of Thoroughbred Racing’s most famous international festivals, the Breeders’ Cup has appointed Keeneland Race Courses in Lexington, Elmont, New York, and Belmont Park, as the host site for the 2026 and 2027 Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Both venues are currently experiencing large capital construction projects and show their commitment to staying at the forefront of sports.
This multi-year announcement highlights the ongoing commitment from the Breeders’ Cup to promote horse racing and invest in its future. Since its founding in 1984, the nonprofit has returned more than $1 billion to the industry with wallets, awards and charitable contributions while holding world championships at 12 elite racetracks in North America.
“The Breeders’ Cup, Keeneland and Belmont Park share many core values, including excellence and a steady commitment to thoroughbred racing, and there’s no better way to showcase their partnership than holding a world championship at these iconic venues in 2026 and 2027.” “Both venues, enhanced by the latest capital improvements, each have their own legacy, setting the stage for a thrilling two-day festival that celebrates the pinnacle of thoroughbred racing and everything that equestrian lifestyles have to offer.”
Keeneland has received over $100 million in its largest capital construction project in its 89-year history, exemplifying future truck investments. The development plan is fixed at the three-level paddock building, with an extended length of the Sadling paddock and walking ring, and is scheduled to open this fall. The Paddock building will provide a new ticketing experience for over 1,000 fans during race meetings. This includes traditional sit-in dining, a new bar concept, and access to the paddock grass on the north side of Sadling Paduk. The new jockey quarters within the building provide a unique experience for patrons as riders walk directly through one of the dining venues before and after each race. The reconstructed Sadling Paddock, housed in the lower floors of the Paddock building, provides the safest environment possible for horse and human participants, and gives fans an unparalleled view of the pre-race pageantry.
“Keeneland is honoured to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championship in 2026. We are thrilled to share this global racing celebration with fans around the world and the Lexington community.” “We are particularly excited to further strengthen our hospitality experience and host our guests in the new Paddock Building. Additionally, we look forward to hosting our third championship sale on Wednesday before the Breeders’ Cup, a dynamic way to kick off the week’s festive festival.
The $455 million redevelopment of New York State and the New York Racing Association’s Belmont Park will become a world-class racing and entertainment destination on Long Island. With a 300,000-square-foot five-storey building, sports fans are hoping to offer modern amenities and hospitality, and the new facility will unlock the massive Belmont Park infield and provide more green space than ever before for fans and the community. Additionally, NYRA has completely renovated its existing main dirt track and two turf courses, adding an all-weather synthetic surface. NYRA will open New Belmont Park in September 2026.
“New Belmont Park is taking shape on Long Island as support for horse racing and its understanding of its positive economic impact paved the way back to New York in 2027. “New York racing fans and participants have been eager to host the event since its last event in Belmont in 2005. We would like to thank the Breeders’ Cup for making it happen.”
The 2026 run marks the fourth time Keeneland hosts the World Championships in 2015, 2020 and 2022 and beyond. We welcome the Breeders’ Cup in 2027 for over 20 years. October 29th-30th, 2027. All race dates are pending approval from the respective state of the host track.
Additional materials such as video footage, high-resolution images, fact sheets, and track-specific press releases are available at bladerscup.com/media-center.
About Keeneland
Since its first race competition 89 years ago, the Keeneland Association has been dedicated to the health and vitality of the thoroughbred industry. Keeneland, the world’s largest thoroughbred auction house, offers five on-site sales per year in January, April, September and November. Keeneland Sales Alumni dominates races around the world at all levels. In April and October, Keeneland offers the richest thoroughbred lace in the world’s highest caliber. Keeneland will host its fourth Breeders’ Cup World Championship in 2026, following in 2015, 2020 and 2022. Unique, structured Keeneland is a private holding company with a non-profit mission that has a non-profit mission to return revenue to the industry and the community in the form of a multi-million dollar wallet and multi-million dollar wallet that has been donated across the Horse Racing Industry Initiative and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’s Central Services and Charity’ Kentucky. Keeneland also maintains the Keeneland Library, a world-renowned public research institute with a mission to preserve information about the thoroughbred industry. For more information, please visit keeneland.com.
New York Racing Association, Inc. About (NYRA)
NYRA is a non-franchised nonprofit in New York, running thoroughbred races on the Aqueduct RaceTrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race courses. NYRA Truck is the foundation of New York’s state’s horse racing economy, responsible for over $3 billion in employment for 19,000 people and annual economic impact across the state.
NYRA is the National Advanced Deposion Platform launched in 2016 and is the parent company of NYRA BETS and LLC, currently available to customers in 36 states. Nyra Bets offers bettors the opportunity to wager on tracks around the world, anytime, anywhere. The NYRA BETS app is available for download at nyrabets.com on iOS and Android.
About the Breeders’ Cup
Breeders’ Cup Limited manages the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, the Thoroughbred Racing Year-end Championships, and the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’r In. The 2025 Breeders’ Cup World Championship will take place from October 31st to November 31st, featuring 14 Grade 1 Championship races at a two-day festival of wallets and awards of over $34 million. 1. The championship will be performed live by NBC Sports at Del Mar, Del Mar, California. The press release will appear on Breaders’ Cup’s website BreadersCup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media.
