BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Six Florida-breds have entered three Breeders’ Cup World Championship races set for Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 at Keeneland Race Course for thoroughbred racing’s premier two-day festival of racing. The 2026 World Championships will again feature 14 Grade 1 races and more than $34 million in purses and awards, uniting the world’s leading horses and their connections on thoroughbred racing’s biggest stage.
Contenders bred in eight countries—Argentina, Australia, Chile, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, United States, and South Africa—across six continents will compete in this year’s Breeders’ Cup, reflecting the international breadth of a competition that continues to attract elite talent from racing jurisdictions around the globe. A total of 186 horses have been entered, including 62 international contenders.
This year’s Sunshine State contingent adds to the 403 Florida-breds that have raced in the previous Breeders’ Cups—behind only Kentucky (2,912) and Ireland (491). Thirty Florida-breds have produced 31 Breeders’ Cup victories—also trailing only Kentucky (262) and Ireland (53).
Three Florida-breds are among the 13 entered the $2 million Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (Grade 1) for 3-year-olds and older going six furlongs on Saturday.
They include James Thares’ graded stakes-winner Mad House, bred in Florida by Dr. Jean White of Reddick, Amy and Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Farm in Ocala and Steven Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds in Reddick; Blazing Meadows Farm and Thomas K. Equels’ graded stakes-placed Little Thunder, bred in Florida by Thomas K. Equels of Ocala; and Roll On Big Joe, who was bred in Florida by Max Ubide of Ocala and is owned by Rancho Temescal, Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, White Fence and Richard Hale Jr.
Florida-bred multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire R Disaster and graded stakes-winner Nooni are set for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (Grade 1), a seven-furlong test run Saturday.
R Disaster is owned by Averill Racing LLC, ATM Racing and Madaket Stables and was bred in Florida by Ocala Stud and FTBOA Hall of Famer J. Michael O’Farrell Jr., of Ocala. Ocala Stud with Ocala’s Joseph M. O’Farrell III, David O’Farrell, et al. bred Zedan Racing Stables’ Nooni.
Ocala Stud-bred and graded stakes-winner Liam’s Law will race Friday in the one-mile $1 million Brown Advisory Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Grade 1). The Juvenile Turf has attracted an overflow field of fifteen 2-year-olds, including one listed as also eligible. Liam’s Law is owned by Robert and Lawana Low.
Mad House and Nooni have the distinction of already run in Breeders’ Cup races. Mad House was unplaced in last year’s Sprint while Nooni was sixth in the 2024 NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar. They look to join a list of 60 Florida-breds that have started in at least two Breeders’ Cup races.
The Breeders’ Cup Sprint counts six Florida-bred winners, starting with the first three editions when Eillo won in 1984, Precisionist in 1985 and Smile in 1986. Florida-breds Cherokee Run (1994), Big Drama (2010) and Bentornato (2025) also won the Sprint.
Florida-breds Dubai Majesty (2010) and Musical Romance (2011) are among the winners of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint while Liam’s Law looks to become the first Florida-bred winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
For the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Florida-bred Entries and Historical Statistics, click here.
Return to the October 27 issue of Wire to Wire
