The Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland is a Grade 1, $2 million race over six furlongs, and it’s the biggest sprint on the dirt calendar. This year’s field mixes American graded stakes stars with fast shippers from Japan and the United Arab Emirates, and the first quarter mile is expected to be quick.
It takes blazing early speed, a good turn around the bend, and enough left to finish in the last sixteenth. Here are the top 12 contenders, followed by what to watch.
Quick look: the 2026 Sprint field
| # | Horse | Trainer | Record | Best Equibase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | T O Elvis | Daisuke Takayanagi | 6 wins, 3 thirds in 9 | 108 |
| 2 | Listenupshance | Doug O’Neill | 5 wins in 14 | 113 |
| 3 | Englishman | Cherie DeVaux | 4 wins in 5 | 120 |
| 4 | Hymn | Ron Moquett | 5 wins in 15 | n/a |
| 5 | Dragon Welds | n/a | 7 wins in 14 | n/a |
| 6 | Dark Saffron | Ahmad bin Harmash | 5 wins in 15 | n/a |
| 7 | T Kraft | Bill Mott | 5 wins in 16 | 102 |
| 8 | Nakatomi | Wesley Ward | 8 wins in 28 | 115 |
| 9 | Crazy Mason | Gregory Sacco | 5 wins in 23 | 109 |
| 10 | Built | Wayne Catalano | 7 wins in 15 | 112 |
| 11 | Mad House | David Van Winkle | 6 wins in 15 | 110 |
| 12 | Little Thunder | Timothy Hamm | n/a | n/a |
1. T O Elvis
T O Elvis is a Kentucky-bred dark bay colt owned by Tomoya Ozasa and trained by Daisuke Takayanagi. He’s by Volatile out of Stopshoppingdebbie, a Curlin mare who won nine straight starts. He has 6 wins and 3 thirds from 9 starts, so he’s been in the money every time, in both Japan and the U.S.
He first made his name by winning the Grade 1 Capella Stakes at Nakayama by five lengths in December 2025. Then he shipped to the U.S. for the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day, May 2. Ryusei Sakai rode him from gate eight, tracked the pace on the outside, and he drew away to win by 3¼ lengths. That earned a 108 Equibase figure. Connections kept him fresh over the summer for this race, and his tactical speed should suit any pace.
2. Listenupshance
A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Shancelot out of Listenupnow, a Hard Spun mare, he’s trained by Doug O’Neill for Great Friends Stables and Run Fast Racing. He has 5 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds from 14 starts.
He was second in the Grade 3 San Carlos (108 Equibase) and the Palos Verdes (110) earlier this year. Then, on July 25, he won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby at Del Mar under Emisael Jaramillo with a 113, which got him an automatic Breeders’ Cup berth. He backed that up on September 27 in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, tracking the leaders, accelerating into the lane, and holding off Maximum Bourbon in 1:08.70 for another 113. He’s a stalker who can change gears quickly around the turn, and he’s in peak form.
3. Englishman
Englishman is a 3-year-old bay colt by Maxfield out of In It for the Gold, a Speightstown mare, trained by Cherie DeVaux. He cost $400,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He has 4 wins and a second in five starts.
He won the Grade 1 Woody Stephens at Saratoga on June 6 over seven furlongs, and his 120 Equibase figure is the highest sprint figure in North America this year. He followed with a front-running win in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 29 (118). He’s composed and has a high cruising speed, but this will be his first time against older sprinters.
4. Hymn
Hymn is a 4-year-old by McKinzie out of Salt Bae, a Paynter mare, trained by Ron Moquett. He was bred by Fleur de Lis Stables and has 5 wins from 15 starts. After being gelded as a 3-year-old, he became a steady one-turn horse, winning at Oaklawn Park, at Churchill Downs, and in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash.
His best race came on August 29 in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga. Ricardo Santana Jr. had him pressing a quick opening quarter in :22.61, and he took the lead in the upper stretch and held off T Kraft, Senior Officer, and Crazy Mason. That win earned him a Win and You’re In spot.
5. Dragon Welds
A 4-year-old dark bay colt from Japan, Dragon Welds has 7 wins and a second from 14 starts. This year he won the Hatsuharu Stakes at Nakayama in January and the Chiba Stakes in March. On April 15, he took the Listed Tokyo Sprint at Oi, and on September 6 he shipped to Seoul for the Grade 3 Korea Sprint, where he stalked, took over at the top of the stretch, and beat Tintoretto. Keita Tosaki rode in both.
He has fast early acceleration and can keep a rhythm on deep dirt.
6. Dark Saffron
Dark Saffron is a 4-year-old gelding by Flameaway out of Meadow Saffron, a Military mare, bought for $120,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale. He races for Sultan Ali and is trained in the UAE by Ahmad bin Harmash. He has 5 wins, 3 seconds, and 2 thirds from 15 starts.
