The 2026 Breeders’ Cup Classic, set for this Saturday, Oct. 31, at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., is already heating up with a stunning revelation from elite handicapper Michelle Yu: she is not picking 2026 Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo to win, even with his 5-1 odds. This race is already historic, marking the first time in 35 years that two former Kentucky Derby winners, Golden Tempo (2026) and Sovereignty (2025), are going head-to-head. But Yu’s take on Golden Tempo? It’s a real shocker.
Yu’s Track Record Makes This Pick Impossible to Ignore
You can’t just brush off Michelle Yu’s opinions. She is SportsLine’s top horse racing handicapper, and her record is absolutely stacked. Last year, she wasn’t just good, she was lights-out, hitting the Fierceness-Journalism exacta in the Pacific Classic. Then, in March, she nailed the Renegade-Silent Tactic-Taptastic trifecta in the Arkansas Derby. On the Kentucky Derby undercard, she absolutely smashed it, picking Crude Velocity’s win in the Pat Day Mile and Stark Contrast’s win in the American Turf. Go back to 2025, and Yu was correctly all-in on Citizen Bull for the Robert B. Lewis Stakes. She also called Forever Young’s win in the Saudi Cup, Journalism’s win in the San Felipe Stakes, Sandman’s win in the Arkansas Derby, and Mindframe’s win in the Churchill Downs Stakes. Oh, and she hit the exacta in the Kentucky Derby that year too. When Yu talks, you listen.
Why the Derby King Might Fall Short
So, with that kind of resume, why is Yu so down on Golden Tempo? This horse literally navigated Triple Crown season flawlessly in 2026, grabbing the Kentucky Derby win, then trainer Cherie DeVaux made the smart move to sit him for the Preakness Stakes. He came back fresh and pulled off the Belmont Stakes win. Two legs of the Triple Crown? Pretty epic, right? But Yu sees trouble. She’s putting him in exotics, but not among her top-four choices to win this weekend. She pointed out that Golden Tempo wasn’t quite as strong in the prep season, finishing third at both the Louisiana Derby and the Risen Star Stakes. He even came up short at the Travers Stakes in August. As Yu put it to SportsLine, “The Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner ran well in the Travers Stakes, but couldn’t get it done.” Her biggest concern? “Since Keeneland generally plays pretty forward-friendly, I’m concerned about his come-from-the-clouds style.” That “come-from-the-clouds” finish that made him famous might actually be his biggest weakness at Keeneland.
The morning-line 2026 Breeders’ Cup Classic odds have Forever Young, a 5-year-old with an insane 12 career wins, as the favorite at 2-1. Sovereignty is right behind at 5-2, then Knightsbridge at 9-2, with Golden Tempo at 5-1, and Magnitude rounding out the top contenders at 6-1. The stage is set for an incredible race at 6:16 p.m. ET on Saturday, and with Yu’s surprising prediction, you know everyone will be watching Golden Tempo’s every stride to see if her concerns play out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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