The Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar is shaping up as one of the most competitive and talented editions in recent years, featuring a $7 million purse and a field of ten elite horses, nine of which are grade 1 winners. The race includes four top 3-year-olds led by Sovereignty, who has already won the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes, and six older horses including Fierceness and Mindframe. Sovereignty’s victory could secure him the Horse of the Year title, but a loss to the accomplished older horses could shift the honor to a rival. The race is highly anticipated, with many experts calling it the best Classic since 1998.
Sovereignty, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Junior Alvarado, has been dominant this year and is expected to handle the shorter stretch at Del Mar well. The older division is led by Fierceness, Mindframe, and Sierra Leone, the latter having won last year’s Classic and the Whitney Stakes this summer. Controversy surrounds the presence of a “rabbit” horse, Contrary Thinking, intended to set pace for Sierra Leone, which some owners and trainers believe could affect race safety and tactics. The Classic will be broadcast live on NBC and is expected to run on a fast track under sunny skies.
