Moore wins record sixth Breeders' Cup Turf as Sovereignty claims Classic

Ryan Moore claimed a record sixth Breeders' Cup Turf victory at Keeneland on Saturday, driving Benvenuto Cellini home three-quarters of a length clear of James Doyle's Map Of Stars in the $5m (£3.7m) showpiece.

The English jockey chose to partner Benvenuto Cellini ahead of stablemate Diamond Necklace, who had finished third in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and timed his challenge to perfection aboard the 3-1 favourite.

Diamond Necklace completed the frame for Aidan O'Brien in third, behind Map Of Stars, as the Irish trainer landed an eighth Breeders' Cup Turf win, extending his own record in the race.

The victory also equalled O'Brien's record of 28 top-level wins in a calendar year, according to BBC Horse Racing.

O'Brien praised the winner afterwards. "He's a horse that showed a lot of class. Ryan was calm and relaxed on him and let it happen. He was brilliant on him. He did it again, he had to come out and come round," he said.

He added: "Time after time he produces on the day. He accepted early he let them go, but he had one bullet to fire which he executed perfectly." O'Brien called the occasion "so special", saying: "It's so special that everyone is here. It's a special day."

Benvenuto Cellini's dam, Newspaperofrecord, won the Breeders' Cup herself in 2018. Moore received an MBE in June for his contribution to racing and British sport, and is regarded by many as the outstanding jockey of his generation, having won the 2013 Royal Ascot Gold Cup aboard Estimate for Queen Elizabeth II.

The meeting's richest prize, the $7m Breeders' Cup Classic, went to Sovereignty under Junior Alvarado, denying Forever Young a repeat success in the race.

Trained by Bill Mott, the 2025 Kentucky Derby winner had been scratched from last year's Classic because of a fever, and his path to this year's race was again complicated by a hoof abscess, having also been beaten twice to open his 2026 campaign, according to Yahoo Sports.

Alvarado said he never lost faith that Sovereignty could deliver. "What he did today, Sovereignty, it's just spectacular," he said. "We really wanted to run so bad the Classic last year. I'm just so glad the Godolphin team gave us a chance to keep him in training and get to do what he did today."

Sovereignty tracked pace-setting stablemate Knightsbridge before Alvarado let him stride clear approaching the top of the stretch, finishing ahead of The Puma, with Knightsbridge back in third.

Describing the move, Alvarado said: "Turning in the back side... I was like oh boy, it's like I can't wait to turn for home because I knew the power I have underneath me." He went on to add: "The way he was traveling the whole time, letting me know, like, I'm here for you. I never had a doubt the whole way around."

The Classic brought down the curtain on a Breeders' Cup weekend at Keeneland that produced landmark moments for Moore and O'Brien in the Turf, and a redemptive win for Sovereignty's connections after his withdrawal from last year's edition.