Following his thrilling victory in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday, Fierceness has surged to the number one spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, overtaking Dornoch, who had held the top position for the first four weeks.
Fierceness, the winner of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and crowned as the champion 2-year-old male of 2023 under trainer Todd Pletcher, edged out the fast-finishing filly Thorpedo Anna by a head in the Travers. This win propelled him from fourth to first in this week’s rankings.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are a weekly evaluation of the top 10 horses vying for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, scheduled for November 2 at Del Mar.
Arthur’s Ride held steady at No. 2 with 277 votes. The 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Tapit secured his place in the Breeders’ Cup Classic by winning the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on August 3 for trainer Bill Mott.
City of Troy made a significant jump from eighth to third place with 263 votes after his front-running victory in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York on August 21, which earned him an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the son of Justify is one of four internationally based horses in this week’s top 10.
Forever Young, the UAE Derby (G2) winner who also finished third in the Kentucky Derby (G1), ranked fourth with 214 votes for owner and trainer Yoshito Yahagi.
Sierra Leone, who finished third in the Travers, climbed one spot to fifth in the rankings with 169 votes. Dornoch, after finishing fourth in the Travers, dropped from first to sixth this week for trainer Danny Gargan.
Señor Buscador, the 6-year-old winner of the Saudi Cup (G1), fell from fifth to seventh place with 122 votes for trainer Todd Fincher.
National Treasure, a 4-year-old who won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), occupied eighth place with 118 votes for trainer Bob Baffert.
Seven-year-old Ushba Tesoro, who finished second in both the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup (G1), remained in ninth place with 114 votes for trainer Noboru Takagi.
Tied for tenth place with 97 votes each were 4-year-old Derma Sotogake, who was the runner-up in last year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Thorpedo Anna.
The Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders’ Cup Racing Directors-Secretaries Panel. Each voter ranks the horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale. Rankings will be updated weekly through October 8.