On April 5, 2025, he became the first 3-year-old to win the Grade 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, leading from start to finish at 33-1 under Connor Beasley. He defended the title on March 28, 2026, from gate 11 over Bentornato, with an international rating of 117. He’s a pure front-runner who wants the lead right away.
7. T Kraft
T Kraft is a 4-year-old bay colt by Connect out of Margarita Friday, a Johannesburg mare, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott. He cost $110,000 as a yearling and has 5 wins and 2 seconds in 16 starts.
He stepped up this summer, finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga (100 Equibase) and second to Hymn in the Forego (100). On October 1, he won the Grade 3 Vosburgh at Belmont under Junior Alvarado, rallying through the lane to beat Crazy Mason by a head-bob over seven furlongs for a 102.
8. Nakatomi
Nakatomi is a 7-year-old chestnut gelding by Firing Line out of Applelicious, a Flatter mare, trained by Wesley Ward for Qatar Racing and Mrs. Fitriani Hay. He has 8 wins and 4 seconds in 28 starts, and he’s a regular at the Breeders’ Cup. He was third in the 2023 Sprint at Santa Anita (a career-best 115 Equibase) and ran again in 2024 and 2025. He also won the 2024 Alfred G. Vanderbilt.
On October 2, he won the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland with Irad Ortiz Jr., settling last, then rallying along the rail to beat Little Thunder by a length (102). That earned his ticket here.
9. Crazy Mason
Crazy Mason is a 5-year-old gray or roan horse by Coal Front out of Izshelegal, a Maria’s Mon mare, trained by Gregory Sacco. He has 5 wins and 5 seconds from 23 starts, and he’s a durable closer.
His best race was the Carter at Aqueduct, where Manny Franco took him from last of seven to win by a neck. This year he was second in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland (102), third behind T O Elvis in the Churchill Downs Stakes (98), fourth in the Forego (100), and lost the Vosburgh by a nose to T Kraft on October 1. His career-best Equibase figure is 109, and he usually runs between 100 and 105.
10. Built
Built is a 4-year-old bay colt by Hard Spun out of Sea Garden, a Curlin mare, trained by Wayne Catalano. He cost $260,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales April sale. He has 7 wins and 2 seconds in 15 starts.
Built started on the 2025 Kentucky Derby trail, winning the Gun Runner Stakes and placing in the Grade 3 Lecomte and Grade 2 Risen Star. Catalano then moved him to one-turn sprints, and he’s won four of seven in 2026. On May 21, he won a Churchill Downs allowance race over seven furlongs in 1:22.54, a career-best 112 Equibase. On July 25, he won the Vanderbilt under Irad Ortiz Jr. (107), then took the Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes with Flavien Prat.
11. Mad House
Mad House is a 4-year-old chestnut gelding by Vekoma out of Stifled Heiress, a Munnings mare, trained by David Van Winkle for James Thares. He has 6 wins and a second in 15 starts, and every one of his sprint wins came by getting the lead right out of the gate.
He won the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx wire-to-wire last year. His best 2026 race was the Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint at Oaklawn on April 11, where Paco Lopez had him on the lead and he won six furlongs in 1:08.93, holding off Roll On Big Joe and Tejano Twist (110 Equibase).
12. Little Thunder
Little Thunder is a 4-year-old Florida-bred colt trained by Timothy Hamm. After breaking his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs, he won a six-furlong allowance race by 7¾ lengths on February 14. Hamm then aimed him at the Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland, and John Velazquez rode him to the lead in the upper stretch, but Nakatomi caught him in the final strides and won by a length.
The race showed he handles Keeneland over six furlongs. He breaks well and can track speed without spending too much early.
What to watch
The speed figures point to Englishman, but he’s a 3-year-old facing older sprinters for the first time, and he’ll have to handle the gate pressure and the early traffic. T O Elvis has a lot of appeal after his Churchill Downs win, and his stalking style works with almost any pace.
Dark Saffron and Mad House both want the lead, which could mean a fast early pace. That would help closers like Nakatomi and Crazy Mason, and stalkers like Listenupshance and T Kraft. Little Thunder and T Kraft both come in with good form and have run well at this distance.
FAQ
When is the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Sprint?
At Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, on Breeders’ Cup weekend. (Add the exact date.)
How far is the Breeders’ Cup Sprint?
Six furlongs on dirt.
What is the purse?
$2 million.
Who has the fastest speed figure?
Englishman, with a 120 Equibase figure in the Woody Stephens.
Which horses are shipping in from overseas?
T O Elvis and Dragon Welds from Japan, and Dark Saffron from the UAE.
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