The 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup will be run on Friday, September 18, at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The Grade I race is contested at 1 1/4 miles on dirt for 3-year-olds and up with a $1,000,000 purse.
| Date | Friday, September 18, 2026 |
| Track | Belmont Park |
| Race | Race 5 |
| Distance | 1 1/4 miles |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Grade | Grade I |
| Purse | $1,000,000 |
| Age | 3-year-olds and up |
| Breeders' Cup Qualifier | Win and You're In - Breeders' Cup Classic |
| Post Time | 4:14 PM ET |
Entry Update: The 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup field is confirmed with seven starters. Post positions, jockeys, trainers and official morning-line odds are listed in the odds table below.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baeza (KY) | J. Alvarado | William I. Mott | 9/2 |
| 2 | Stars and Stripes (KY) | J. R. Velazquez | William I. Mott | 15/1 |
| 3 | Chunk of Gold (KY) | J. A. Torres | Ethan W. West | SCR |
| 4 | Phileas Fogg (KY) | K. Carmouche | Gustavo Rodriguez | 4/1 |
| 5 | Banishing (KY) | J. Rosario | David Jacobson | SCR |
| 6 | Render Judgment (KY) | M. Franco | Kenneth G. McPeek | SCR |
| 7 | Forever Young (JPN) | R. Sakai | Yoshito Yahagi | 3/5 |
Last Updated on 09/18/2026
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The Jockey Club Gold Cup is one of North America's premier dirt races for older horses. The Grade I event is contested at 1 1/4 miles and awards the winner an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.
The 2026 field is headed by reigning Breeders' Cup Classic winner Forever Young, who enters as the morning-line favorite. Baeza and Phileas Fogg are also among the leading contenders in a compact seven-horse field that brings together several accomplished older dirt runners.
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The Jockey Club Gold Cup was established in 1919 and has been won by many of the most accomplished Thoroughbreds in American racing history, including Man o' War, Forego and Cigar.
After being held at Saratoga from 2021 through 2025, the Jockey Club Gold Cup returns to Belmont Park in 2026 as part of the opening-day program at the reimagined racetrack.
Recent winners include Happy Saver in 2020, Max Player in 2021, Olympiad in 2022, Bright Future in 2023, Highland Falls in 2024 and Antiquarian in 2025.
Antiquarian won the 2025 Jockey Club Gold Cup under jockey John R. Velazquez for trainer Todd A. Pletcher.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Antiquarian | John R. Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | 2:02.16 |
| 2024 | Highland Falls | Flavien Prat | Brad H. Cox | 2:03.00 |
| 2023 | Bright Future | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | 2:03.25 |
| 2022 | Olympiad | Junior Alvarado | William I. Mott | 2:02.11 |
| 2021 | Max Player | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steven M. Asmussen | 2:02.49 |
| 2020 | Happy Saver | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Todd A. Pletcher | 2:01.77 |
The 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup is scheduled for Friday, September 18 at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is Race 5 with a post time of 4:14 PM ET.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup is contested at 1 1/4 miles on dirt.
The 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup carries a $1,000,000 purse.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup is open to Thoroughbreds 3 years old and older.
Yes. The confirmed 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup field includes Baeza, Stars and Stripes, Chunk of Gold, Phileas Fogg, Banishing, Render Judgment and Forever Young.
Forever Young enters the 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup as the morning-line favorite. The Japanese star returns to Belmont Park as the defending Breeders' Cup Classic winner and headlines a seven-horse Grade I field that also includes Baeza and Phileas Fogg.
The latest 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup odds are listed in the odds table above and will be updated as race-day prices change.
Yes. The Jockey Club Gold Cup is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, and the winner receives an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The 2026 Jockey Club Gold Cup is held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
You can bet the Jockey Club Gold Cup online at BUSR. Create an account, fund your account, select Belmont Park, choose the Jockey Club Gold Cup and place your wager. BUSR also offers a 10% horse betting rebate paid daily on selected wagers.
Antiquarian won the 2025 Jockey Club Gold Cup under jockey John R. Velazquez for trainer Todd A. Pletcher.
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