Breeders' Futurity Stakes

The Breeders' Futurity Stakes is both a Win and You're In Breeders' Cup prep-race as well as a stop along the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Winners of the race will find an automatic birth into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and earn 10-5-3-2-1 points based on their finish position.

Bet the Breeders' Futurity S.!

Bet the Breeders' Futurity Stakes

Bet the Breeders' Futurity Stakes

Location: Keeneland Race Course, Lexington, KY

Inaugural Race: 1910

TV Coverage: Breeders' Futurity Stakes

Current Distance: 1 and 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs)

Track Type: Dirt

Age Qualification: 2YO

Purse: $600,000

Race Date: Saturday, October 5th

Today's Races

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Race Type

2024 Breeders' Futurity Stakes Results

POST
HORSE
JOCKEY / TRAINER
WIN / PLACE / SHOW
5
East Avenue
Tyler Gaffalione / Brendan P. Walsh
$7.56 / $3.72 / $3.36
1
Ferocious
Luis Saez / Gustavo Delgado
$2.88 / $2.56
6
Filoso
John R. Velazquez / Chad Summers
$8.02
10
Dapper Moon
Ricardo Santana, Jr. / Dallas Stewart
7
Mesero
Corey J. Lanerie / Dale L. Romans
9
Tenacious Leader
Florent Geroux / Todd A. Pletcher
8
Big Boat
Cristian A. Torres / James P. DiVito
4
Handsome Pants
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. / Kenneth G. McPeek
2
Saratoga Cruiser
Deshawn L. Parker / Jeff Engler
11
Ready for Peace
Jose L. Ortiz / Ignacio Correas, IV

Exotic Payouts

  • $1 Exacta (5-1) Paid: $9.01
  • $0.50 Trifecta (5-1-6) Paid: $36.62
  • $0.10 Superfecta (5-1-6-10) Paid: $31.77

Watch the 2024 Breeders' Futurity Stakes


The History of the Breeders' Futurity Stakes

The Breeders’ Futurity Stakes has been a Grade I race since 2004 and is held annually in early October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY. The race is open to 2-year-olds and run at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. The Breeders’ Futurity is part of the ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’, and awards the top-5 finishers (10-5-3-2-1) points towards qualifying for the Kentucky Derby.  

In addition to the Derby, the Breeders’ Futurity is part of the ‘Win and You’re In’ Breeders’ Cup Challenge series where the winner earns a spot in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Classic Empire, Essential Quality and Forte won both the Breeders’ Futurity and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2016, 2020, and 2022 respectively.

The Breeders Futurity was first raced in Lexington in 1910, and Polar Expedition (1993) has run the fastest time in 1:42.20. The 10-length margin of victory recorded by Gold Stage in 1979 is also a record. The race was contested at 7 furlongs for 30 years starting in 1950, and in 1981 changed to its current distance of 1 1/16 miles.

The Breeders’ Futurity currently offers a purse of $600,000. Several champions have won the race, including Round Table (1956), Swale (1983), Forty Niner (1987), Boston Harbor (1996), Favorite Trick (1997), Classic Empire (2016), and most recently Essential Quality (2020) went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and capture Champion 2-year-old honors. Other top horses to have captured the race include Tejano Run, Honour and Glory, Cat Thief, Captain Steve and Dullahan.

Jockey Don Brumfield won a record 5 Breeders’ Futurity races over a decade starting in 1969. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas won the race a record 6 times.

One of the mainstays of the juvenile racing calendar, the Breeders’ Futurity was first run in 1910, and moved to Keeneland in 1938, when the race was won by subsequent Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Johnstown.

The Breeders’ Futurity is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “win and you’re in” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; over the years, Tasso, Boston Harbor, Favorite Trick, and Classic Empire all won both races.

It also forms part of the Road to the Kentucky Derby series. The first four horses across the line earn qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis. Two Breeders’ Futurity winners besides Johnstown have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby: the Triple Crown winner Whirlaway, and Swale.

The race is currently sponsored by Claiborne Farm, which has over the years won the race five times as an owner.

All Past Breeders' Futurity Stakes Winners since 1938

Year
Winner
Jockey / Trainer
Distance / Time
2024
East Avenue
Tyler Gaffalione / Brendan P. Walsh
1 1⁄16 M / 1:45.06
2023
Locked
Jose L. Ortiz / Todd A. Pletcher
1 1⁄16 M / 1:45.06
2022
Forte
Irad Ortiz, Jr. / Todd A. Pletcher
1 1⁄16 M / 1:44.74
2021
Rattle N Roll
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. / Kenneth G. McPeek
1 1⁄16 M / 1:43.78
2020
Essential Quality
Luis Saez / Brad Cox
1 1⁄16 M / 1:44.37
2019
Maxfield
José Ortiz / Brendan Walsh
1 1⁄16 M / 1:44.21
2018
Knicks Go
Albin Jimenez / Ben Colebrook
1 1⁄16 M / 1:44.23
2017
Free Drop Billy
Robby Albarado / Dale L. Romans
1 1⁄16 M / 1:45.43
2016
Classic Empire
Julien Leparoux / Mark E. Casse
1 1⁄16 M / 1:43.41
2015
Brody's Cause
Corey J. Lanerie / Dale L. Romans
1 1⁄16 M / 1:43.27

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