The workouts continue in the runup to the Breeders’ Cup, but the BC Classic Rankings remain the same in the latest top 10 contenders.
Sovereignty, who has led from the opening rankings, sits atop the rankings for the seventh consecutive week, totaling 422 points and 37 first-place votes after balloting by a panel of thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders’ Cup directors/secretaries panel.
The Kentucky Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) winner posted a workout on Saturday (Sept. 13) at Saratoga – 4 furlongs in 49.11 seconds as trainer Bill Mott gets him ready for the $7 million Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Fierceness, winner of the Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar in is most recent start, is second, with Sierra Leone, the Whitney Stakes (G1) winner, third.
Sierra Leone worked on Sept. 14 at Saratoga, going 4 furlongs in 49.00 for trainer Chad Brown.
Rounding out the top 10 are Mindframe at No. 4, followed by Journalism, Forever Young, Antiquarian, Nysos, Baeza, and Highland Falls.
There were no races involving any of the top 10 last week, but Baeza is set to run in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Saturday at Parx in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. A win would likely move him up in next week’s rankings even though the race is not part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In."
Fierceness, trained by Todd Pletcher, collected 365 points and three first-place votes, while Sierra Leone, last year’s Classic winner and 3-year-old champion, totaled 332 points and two first-place votes.
Mindframe, the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) winner trained by Pletcher, has 280 votes. Journalism, the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winners, has 238 points. Saudi Cup (G1) winner Forever Young has 204 points and one first-place vote.
Antiquarian, winner over Sierra Leone in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on Aug. 31, gives Pletcher a third horse in the rankings.
Fierceness (Pacific Classic), Sierra Leone (Whitney), Mindframe (Stephen Foster), Journalism (Haskell), Forever Young (Saudi Cup), and Antiquarian (Jockey Club Gold Cup) have each earned automatic starting positions, and fees paid, into the Classic through victories in BC “Win and You’re In’’ races. The final automatic qualifier is the Goodwood Stakes (G1) on Sept. 27 at Santa Anita Park.
In the rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.
The rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Classic. The Classic is limited to 14 starters.
Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings – Sept. 16, 2025*
Rank Horse Votes First Place Votes Previous Week 1 Sovereignty 422 37 1 2 Fierceness 365 3 2 3 Sierra Leone 332 2 3 4 Mindframe 280 0 4 5 Journalism 238 0 5 6 Forever Young (JPN) 204 1 6 7 Antiquarian 141 0 8 8 Nysos 123 0 7 9 Baeza 100 0 9 10 Highland Falls 74 0 10
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