With the Breeders’ Cup World Championships just four days away, the field for Saturday’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) came into sharper focus Monday morning as connections made their final decisions ahead of the post-position draw at Keeneland Race Course.
Pacific Classic (G1) winner Knightsbridge and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Napoleon Solo will both take their chances in the Classic after also being pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
For Godolphin and trainer Bill Mott, the decision to run Knightsbridge in the Classic gives the operation two chances at victory in the $7 million race, with the colt joining stablemate and 2025 Horse of the Year Sovereignty.
“They’re both running in the Classic,” Mott said. “It was a team decision (officials from
Godolphin and Mott’s staff), something we talked about this week. We have gone back and forth. We had a whole list of different reasons why to run in the (Dirt) Mile and why to run in the Classic. One of the things it boils down to is Godolphin would really love to win the Classic and we probably have a better chance of having two horses in there than just one.”
Junior Alvarado will retain the mount on Sovereignty, while Mott confirmed that Luis Saez will ride Knightsbridge.
For trainer Chad Summers, the decision to send Napoleon Solo to the Classic came down to giving the Preakness winner another opportunity at the 1 1/4-mile distance following his performance in the Travers Stakes (G1).
“We were waiting on what Godolphin wanted to do (with Knightsbridge), but we made the decision to go to the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” Summers said. “To me, it was a conversation with the team about who he is and what his resume has been up to this stage. We thought he was very brave in defeat going the 10-furlong distance the last time out in the Travers. We felt like he deserved another opportunity at 10 furlongs here. He’ll be wearing the yellow saddle towel the rest of the week.”
While Napoleon Solo and Knightsbridge opted for the Classic, Spendthrift Farm’s Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Further Ado will instead take his chances in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Trainer Brad Cox said the decision was made with the colt’s best chance of success in mind.
“We just think that this gives him the best opportunity to win a race,” Cox said.
Meanwhile, Mott reported that Sovereignty emerged from his final major workout Sunday at Keeneland in good order. The Classic contender breezed a half-mile in :48 1/5 under regular exercise rider Neil Poznansky.
Mott was pleased with the way his star returned from the work and said Monday that Sovereignty was showing no signs of feeling the pressure as race day approaches.
“He’s over there sleeping. He’s lying down. He’s relaxed. He’s not nervous like me. All the reports are good,” Mott said.
The positive report came a day after Mott described Sovereignty’s Sunday breeze as one of his best in recent memory, leaving the Hall of Fame trainer pleased with his condition heading into Saturday’s championship.
Winchell Thoroughbred LLC.’s Magnitude returned to the track Monday following his final work out on Saturday.
“He looked beautiful,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He is going over the racetrack really well. His energy level is excellent. I think his demeanor is just nice, relaxed and confident. At this stage, he knows what’s expected of him. I love the acceptance that he’s showing that he’s up to it.”
Trainer Brendan Walsh reported Monday morning that Lush Lips would enter the Makers’ Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and not the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).
“She’s going to the Filly & Mare Turf,” Walsh said. “She won going a mile-and-an-eighth here last year in the ‘QE2’ and I think the extra sixteenth will be fine for her; she’ll probably get it. The Mile looks like maybe a tougher race, though it looks like Blue Bolt is going in the Filly & Mare Turf, now, but she’s got to stretch out, as well.”
Trainer Chad Brown arrived in Lexington from his New York base and was pleased with the condition of his Breeders’ Cup contingent, particularly Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) contender Fully Subscribed.
“She looks great,” Brown said. “She has all her energy after a little maintenance move—a couple maintenance moves—since the Spinster. She worked easy.”
Fully Subscribed completed her final major workout Saturday at Keeneland, covering five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 as she continued preparations for the $2 million Distaff.
On the Juvenile side, trainer Todd Pletcher reported that Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) winner American History continues to blossom at Keeneland.
“He’s just been such a complete professional about everything he’s done,” Pletcher said. “He’s got a terrific disposition, great mind, caught on to everything that we ask him to do along the way. He was an intelligent colt around the barn, around the gate, just really a consummate pro about everything we did with him.”
All the European horses who arrived over the weekend remained in their barns Monday. They will clear quarantine this evening with all horses training tomorrow, Tuesday. Trainer Aidan O’Brien arrives Monday evening and will be trackside to see his string Tuesday morning.