It’s full speed ahead in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In" this weekend, with seven fees-paid, automatic berths to Breeders’ Cup races, including two for the $7 million Classic.
On Saturday at Del Mar, site of the Breeders’ Cup on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, the biggest day of the summer meet is anchored by the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) for 3-year-olds and up. Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Journalism, Fierceness and Bob Baffert’s Nysos are the top contenders.
On Sunday at Saratoga Race Course, it’s the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), featuring 3-year-old champion Sierra Leone and Mindframe, unbeaten in three starts in 2025.
Both races are at 1 ¼ miles, the same distance as the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 1. The winners clinch spots in the Classic, although Journalism (Preakness), Sierra Leone (Whitney Stakes), and Mindframe (Stephen Foster Stakes), have already earned a place in the starting gate.
Other Classic automatic qualifiers are Ombudsman (Juddmonte International), Hit Show (Dubai World Cup), Costa Nova (February Stakes) and Forever Young (Saudi Cup).
The Classic field is limited to 14 starters. The final qualifier is the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27.
At Saratoga: The Grade 2 Flower Bowl (BC Filly & Mare Turf) and the Grade 1 Spillway Stakes (BC Juvenile Fillies).
At Kentucky Downs: The Grade 2 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (BC Turf Sprint).
At Del Mar: In addition to the Pacific Classic, there’s the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap (BC Turf) and the Green Flash Handicap (BC Turf Sprint).
The post-position draw is Tuesday (Aug. 26), and this race has the potential to be one of the best editions in years with exciting betting opportunities.
Journalism, second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) with his Preakness win in between and a Haskell Stakes (G1) victory in July, will take on older horses for the first time.
Fierceness, the 2024 Travers winner who is 1-for-3 in 2025, including a fifth-place finish in the Whitney, is headed West for trainer Todd Pletcher, who expects to send out Mindframe in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Nysos, who was sidelined for 15 months after winning the 2024 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), has won 2-of-3 in his return. The Nyquist colt won the San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar on July 26.
Other contenders include Baeza, second to Sovereignty in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) last out, and a slew of others, Midnight Mammoth, Mirahmadi, and Tarantino among them.
For those who bet horse racing, this will be an intriguing one to handicap. Will Journalism go all out in what could be considered his Classic audition? Fierceness and Nysos are both likely to wind up in the Classic, but a win for either would seal the deal. A large field could produce a huge upset.
“It is obviously not an easy race by any means assuming that Journalism and Nysos are in there, but I think the timing for the Breeders’ Cup Classic is good,” Pletcher said. “It gives us a little extra time ... He ran very well (second) at Del Mar last year in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, so we are confident he handles the track, just shipping a long way and taking on some nice horses.”
The JCGC may be just as loaded as the Pacific Classic with defending BC Classic winner Sierra Leone taking on Mindframe, who defeated him by a length in the Stephen Foster on June 28. Sierra Leone then won the Whitney on Aug. 2 for trainer Chad Brown.
Also in the field is Highland Falls, winner of last year’s JCGC and most recently second to Sierra Leone in the Whitney, and White Abarrio, the 6-year-old who won the 2023 BC Classic and ran fourth in the Whitney.
“It's going to be a competitive race,’’ Highland Falls trainer Brad Cox said. “He won it last year and he likes the mile and a quarter. We're excited about giving him another opportunity.”
Other contenders: Antiquarian; Phileas Fogg; Disarm; and Banishing.
Flower Bowl (1 3/8 miles, fillies and mares, turf): Be Your Best returns off a short three-week break in search of a berth in the Breeders’ Cup.
The 5-year-old Ireland-bred mare is trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., and finished third in the Beverly D at Colonial Downs on Aug. 9. Previously she had two wins from four starts at the Spa.
She also has a victory in the Gamely Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita in May.
“She’s got a high cruising speed, and she does stay, so hopefully the turf will be firm,’’ said Joseph.
Miguel Clement sends out three: graded stakes winners La Mehana and Bellezza and five-time winner In Time.
Also entered: Marksman Queen, Long Ago, Amber Cascade and Madame Mischief. Amanda's Folly is entered for the main track-only.
Spinaway (7 furlongs, 2-year-old fillies): A field of 10 2-year-old fillies is set, with Joseph sending out a trio – Rileytole, Spirit Doll and Day to Day, and Todd Pletcher saddling a pair – Steer Clear and Tommy Jo.
Also entered: Ornellaia, Meringue, Mythical, Percy's Bar and Sina.
Mythical is 3-0 for trainer Jorge Delgado and has won in frontrunning style each time under Emisael Jaramillo. She won by 8 ½ lengths at Gulfstream Park in a 4 ½-furlong career debut; won the Tremont Stakes against boys at 5 ½ furlongs; and the Adirondack (G3) at 6 ½ furlongs on Aug. 3.
Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (6 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, turf): The Turf Sprint should draw a large field with a $2 million purse -- $1 million for horses not bred in Kentucky (a minority) and the extra $1 million for a Kentucky bred winner.
Howard Wolowitz, winner of the 2024 Franklin-Simpson (G1), is probable for the race. Possible contenders include Khaadeem, One Timer, Nobals (winner of the 2023 BC Sprint), Epic Ride and Implementation.
Del Mar Handicap (1 3/8 miles, 3-year-olds and up, turf): On the Pacific Classic undercard, the Del Mar Handicap should draw a large field with Final Boss and Gold Phoenix, first and third, respectively, in an allowance race at Del Mar on Aug. 9, listed as probables.
Gold Phoenix, a 7-year-old gelding trained by Phil D’Amato, is a two-time winner of this race, but is 0-for-5 since winning the 2024 edition.
The draw is Tuesday. Possible entries include Cabo Spirit, Endlessly, Stay Hot, Atitlan, Nitti, Aligato and Adios Cole.
Green Flash Handicap (5 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up, turf)
The sprint looks like it will have a substantial, including 2024 Green Flash winner Motorius, winner of the Daytona Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita on June 14 and trained by Phil D’Amato.
First Peace, winner of the Eddie D Stakes (G2), is also possible.
Let us not forget Sovereignty a day after his overpowering 10-length victory in the Travers Stakes (G1).
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott celebrated a long-awaited first Travers win (it was jockey Junior Alvarado’s first Travers, too).
On Sunday, Mott said his Kentucky Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers winner will stay at Saratoga and prepare for the Classic.
“We’ll stay up here,’’ Mott said. “I always think fresh horses run pretty good, usually, and we’ll have to train him. If we run him, we’ve got to ship him somewhere, and he runs good enough fresh, so I’m not that worried.”
His winning time for the 1 ¼ miles was 2:00.84 and he earned a 115 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest figure awarded to any horse this year.
After nosing out Dorth Vader in a thrilling Personal Ensign (G1) win, Thorpedo Anna was doing well on Sunday morning at Saratoga.
Trainer Kenny McPeek says his 4-year-old star could run next either against the boys in the Delaware Handicap (G3) on Sept. 28 or the Spinster Stakes (G1) on Oct. 5.
Then it’s on to the Breeders’ Cup in either the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), a race she won in 2024 to clinch Horse of the Year, or perhaps the Classic.
“You’ve got to watch your competition out there. That horse yesterday (Sovereignty) was ultra impressive, the time he ran, the way he did it, even if he didn’t win the Classic, he is probably Horse of the Year,” said McPeek. “For me to take him on, I’m a little intimidated by him (laughs). He’s pretty massive. I’ve watched him train all year, ran against him, he’s getting better and better. I don’t see how you keep him from continuing on.”
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.
