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Quick Answer
Future Stars Friday at Keeneland on 30 October features five Breeders Cup races for two year olds. The Juvenile is now down to six runners after Earth Song was scratched on Thursday, with unbeaten Hughes the 1-1 favourite from post 5.
The Breeders Cup starts today, and it starts with the future. Future Stars Friday at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, features five championship races for two year olds, with purses totalling millions of dollars and implications that run all the way to the 2027 Kentucky Derby. The headline race is the 2 million dollar FanDuel Breeders Cup Juvenile, Race 9 on the Keeneland card, over 1 1/16 miles on dirt, with a post time of 16:55 Eastern Time.
That race has changed twice in two days. On Wednesday, Gaudreau was scratched after spiking a fever, cutting the field from eight to seven. On Thursday, Earth Song was scratched, with no specific reason given, cutting the field from seven to six. No also eligibles were entered for the Juvenile, so no horse draws in. Six colts remain, and that small field changes the race completely. The favourite will be shorter, the pace scenario is simpler, and there is nowhere to hide for a horse who does not handle Keeneland.
Who runs in the Juvenile now?
Hughes, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Flavien Prat, is the 1-1 morning line favourite from post 5. Hughes is unbeaten in four starts, has won by a combined margin of 24 and a half lengths, and has already won two Grade 1 races, the Del Mar Futurity and the 1 1/16 mile American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita, where he won by six lengths with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure in his first try around two turns. He runs outside Southern California for the first time on Friday, which is the main question for backers, because Keeneland dirt is not Santa Anita dirt. Baffert has won this race six times, and Hughes is described in Friday analysis as the lock of all locks for the whole Breeders Cup, especially after the scratches.
The other Baffert runner is Salahudin, unbeaten in three starts, at 6-1 from post 3, ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. Salahudin won a graded stakes race at a mile and keeps improving, with improving speed figures, although his figures are lower than Hughes in lesser races. Do not overlook the other Baffert, as America's Best Racing puts it, because Baffert and Todd Pletcher together account for four of the six starters, and Baffert has won this race with a second string before.
Pletcher counters with two runners. American History, at 9-2, won the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders Futurity over this track and distance, closing from off the pace, and is ridden by John Velazquez. Damavand, at 20-1, is an impressive recent maiden winner at this track and distance for Pletcher, ridden by Luis Saez, and is a half brother to 2025 Tampa Bay Derby winner Owen Almighty. Coach Pope, at 4-1, wore down the pacesetter in the Breeders Futurity but could not hold off American History, and will look to pull off an upset at Keeneland for trainer Kenny McPeek. He Is No Lie, at 15-1, was beaten by Hughes in the Best Pal Stakes but improved to finish second by a half length to Salahudin in the Iroquois Stakes, and is ridden by Joel Rosario for Doug O'Neill.
The full field, in post order, is in the table below. Morning line odds are from the 26 October draw, and they do not change when a horse is scratched, although the live odds will shorten, especially for Hughes.
| Post | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Morning line | | 1 | Damavand | Todd Pletcher | Luis Saez | 20-1 | | 2 | Gaudreau | Chad Brown | Manny Franco | Scratched, fever | | 3 | Salahudin | Bob Baffert | Tyler Gaffalione | 6-1 | | 4 | Earth Song | Jorge Delgado | Junior Alvarado | Scratched, Thursday | | 5 | Hughes | Bob Baffert | Flavien Prat | 1-1 | | 6 | American History | Todd Pletcher | John Velazquez | 9-2 | | 7 | Coach Pope | Kenny McPeek | To be confirmed in racecard | 4-1 | | 8 | He Is No Lie | Doug O'Neill | Joel Rosario | 15-1 |
Two other names explain why the field is so small. Net Par came out before the draw, and Champagne winner U.S.S. Valor will not run either, because owner Barry Irwin wants to freshen him for a Kentucky Derby campaign. That is a reminder that the Juvenile is not just a championship race. It is also an early stop on the Road to the 2027 Kentucky Derby, and a win here earns valuable points toward qualifying for that race, as well as a claim for the Eclipse Award as champion two year old male.
What are the other four Friday races?
Friday is not just the Juvenile. The card opens with the Juvenile Turf Sprint, then the Juvenile Fillies, then the Juvenile Fillies Turf, then the Juvenile, then the Juvenile Turf. The Juvenile Fillies Turf has also changed, because Go for Launch was scratched on Wednesday, moving Irish bred Silent Beauty in from the also eligible list. Silent Beauty, trained by Kevin Philippart De Foy, won the Group 3 Firth of Clyde Challenge Cup at Ayr in England, and will break from the outside post 14 at 30-1 if there are no other changes. The Juvenile Turf has lost Induction, scratched by Graham Motion for a high temperature, which may move another also eligible into the field.
