In a four-horse blanket finish, Khaya Stables (Pty) Ltd.’s homebred The Real Prince (SAF) prevailed by a nose over Questioning (SAF) Saturday to win the King’s Plate (G1) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in South Africa. With this victory, The Real Prince, trained by Dean Kannemeyer and ridden by Craig Zackey, earned an automatic starting position into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races, the winners of which receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2026 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Oct. 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.
Earlier in the program, the 3-year-old filly Wish LIst (SAF) won the Paddock Stakes (G1) to earn a free berth into the $2 million Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and Kingdundee (SAF) won the Cape Flying Championship (G1) to gain an automatic starting position into the $1 million Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).
Sent off at odds of 12-1 in a 14-horse field, The Real Prince broke well and settled into eighth place in the early going, saving ground along the rail while Dave the King (SAF) opened up a 6-length lead heading into the far turn. With a half-mile remaining, Zackey steadily worked The Real Prince into contention along the inside. While Dave the King faded, Legal Counsel (SAF) briefly grabbed the lead, just ahead of Sail the Seas (SAF), with 50-1 Questioning (SAF) poised in position on the outside. But The Real Prince had the most fight of all and forged ahead to get his nose in front at the wire over Questioning. See It Again (SAF) came on strong to finish third, followed by Sail the Seas.
In winning for the sixth time in 13 starts, The Real Prince, a son of Gimmethegreenlight (AUS), completed the 1 mile in 1:37.00.
In the 1 1/8-mile Paddock Stakes, Main Chance Farm’s Wish List, off at 9-1, exhibited a burst of speed along the rail in the final 150 yards to prevail by a length over Reet Petite (SAF). Ridden by Andrew Fortune for trainer Justin Snaith, the daughter of Legislate (SAF) completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.70.
In the 5/8 of a mile Cape Flying Championship, Kingdundee (SAF) led from start to finish, posting a three-quarters of a length victory for his fourth straight win. Ridden by Calvin Haub, and trained by Dean Smith, the C.P. Murphy homebred, by The United States (IRE), completed the race in :57.91. This is the first year that the Cape Flying Championship is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.
Earlier this week, Stud Los Trico’s 3-year-old Herr Kitten (BRZ) prevailed by a nose over heavily favored Si Senor (URU) to win the Jan. 6 Gran Premio Pedro Piñeyrúa (G3) at Hipodromo Maronas in Uruguay going 1 mile. The victory gave Herr Kitten an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Herr Kitten, by Camelot Kitten, completed the mile in 1:34.81. The Gran Premio Pedro Piñeyrúa joined the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series this year.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winners of all Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races to start in the World Championships. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 19, 2026, in order to receive the rewards.
Unedited Press Release by Breeders’ Cup
Photo: Chase Liebenberg Photography
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