The $7 million Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1), the race that normally crowns the Horse of the Yr, is shaping as probably the most contentious in its 42-year historical past.
Sovereignty, the latest Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) winner after victories within the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), leads the primary week of the Breeders’ Cup Traditional high 10 rankings.
Sierra Leone, who rallied from last-to-first in profitable the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 2, is ranked second, and Preakness Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Journalism spherical out the highest three.
The 42nd Breeders’ Cup Traditional is Nov. 1 at Del Mar. The rankings for the Traditional are determined by a panel of thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders’ Cup racing administrators/secretaries panel. Rankings will likely be introduced every week via Oct. 7.
Sierra Leone, second by a nostril within the 2024 Derby, gained final 12 months’s Traditional, earned the Eclipse Award because the 3-year-old champion, and will develop into the second horse to win the Traditional twice (Tiznow did it in 2000 and 2001).
Sovereignty earned 383 votes from the panel – 22 first-place votes – primarily based on a sliding scale of 10 factors for first, 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Sierra Leone collected 365 votes and 15 first-place votes.
| Rank | Horse | Whole Votes | First-Place Votes |
| 1 | Sovereignty | 383 | 22 |
| 2 | Sierra Leone | 365 | 15 |
| 3 | Journalism | 289 | 1 |
| 4 | Mindframe | 286 | 2 |
| 5 | Nysos | 197 | 1 |
| 6 | Fierceness | 186 | 0 |
| 7 | Ceaselessly Younger (JPN) | 143 | 1 |
| 8 | Baeza | 109 | 0 |
| 9 | Highland Falls | 107 | 0 |
| 10 | White Abarrio | 64 | 0 |
Journalism totaled 289 factors and one first-place vote. Mindframe, the Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) winner, was fourth with 286 factors. He’s 3-for-3 this 12 months and runs subsequent within the Jockey Membership Gold Cup (G1) on Aug. 31.
Rounding out the highest 10: Nysos, latest winner of the San Diego Handicap (G2); 2024 Traditional runner-up Fierceness; Saudi Cup (G1) winner Ceaselessly Younger, third in final 12 months’s Derby and Traditional; Baeza, third within the Derby; Highland Falls, the Whitney runner-up; and 2023 Traditional winner White Abarrio, who ran fourth within the Whitney.
Sierra Leone, Journalism, Mindframe, Sierra Leone, and Ceaselessly Younger have every earned automated beginning positions and charges paid into the Traditional via the Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection: “Win and You’re In”.
The Traditional rankings haven’t any bearing on qualification or choice into the race. The utmost subject for the race is 14. The race will likely be televised by NBC.
The Breeders’ Cup options 14 Grade 1 races over two days (Oct. 31-Nov. 1) price greater than $34 million in purses and awards.
West Virginia Derby Outcomes: Chunk of Gold wins as odds-on favourite.
Look who’s again: Chunk of Gold ($6.80), ninth within the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second within the Ohio Derby (G3) on June 21, gained the $400,000 West Virginia Derby (G3) on Sunday evening at Mountaineer.
Despatched off at 2-1 behind 4-5 favourite East Avenue (additionally a Derby also-ran ending eighth), Chunk of Gold (sporting blinkers) went gate-to-wire and topped a closing McAfee (3-1) by 4 ¼ lengths within the 1 1/8 miles over two turns. Profitable time was 1:50.97 over a quick important observe.
The writing crew at US Racing is comprised of each full-time and part-time contributors with experience in numerous points of the Sport of Kings.
