There were no changes in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings this week as 3-year-old star Sovereignty and defending Classic champion Sierra Leone remained 1-2 in the top 10.
Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner, is the 2-5 favorite in Saturday’s Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and certainly can widen his lead with a victory.
For now, the latest top 10 released on Tuesday has Sovereignty with 20 first-place votes and 392 total points. Sierra Leone, the 3-year-old champion who most recently won the Whitney Stakes (G1), has 12 first-place votes and 302 points.
The weekly rankings for the $7 million BC Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 1, in its third week, are determined by a panel of thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders’ Cup racing directors/secretaries panel.
Each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.
There were no other changes in the remaining eight positions. Mindframe, winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), is third with one first-place vote and 255 votes, followed by Preakness Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Journalism (234 votes), and 4-year-old San Diego Handicap (G2) winner Nysos with one first-place vote and 184 points.
Saudi Cup (G1) winner Forever Young is sixth with one first-place vote and 143 points, followed by 4-year-old Fierceness (139 points), Baeza, third in the Derby and the Belmont (97 points), 5-year-old Highland Falls (81 points) and White Abarrio (46 points).
Sierra Leone, Mindframe, Journalism and Forever Young have each earned automatic starting positions, and fees paid, into the Classic through the through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The weekly rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Classic, which is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast on NBC.
| Rank | Horse | Votes | First Place Votes | Previous Week |
| 1 | Sovereignty | 329 | 20 | 1 |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 302 | 12 | 2 |
| 3 | Mindframe | 255 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | Journalism | 234 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Nysos | 184 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | Forever Young (JPN) | 143 | 1 | 6 |
| 7 | Fierceness | 139 | 0 | 7 |
| 8 | Baeza | 97 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | Highland Falls | 81 | 0 | 9 |
| 10 | White Abarrio | 46 | 0 | 10 |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
