Breeders' Cup Classic: Forever Young favored over Golden Tempo in Kentucky showdown

Forever Young enters the 2026 Breeders' Cup Classic as the 2-1 favorite on Saturday. The race will take place at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., at 6:16 p.m. ET. Sovereignty is the second favorite at 5-2 odds. Golden Tempo, the 3-year-old winner of the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, is listed at 5-1.

Keeneland hosts the Breeders' Cup World Championship for the fourth time. The event spans two days, with the Classic serving as the main feature. Betting odds reflect a tight competition among the top three horses. The track surface in Lexington is known for favoring horses that run fast from the start.

SportsLine analyst Michelle Yu is covering the event from the site. Her track record includes correctly predicting the exacta in the Kentucky Derby. In 2025, she picked Citizen Bull to win the Robert B. Lewis Stakes and Forever Young to win the Saudi Cup. She also selected Journalism for the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman for the Arkansas Derby, and Mindframe for the Churchill Downs Stakes. Last year, she picked the Fierceness-Journalism exacta in the Pacific Classic and the Renegade-Silent Tactic-Taptastic trifecta in the Arkansas Derby.

Yu does not rank Golden Tempo among her top four winners. The horse won the Kentucky Derby under trainer Cherie DeVaux, who skipped the Preakness Stakes to rest him. Golden Tempo then won the Belmont Stakes. However, his form dipped during the prep season. He finished third in the Louisiana Derby and the Risen Star Stakes. He also failed to win the Travers Stakes in August.

"The Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner ran well in the Travers Stakes, but couldn't get it done," Yu said. "Since Keeneland generally plays pretty forward-friendly, I'm concerned about his come-from-the-clouds style. He has looked very strong in his gallops this week, but he's facing some serious elders."

Yu favors a horse who has looked in excellent spirits at Keeneland this week. She also supports a longshot with high cruising speed. Her full list of predictions is available through SportsLine. The race will determine the top finisher among the three main contenders and several others on the field.