The Juvenile Turf Sprint and the Juvenile Fillies keep their main contenders, but championship week scratches often continue into race day morning, especially for two year olds. Check the official Breeders Cup scratch list on Friday morning before betting, because a horse who is in the field on Thursday night is not guaranteed to be in the field on Friday afternoon. That is exactly what happened to Gaudreau, who was fine on Tuesday evening and spiked a fever on Wednesday morning, according to co-owner Peter Bradley.
When are the Friday races and how can I watch them?
Friday post times below are Eastern Time first, then London and Karachi conversions. London is four hours ahead of Eastern Time in this period, because the UK is on GMT and the United States is still on daylight time until Sunday morning. Karachi is nine hours ahead of Eastern Time.
| Friday race | Post time Eastern | London | Karachi | | Juvenile Turf Sprint, 1 million dollars | 14:55 | 18:55 | 23:55 | | Juvenile Fillies | 15:35 | 19:35 | 00:35 Saturday | | Juvenile Fillies Turf | 16:15 | 20:15 | 01:15 Saturday | | Juvenile, 2 million dollars, six runners | 16:55 | 20:55 | 01:55 Saturday | | Juvenile Turf | 17:35 | 21:35 | 02:35 Saturday |
In the United States, the meeting is on NBC, USA Network, Peacock and FanDuel TV. In the UK, ITV4 shows the Friday card, with Sky Sports Racing showing the full meeting. FanDuel TV also carries the Players Show. Post times are approximate and subject to change, so check the official Breeders Cup schedule on race day.
Saturday is the bigger day, with nine races and the 7 million dollar Classic at 18:16 Eastern Time, 22:16 London, and 03:16 Sunday in Karachi. Forever Young, the 2-1 favourite from post 5, defends the Classic against Sovereignty, the reigning Horse of the Year, at 5-2 from post 2, in a field of eight. The Distaff, now eight runners after Scottish Lassie was scratched for a second year running, is at 16:58 Eastern Time on Saturday, with Nitrogen the 6-5 favourite from post 2 and Fully Subscribed the 8-5 second choice from post 4. Friday is the appetiser, but it is also the day when future stars announce themselves. Hughes, if he wins as expected, will go into the winter as the early favourite for the Kentucky Derby. If he loses, the Derby picture opens up completely, and a horse like American History or Salahudin will have beaten the best two year old in America on his own track.
What should fans watch for on Friday?
First, watch Hughes around two turns at Keeneland. He has already won around two turns at Santa Anita, but this is his first race outside Southern California, and his first race at Keeneland. Second, watch the pace. With only six runners, there is less early speed, and a horse who gets an easy lead could steal the race. Third, watch Silent Beauty in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. A horse who was not in the field on Tuesday is now running from post 14, and also eligible horses who get in late often run better than their odds suggest, because they are fit and ready. Fourth, watch the European challenge in the turf races. The Juvenile Turf races present the traditional cross continental battle, with highly regarded European fillies taking on a deep American contingent, and the turf course at Keeneland often suits a horse who can quicken late.
The Breeders Cup is often decided by the horses who are still standing on Saturday evening, not just the fastest ones on paper. Wednesday and Thursday reminded everyone of that. Gaudreau will have to wait another year, Earth Song will have to wait as well, and Silent Beauty gets a chance she did not expect 48 hours ago. That is championship racing, and that is why Friday at Keeneland is unmissable, even before the Classic on Saturday.
Related live posts: Breeders Cup 2026 Weekend Guide: All 14 Race Times, TV by Country and the Classic Headliners, and Breeders Cup Scratches: Lassie Out, Juvenile Cut.
Sources: BloodHorse, Breeders Cup Juvenile entries, 29 to 30 October 2026; Americas Best Racing, Breeders Cup Juvenile at a Glance, 30 October 2026; US Racing, Breeders Cup Juvenile field update, 30 October 2026; MyWinners, Breeders Cup Juvenile field and odds, 30 October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Breeders Cup Juvenile?
Friday 30 October at 16:55 Eastern Time, 20:55 London, and 01:55 Saturday in Karachi, as Race 9 at Keeneland.
How many horses run in the Juvenile now?
Six, after Gaudreau was scratched with a fever on Wednesday and Earth Song was scratched on Thursday. No also eligibles were entered, so no horse draws in.
Who is favourite for the Juvenile?
Hughes, unbeaten in four starts for Bob Baffert, at 1-1 from post 5 under Flavien Prat.
Who are the other Juvenile runners?
Salahudin at 6-1, American History at 9-2, Coach Pope at 4-1, He Is No Lie at 15-1, and Damavand at 20-1.
What are the other Friday races?
Juvenile Turf Sprint at 14:55 Eastern, Juvenile Fillies at 15:35, Juvenile Fillies Turf at 16:15, Juvenile at 16:55, and Juvenile Turf at 17:35.
How can I watch the Breeders Cup in the UK and US?
In the US on NBC, USA, Peacock and FanDuel TV. In the UK on ITV4 for selected races and Sky Sports Racing for the full meeting.
