LEXINGTON, Ky. ― Hronis Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Summer Wind Equine LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing, LLC’s undefeated Flightline is the No. 1 rated horse following the first week of tabulated votes for the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings. The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), which will be run at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 5.
Flightline, a stunning 6-length winner of the Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park in his 2022 debut on June 11, topped all Classic contenders with 22 first-place votes and 277 total votes. A 4-year-old son of Tapit, Flightline is expected to make his next start in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Sept. 3. The Pacific Classic is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In race, with the winner gaining an automatic starting position, and fees paid, into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Country Grammer, owned by Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, LLC, WinStar Farm LLC, and Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., is in second place with 220 votes. A 5-year-old son of Tonalist, Country Grammer won the Dubai World Cup (G1) at Meydan in March, following a second- place finish in the Saudi Cup (G1) at King Abdulaziz Racetrack.
CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC’s 4-year-old Life Is Good is in third place with 210 votes. Last year’s $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner, Life Is Good won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in January and was fourth in the Dubai World Cup in his most recent start.
Boat Racing, LLC, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss’ 4-year-old Hot Rod Charlie is in fourth place with 154 votes. Hot Rod Charlie finished second in the Dubai World Cup and was also second in the Salvator Mile Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on June 18.
Juddmonte’s 4-year-old Mandaloun, winner of the Louisiana Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds in January, is in fifth place with 126 votes. Mandaloun is expected to start this Saturday at Churchill Downs in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2), which is an automatic qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. The Stephen Foster will be broadcast live on NBC (4-6 p.m. ET) as a part of the “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In – presented by America’s Best Racing.”
Donegal Racing and Repole Stable’s Mo Donegal, winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1), is the highest-rated 3-year-old in the Rankings. A son of Uncle Mo, Mo Donegal is in sixth place with 121 votes.
Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable, LLC, and LNJ Foxwoods’ Olympiad, undefeated in four starts this year, is in seventh place with 108 votes. Olympiad, a 4-year-old by Speightstown, has won the New Orleans Classic Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds and the Alysheba Stakes (G2) in his last two starts. He is also scheduled to start in the Stephen Foster. Three-year-olds round out the remainder of the top 10 in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings.
Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Epicenter is in eighth place with 107 votes. A son of Not This Time, Epicenter finished second in both the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and in the Preakness Stakes (G2). One spot behind Epicenter is Klaravich Stables Inc.’s Early Voting, who won the Preakness Stakes in his most recent start. Early Voting is in ninth place with 95 votes.
Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant’s undefeated Jack Christopher is in 10th place with 91 votes. A four-time winner, Jack Christopher has two victories this year, taking the Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs and the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont Park.
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. 11. A list of voting members can be found here.
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.
| Rank | Horse | Total Votes | First-Place Votes |
| 1 | Flightline | 277 | 22 |
| 2 | Country Grammer | 220 | 2 |
| 3 | Life Is Good | 210 | 2 |
| 4 | Hot Rod Charlie | 154 | 0 |
| 5 | Mandaloun | 126 | 0 |
| 6 | Mo Donegal | 121 | 2 |
| 7 | Olympiad | 108 | 2 |
| 8 | Epicenter | 107 | 0 |
| 9 | Early Voting | 95 | 0 |
| 10 | Jack Christopher | 91 | 0 |
*Note – The Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 1⁄4 miles on the main track, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
Photo: Flightline – 2022 Met Mile – Eclipse Sportswire photo
