Results: See who won the highly-prized Breeders' Cup Friday races in Lexington

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The first day of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup is in the books after five, action-packed races at Keeneland Friday afternoon.

This is the fourth time Lexington has hosted the Breeders’ Cup, the world championships for thoroughbred racing. The previous editions at Keeneland took place in 2015, 2020 and 2022.

More than $34 million in purses and awards will be on offer at this year’s championships. All 14 of the championship races will be broadcast on NBC, Peacock and USA Network during the two-day event.

Five races took place on the dirt and turf in Friday’s slate. Here is what happened at the racetrack:

Brown Advisory Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

— 5:35 p.m. — Haffner won the final race of the first day of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup, the Grade 1, $1 million Brown Advisory Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Haffner won by 1 3/4 lengths over his closest competitors, Folsom Blues and Avec Toi in second and third. Folsom Blues claimed the second position by a nose over his competitor from France.

The victory also moved trainer Aidan O’Brien back into the top spot of the all-time Breeders’ Cup trainer wins list. O’Brien and Bob Baffert climbed up the list with wins in the Juvenile Fillies Turf for O’Brien and Juvenile for Baffert, but O’Brien’s 23rd victory in Friday’s finale puts him atop the leaderboard headed into championship Saturday.

This is O’Brien’s ninth time winning the Juvenile Turf. Haffner’s owners collect $520,000 for the victory.

FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

— 4:55 p.m. — Baffert-trained Hughes finished up an undefeated 2026 campaign by winning the Grade 1, $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 2 1/4 lengths.

The victory was Baffert’s seventh in a row in the juvenile championship and 22nd all time at the Breeders’ Cup. It also temporarily moved him into a tie for the most Breeders’ Cup wins as a trainer with O’Brien.

“Everyone who gets off him says he’s like a cheetah. He skips over the ground and he comes back and he never takes a deep breath,” Baffert said after the race. Today we saw something we were hoping to see, but you knew he was going to have to take it to the next level.”

Hughes, named after hockey player Jack Hughes, who famously scored the golden goal for the United States against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishes the year undefeated in five appearances. The horse’s owners collect just more than $1 million for the victory.

Coming in second was American History, followed by Salahudin in third. American History is owned by Kenny Troutt of WinStar Farm, LLC, which is based in Woodford County. Salahudin is owned by Amr F. Zedan of Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., which is headquartered in Lexington.

Coach Pope, a horse named after Kentucky basketball Mark Pope and trained by Kenny McPeek, finished in fourth place.

John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

— 4:15 p.m. — Ireland’s Sun Goddess won the Grade 1, $1 million John Deere Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for the horse’s sixth straight victory.

Sun Goddess came into the race as the heavy favorite and delivered on expectations, winning by three lengths.

“She’s a special filly,” O’Brien, who collected his 22nd Breeders’ Cup victory with Sun Goddess’ win, said after the race. “She did everything we have asked her to do, and everything we have asked her to do has been so unbelievably natural.”

Finishing in second was Green Empress, followed by Curracloe in third. Sun Goddess’ owners collect $520,000 for the victory.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

— 3:35 p.m. — Emphatic of Gainesway Stable in Lexington won the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies championship to cap off an undefeated season in four appearances.

Emphatic’s victory was also significant for trainer Brendan Walsh, who went 0-13 in his previous Breeders’ Cup appearances.

“When she opened up, I thought she was going to tire a little bit, then she didn’t,” Walsh said after the race. “Bob’s (Baffert) filly was running at her, but she was in front far enough and finished well.”

Coming in second was pre-race favorite Miss Monica, who had a bad start but put together a late rally for the win. Miss Monica ultimately came up short by 1 1/2 lengths.

“It’s a shame,” Baffert said after the race. “That’s the thing with young horses. You need everything to go your way to win these big races.”

Emphatic’s owners Antony Beck and Andrew Rosen win just more than $1 million for the victory. Miss Monica’s owners won $340,000 while the owners of third place finisher, Manuka Honey, won $180,000.

This is Emphatic’s second victory at Keeneland this month after winning the Grade 1, $650,000 Alcibiades Stakes Oct. 2.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

— 2:55 p.m. — Libertango won the Breeders’ Cup first race of the world championships, the Grade 1, $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Jockey Billy Loughnane rode the horse from Ireland to the victory by 1 1/4 lengths. Flavien Prat was originally scheduled to ride the Irish horse, but Loughnane shed enough weight before the deadline to be eligible to ride in the race.

Libertango is trained by George Boughey, who picked up his first Breeders’ Cup win with Libertango’s run.

“For me, it’s huge,” Boughey said after the race. “It’s the pinnacle for us, traveling the horses around the world to win a Breeders’ Cup is right at the top of it.”

Libertango’s owner, V I Araci, pockets $520,000 for the victory. Rounding out the top three were Ireland’s Hell of Spin ($170,000) and Great Britain’s Mussab ($90,000).

Harper’s Corner crossed the finish line in third but was later disqualified. The horse’s jockey, Paco Lopez, said after the race that he believes the disqualification was unjustified.

“Everyone is trying to claim foul all the time, but I don’t think anything happened,” Lopez said after the race. “I had the speed. I was second.”

Major player in the Classic scratches from the race

— 12 p.m. — One of the expected pace-setters in Saturday’s Grade 1, $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic has scratched from the race, race organizers announced Thursday afternoon.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, trainer Steve Asmussen said his horse showed similar signs of a strong performance just like he did before winning the 2026 Grade 1, $12 million Dubai World Cup in March. David Grening with Daily Racing Form reported that a medical scan revealed an injury in Magnitude’s left leg.

Magnitude will retire from horse racing and become a breeder at Coolmore America Farm in Versailles.

Magnitude had 6-1 odds to win the Classic at the time of his scratch, the fourth-best odds in the field.