2024 Breeders' Cup: 10 observations from pre-entries

A total of 212 horses have pre-entered the 2024 Breeders’ Cup, slated to take place on Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar. That’s seven horses more than in 2023 and 2022.

Here are 10 observations from the pre-entries:

International participation continues to grow

International interest in the Breeders’ Cup is growing by leaps and bounds. The number of foreign horses pre-entered in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup is 80, trouncing the previous record of 60 set in 2023 and nearly doubling the 45 international raiders pre-entered in 2022. The 80 includes a record 19 from Japan, up from nine in 2023.

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series produces 49 pre-entries

Of the 78 horses who earned fees-paid automatic berths to the Breeders’ Cup via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, 49 (63%) have pre-entered the Breeders’ Cup.

Breeders’ Cup Classic draws 16 pre-entries

The allure of the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) proved sufficient to draw an overflow group of 16 pre-entries, including Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series winners Arthur’s Ride, City of Troy, Highland Falls, and Mixto. Three horses — Derma Sotogake, Senor Buscador, and Skippylongstocking — are cross-entered with second preference in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), while Next has second preference in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Two other horses, Pyrenees and Rattle N Roll, are also-eligibles who will need defections from the main group of 14 in order to make the final field.

Half a dozen Kentucky Derby veterans pre-enter

Six Kentucky Derby (G1) alumni have pre-entered the 2024 Breeders’ Cup, the same number as last year. They include Fierceness (15th in 2024), Forever Young (third in 2024), Sierra Leone (second in 2024), and Tapit Trice (seventh in 2023) in the Classic, Derma Sotogake (sixth in 2023) in the Classic and Dirt Mile, and Domestic Product (13th in 2024) in the Dirt Mile and Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).

Four proven Breeders’ Cup winners seek additional glory

A quartet of past Breeders’ Cup winners have pre-entered the 2024 Breeders’ Cup. Idiomatic seeks to defend her title in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), while Rebel’s Romance hopes to regain the Breeders’ Cup Turf title he claimed in 2022. Also, reigning Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) heroes Fierceness and Big Evs are respectively targeting the Classic and the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

Strong field pre-enters Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

The Road to the Kentucky Derby continues with the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), worth a lucrative 30-15-9-6-3 points to the top five finishers. The 13 pre-entrants include Champagne (G1) and Hopeful (G1) winner Chancer McPatrick, American Pharoah (G1) hero Citizen Bull, Breeders’ Futurity (G1) conqueror East Avenue, Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner Gaming, and Iroquois (G3) victor Jonathan’s Way.

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies draws 11 pre-entries

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), an important Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier awarding points on a 30-15-9-6-3 basis to the top five finishers, drew 11 pre-entries. That’s tied with the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) for the smallest prospective field at the 2024 Breeders’ Cup. The quality runs deep, however, with two-time Grade 1 winner Immersive slated to square off against runaway Frizette (G1) heroine Scottish Lassie, undefeated Oak Leaf (G2) winner Non Compliant, and Japanese raiders American Bikini and Otomena Shacho.

Aidan O’Brien pre-enters 19 horses

Roughly 9% of all 2024 Breeders’ Cup pre-entrants are trained by Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien, who has won 18 Breeders’ Cup races dating back to 2001. O’Brien has pre-entered horses in eight different Breeders’ Cup races, including the Classic, which he’ll seek to win for the first time with four-time Group 1-winning grass sensation City of Troy.

Kentucky Oaks winner faces elders in Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Thorpedo Anna, winner of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) and three other Grade 1 races this year, is set to clash in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff with defending winner Idiomatic. Other talented fillies and mares in the pre-entries include Grade/Group 1 winners Candied, Che Evasora, and Raging Sea, plus the Japanese challengers Alice Verite and Awesome Result.

Preakness winners face off in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

The last two winners of the Preakness (G1) — Seize the Grey (2024) and National Treasure (2023) — are pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Both remain in strong form, with Seize the Grey exiting a win in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and National Treasure counting wins in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Metropolitan H. (G1) on his 2024 record.