Fierceness Leads Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Fierceness would not be denied in the Travers (Susie Raisher)

Breeders’ Cup Press Release

LEXINGTON, Ky.― Fresh off his dramatic victory in the Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, Repole Stable’s Fierceness has jumped to the No. 1 position in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, replacing Dornoch, who led the rankings for the first four weeks.

Fierceness, winner of the 2023 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and the champion 2-year-old male of 2023 for trainer Todd Pletcher, held off the fast-closing filly Thorpedo Anna to prevail by a head in the Travers, and subsequently jumped from fourth place to first in this week’s poll.

The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), which will be run Nov. 2 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California. 

Glassman Racing’s Arthur’s Ride remains at No. 2 with 277 votes. The 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Tapit won the Aug. 3 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga for trainer Bill Mott, and earned an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In. 

Mrs. John Magner, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith’s City of Troy rose from eighth place to third with 263 votes following his front-running triumph in the Aug. 21 Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York, in which he gained an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the son of Justify is one of four internationally based runners in this week’s top 10.

Susumu Fujita’s Forever Young (JPN),winner of the UAE Derby sponsored by Atlantis the Royal (G2) and third in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), is in fourth place with 214 votes for owner and trainer Yoshito Yahagi. 

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, LLC, and Peter Brant’s 3-year-old Sierra Leone, whofinished third in the Travers, moves up one spot to fifth in the rankings with 169 votes. Dornoch, who was fourth in the Travers, dropped from first to sixth this week for trainer Danny Gargan and owners West Paces Racing LLC, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, LLC, Two Eight Racing, LLC, and Pine Racing Stables.

The 6-year-old Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador dropped from fifth place to seventh with 122 votes for trainer Todd Fincher and owner Peacock Family Racing Stable, LLC.   

The 4-year-old National Treasure, winner of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), is in eighth place with 118 votes for trainer Bob Baffert and owners SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, and Catherine Donovan. 

Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co. Ltd.’s 7-year-old Ushba Tesoro (JPN), second in the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup (G1) sponsored by Emirates Airlines (G1), remains in ninth place with 114 votes for trainer Noboru Takagi.  

Hiroyuki Asanuma’s 4-year-old Derma Sotogake (JPN), who finished second in last year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Thorpedo Anna, owned by Brookdale Racing, Inc., Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks, and Magdalena Racing, are tied for 10^th place, with 97 votes apiece.

In the Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.  

The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders’ Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 8. A list of voting members can be found here. 

Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 27, 2024*  

*Note – The Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Breeders’ Cup Classic.