Breeders' Cup 2025: Schedule, post times, TV coverage

Breeders’ Cup Ltd. announced the broadcast schedule and post times for the 42nd running of the Breeders’ Cup, set for Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

The Breeders' Cup again will again feature 14 Grade 1 races and more than $34 million in purses and awards. Del Mar will host the Breeders’ Cup for the fourth time on the heels of a record-setting edition in 2024 that achieved a new global wagering benchmark of $203.7 million and welcomed 61 international contenders, the most in Breeders’ Cup history. 

Tohe Breeders’ Cup once again will offer two distinct live broadcasts, each tailored to deliver the right content on the platforms fans prefer. The organization’s social media channels will enhance the viewing experience, enabling viewers to watch all races live, access highlights and engage with real-time reactions across platforms.   

During the two-day festival, NBC Sports will produce more than 10 hours of racing coverage, airing live across NBC, USA Network and Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service. The programming is anchored by a 3 1/2-hour NBC broadcast window on Saturday from 3:30 to 7 p.m. EDT, featuring the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic and four other Breeders' Cup races. The Classic is shaping up as a true international showdown, featuring last year’s top three finishers, Sierra Leone, Fierceness and Japan star Forever Young, alongside Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Grade 1 Travers (G1) winner Sovereignty and Preakness and Haskell (G1) winner Journalism. 

Complementing NBC Sports’ broadcasts, FanDuel TV will present live continuous coverage of every Breeders' Cup and undercard race through the Breeders’ Cup Players’ Show, available on FanDuel TV, BreedersCup.com, the Breeders’ Cup mobile app, all major ADW platforms and simulcast outlets worldwide. 

As part of an expanded live distribution strategy, the Players’ Show also will stream across Breeders’ Cup’s official YouTube, Facebook and X channels, providing real-time access for digital-first and global audiences. NBC’s live coverage of all 14 Breeders' Cup races also will be streamed live on Peacock. 

“Sports consumption has shifted dramatically. Fans now expect premium live content on the device and platform of their choice,” said Justin McDonald, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Breeders’ Cup. “By deepening our partnerships with NBC Sports and FanDuel TV and expanding our direct-to-consumer streaming, we’re making the Breeders’ Cup more accessible, more engaging, and more in tune with how fans experience live sports today. This multi-platform strategy, which mirrors successful approaches adopted across other major sports properties, has been a key driver of the Breeders’ Cup’s record international growth and wagering.” 

This year’s strategy reflects a trend seen across other leading sports properties, fusing broadcast television, streaming and social media to meet different fan segments across multiple touchpoints. Breeders’ Cup is leveraging this shift to give core fans and new viewers seamless access to racing’s most prestigious global event live, everywhere they watch and to drive global wagering on the event.  

The 2025 World Championships also will also be broadcast to more than 180 countries around the world, with live telecasts on ITV4, Sky Sports Racing and Racing TV in the United Kingdom; Virgin Media in Ireland; ESPN in Latin America; Green Channel, Abema TV and Netkeiba in Japan; Sportsnet in Canada; SuperSport across Africa; FanCode in India and more. Final international coverage details will be announced in the coming weeks.?