Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Classic field is taking shape

The 2024 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar is 18 days away. Catch up on the latest news and developments with our weekly Breeders’ Cup Roundup.

As the annual event approaches, explore the early odds and morning line odds for the Breeders' Cup Classic and more HERE at Breeders' Cup Odds 

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series wraps up at Ascot

After 10 months and dozens of races, the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series concludes this Saturday with a pair of prestigious qualifiers at Ascot in England.

The feature event on Ascot’s stakes-packed British Champions Day card is the Champion (G1), a 1 1/4-mile grass contest awarding a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). British bookmakers are viewing the race as a two-horse battle between the talented three-year-olds Economics and Calandagan.

Economics is unbeaten in four starts this season, most recently winning the 1 1/4-mile Irish Champion (G1) by a neck over reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Auguste Rodin. As for Calandagan, he won three consecutive group stakes between April and June before finishing second by one length in the 1 5/16-mile Juddmonte International (G1) against Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) contender City of Troy.

The other Breeders’ Cup qualifier on the card is the British Champions Fillies & Mares (G1), a stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The field is still in flux, but the early betting favors Kalpana, a three-year-old filly exiting a 4 3/4-length romp in the September (G3) over the synthetic track at Kempton.

Breeders’ Cup Classic updates: Subsanador withdraws

The field for the Breeders’ Cup Classic is coming into focus.

On Oct. 2, Japan’s Forever Young won his Classic prep in the Japan Dirt Classic, his first start since finishing third — beaten two noses — in the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1). The UAE Derby (G2) hero scored by 1 1/4 lengths while completing 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 2:04.10, bringing his career record to 6-for-7.

Derma Sotogake and Ushba Tesoro, second and fifth in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic, are expected to join Forever Young on the trip from Japan. Ushba Tesoro boasts runner-up finishes in the Saudi Cup (G1) and Dubai World Cup (G1) this year, while Derma Sotogake finished fifth and sixth in those contests.

One horse who won’t be seen in the Classic is Subsanador, recently victorious in the California Crown (G1) at Santa Anita. An ankle injury has derailed Subsanador’s Breeders’ Cup bid, but he’s expected to return to the races in 2025.

Meanwhile, Seize the Grey is an uncertain Classic starter. The speedy Preakness (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner may instead compete in the shorter Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

According to the Breeders’ Cup website, other prospective Classic entrants include Arthur’s Ride, City of Troy, Crupi, Facteur Cheval, Fierceness, Highland Falls, Il Miracolo, Mixto, Newgate, Next, Pyrenees, Senor Buscador, Sierra Leone, Skippylongstocking, and Tapit Trice.

Star of Mystery could be bound for Breeders’ Cup

Less than three weeks out from the Breeders’ Cup, last Sunday’s Franklin (G2) for fillies and mares sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over the Keeneland turf course may have featured a Breeders’ Cup starter.

Star of Mystery, a three-year-old filly who finished third to division leader Cogburn in the Jaipur (G1), ended a three-month layoff in the Franklin. She got outsprinted early through blazing pace fractions and had to battle her way through traffic down the homestretch, but flew home in the final furlong to finish second by three-quarters of a length against Future Is Now.

Star of Mystery has been mentioned as a possible Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) contender, and her respectable Franklin effort following a light workout regimen may set her up for a peak performance at Del Mar.

Meanwhile, She Feels Pretty — a dominant winner of Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) for three-year-old fillies racing 1 1/8 miles over the Keeneland turf — is expected to skip the Breeders’ Cup.

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifiers

The following horses have secured "Win and You’re In" berths to the 2024 Breeders’ Cup via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series:

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Breeders’ Cup Classic

• Arthur’s Ride
• City of Troy
• Dornoch
• Highland Falls
• Kingsbarns
• Mixto
• Peptide Nile
• Subsanador

Breeders’ Cup Turf

• Auguste Rodin
• Blow the Horn
• Bluestocking
• Economics
• El Encinal
• Far Bridge
• Gold Phoenix
• Goliath
• Grand Sonata
• Obataye

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

• Adare Manor
• Che Evasora
• Idiomatic
• Randomized

Breeders’ Cup Mile

• Carl Spackler
• Charles Dickens
• Charyn
• Frateli La Vita
• Johannes
• Notable Speech
• Romantic Warrior
• Win for the Money

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

• Federal Judge
• Mufasa
• Remake
• The Chosen Vron

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

• Crown Pride
• National Treasure
• Raging Torrent
• Three Technique

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

• Beach Bomb
• Boudica
• Content
• Friendly Soul
• Hang the Moon
• Idea Generation
• Moira
• Porta Fortuna
• Ten Happy Rose

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint

• Society
• Soul of an Angel
• Zeitlos

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

• Asfoora
• Bradsell
• Cogburn
• Makarova
• Motorious

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

• Chancer McPatrick
• Citizen Bull
• East Avenue

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies

• Immersive
• Non Compliant
• Scottish Lassie

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf

• Camille Pissarro
• Green Impact
• Minaret Station
• New Century
• The Lion in Winter
• Zulu Kingdom

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf

• And One More Time
• Anshoda
• Lake Victoria
• May Day Ready
• Scythian
• Vertical Blue

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

• Mentee
• Shareholder
• Whistlejacket