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Expert prediction

Breeders’ Cup Sprint 2026 Picks, Odds, Leading Contenders, Betting Insights & Analysis

  • Alex Dudley
  • Oct 19, 2026 at 10:08 AM EDT

Pick rationale

Analysis & key factors

The eighth race on the Breeders’ Cup card for 2026 will be one of the fastest to be completed, as a high-quality field competes across six furlongs in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

A best bet for many at this year’s two-day meeting will headline the betting, as Englishman looks to give Cherie DeVaux a memorable success. You can find the latest odds available at the best horse racing betting sites, as well as information surrounding the leading contenders and our picks here.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint 2026 Odds

HorseTrainerOdds
EnglishmanCherie DeVaux-120
T O ElvisDaisuke Takayanagi+250
BuiltWayne Catalano+1000
ListenupshanceDoug O’Neill+1200
Dark SaffronAhmad bin Harmash+1600
NakatomiWesley Ward+1600
HymnRon Moquett+2000
StradaleSteven Asmussen+2000

Latest odds taken from an offshore sportsbook. Check back to find the latest BetOnline odds for the Breeders’ Cup.


How to Bet On The Breeders’ Cup Sprint

These are the best sportsbooks for U.S. bettors to place wagers on the Breeders’ Cup Sprint:

Sportsbook ratings

1

BetOnline

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BetUS

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Breeders’ Cup Sprint Race Information

Breeders’ Cup SprintInformation
DateSaturday, October 31, 2026
Time3:42 PM ET
How to WatchUSA, Peacock, FanDuel TV
Distance Covered6 Furlongs
Prize Money$2 Million
Most Successful TrainerBob Baffert (5)
Most Successful JockeyCorey Nakatani, Irad Ortiz Jr (4)

ALSO SEE: Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli Picks, Vegas Odds & Betting Preview (Oct 31)


Breeders’ Cup Sprint Betting Trends

  • Horses that have recorded a 103+ Beyer and 110-115 Equibase speed figures this season
  • Horses that have 2+ wins over 6 furlongs this season (75%)
  • Horses that have won over 7 furlongs
  • 90% of previous winners have won a Grade 1, 2 or 3
  • 6 or fewer starts this season (17/21)
  • Respect horses from key preps such as the G2 Ogden Phoenix, G3 Vosburgh, G2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship & G1 Bing Crosby

Breeders’ Cup Sprint Recent Winners

YearWinnerJockey/TrainerStarting Odds
2025BentornatoIrad Ortiz Jr/Jose Francisco D’Angelo+170
2024Straight No ChaserJohn Velazquez/Dan Blacker+600
2023Elite PowerIrad Ortiz Jr/William Mott+170
2022Elite PowerIrad Ortiz Jr/William Mott+550
2021Aloha WestJose Ortiz/Wayne Catalano+1100

Breeders’ Cup Sprint 2026 Leading Contenders

Englishman (Cherie DeVaux)

It has been an excellent season for Cherie DeVaux, becoming the first female to train the winner of the Kentucky Derby. However, she could yet sign off for the campaign with a win at the Breeders’ Cup.

Englishman is the standard setter in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint field, having won the G1 Woody Stephens (120) and G1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (118) impressively.

His Equibase speed figures make him the one to beat, albeit that he will drop down in trip after winning over seven furlongs for much of the season. A couple of negative trends go against the runner, including the fact that only three of the last 28 Sprint winners have gone gate-to-wire. Meanwhile, no three-year-old winner has won the race since Drefong in 2016.

T O Elvis (Daisuke Takayanagi)

Japanese horses have been no strangers to success at the Breeders’ Cup in recent memory, meaning T O Elvis shouldn’t be dismissed.

The four-year-old was an excellent winner of the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes (108) on his only U.S. start to date, after previously winning the G3 Capella Stakes and Auckland Thoroughbred Racing Trophy in Japan.

He has no shortage of speed, which ensures that he should have the ability to get competitive at Keeneland, but he will likely be fighting Englishman for the lead in the opening exchanges. If that goes against DeVaux’s runner, it is unlikely to play to T O Elvis’ strengths, as the four-year-old is unproven over further.

Built (Wayne Catalano)

Wayne Catalano produced an upset at the 2021 Breeders’ Cup, as Built was a sock winner of the Sprint. History could repeat itself this year, as the yard’s chance could be primed to be in the right place at the right time due to his preferred stalking style.

Built has been busy throughout the season, winning four of his seven starts, which includes recent wins in the G2 Vanderbilt Stakes (107) and Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes (98).

The Equibase speed figures leave him with plenty to find on Englishman, but a complete pace collapse could play into his hands. Holds winning form over a number of likely rivals, including when beating Hymn by two lengths at Saratoga over six furlongs in the G2 Vanderbilt.


Breeders’ Cup Sprint Dark Horse to Consider

With Englishman and T O Elvis likely to set a fast pace, there is the opportunity of a complete collapse in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. This could play into the hands of closers such as Crazy Mason and T Kraft.

The latter is the runner for Will Mott, who has a dominant record in the race. The four-year-old got up in the closing strides to see off Crazy Mason in the G3 Vosburgh last time, registering a speed figure of 102 at Equibase. That was a career-best performance.

Crazy Mason also shouldn’t be completely overlooked, as he boasts some interesting back form at Keeneland, including when second in the G3 Commonwealth Cup, recording an Equibase rating of 102 when unsuited by the run of race when chasing home Saudi Crown.


Breeders’ Cup Sprint 2026 Picks

I’m firmly a believer that Englishman is a very special horse. Therefore, I rank the DeVaux runner as my best bet of the entire Breeders’ Cup meeting. He is hitting figures that few other horses can match, and his tactical speed could throw almost every rival out of their comfort zone at Keeneland.

Sitting just off the likely red-hot pace will be key to his chances, avoiding locking up with likely speedy types such as T O Elvis and Listenupshance. Then, he could pick up the pieces and put the race to bed with little fuss. Built, Nakatomi, Crazy Mason, and T Kraft will be horses used in my exotics, with the latter two likely to pick up the pieces and potentially claim place money in the final strides.

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