Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Final fields come into focus

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

Next takes aim at Breeders’ Cup Classic

After being pre-entered in both the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), standout dirt marathon specialist Next has been confirmed as a starter for the Classic.

More than two years have passed since Next last ran in a race shorter than 1 3/8 miles, so cutting back to 1 1/4 miles for the Classic is a question mark. But Next won the 2021 War Chant S. racing one mile, and his 9 1/4-length drubbing of the 2024 Brooklyn (G2) came over a distance just one furlong longer than the Classic, so the red-hot six-year-old gelding may be up to the challenge of a shorter trip.

RELATED: Breeders' Cup News and Notes

Classic contenders post final pre-race workouts

Last week, the majority of the 16 Breeders’ Cup Classic pre-entrants turned in their (presumably) final timed workouts in advance of the race.

Here are the details of their exercises:

Arthur’s Ride: Half a mile in :49.00 on Sunday at Del Mar.

Fierceness: Half a mile in :48.98 over the Saratoga training track on Friday.

Highland Falls: Five furlongs in 1:00.20 on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Mixto: Five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Del Mar on Sunday.

Newgate: Five furlongs in a bullet :58.80 at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Next: Five furlongs in 1:01.00 at Turfway Park on Thursday.

Pyrenees: Half a mile in :49.00 at Keeneland on Saturday.

Rattle N Roll: Five furlongs in a bullet :59.60 at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Senor Buscador: Six furlongs in 1:12.00 at Del Mar on Friday.

Sierra Leone: Half a mile in :49.81 over the Belmont Park training track on Saturday.

Skippylongstocking: Half a mile in a bullet :47.92 over the Saratoga training track on Friday.

Tapit Trice: Half a mile in :49.21 over the Belmont Park training track on Saturday.

Idiomatic is out of the Distaff

Reigning Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Idiomatic has been diagnosed with a minor knee injury that will prevent her from defending her Distaff title. The five-year-old mare has been retired, leaving standout three-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna as an expected clear favorite for the Distaff.

O’Brien removes eight from consideration

Trainer Aidan O’Brien pre-entered 19 horses in the Breeders’ Cup, but at least eight will not make the trip from Ireland.

The eight dropouts are Aesop’s Fables from the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), Bubbling from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), Continuous and Illinois from the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), Henry Longfellow, Mountain Bear, and River Tiber from the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), and Monumental from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

National Treasure among other pre-entry defections

Every year, plenty of horses withdraw from the Breeders’ Cup in between pre-entries and final entries. This year is no exception.

In addition to Idiomatic and the O’Brien eight, a dozen other horses have been removed from Breeders’ Cup consideration for a variety of reasons. Chief among them is 2023 Preakness (G1) and 2024 Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner National Treasure, who will skip the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) due to a foot issue reported by the Daily Racing Form.

Prince of Monaco, winner of the 2023 Del Mar Futurity (G1), has retired from racing due to minor bone bruising and will miss the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

The remaining defections include Celandine and Destino d’Oro from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Celandine and Smoken Wicked from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), Dapper Moon, Dr Ruben M, and McKinzie Street from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Fort Bragg from the Dirt Mile, So There She Was from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), Kirstenbosch from the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), and Gina Romantica from the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Breeders’ Cup post positions will be drawn on Monday

The post-position draws for the 14 Breeders’ Cup races will be conducted this evening starting at 7:15 p.m. ET. The draws will be live-streamed on the Breeders’ Cup website, the Breeders’ Cup official mobile app, and the Breeders’ Cup Facebook, X, and YouTube accounts.