Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, remained at the centre of preparations for the $7 million LONGINES BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC, as the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings placed Godolphin LLC’s Whitney Stakes (G1) winner Sovereignty at the top of the standings on September 8. The rankings provided a fresh assessment of the leading contenders for the October 31 championship race.
Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott, retained the No. 1 position after receiving 383 votes, including 24 first-place selections. The four-year-old remained ahead of Forever Young, the 2025 LONGINES BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC winner, who finished second with 363 votes and 12 first-place selections. Forever Young was owned by Susumu Fujita and trained by Yoshito Yahagi.
Knightsbridge occupied third place with 319 votes after winning the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1). The Godolphin runner was also trained by Mott and remained firmly positioned among the leading Classic contenders.
Magnitude held fourth with 284 votes. The Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC-owned runner had won the Dubai World Cup (G1) and Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), while Steve Asmussen trained the horse.
Golden Tempo completed the top five with 230 votes. The Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable runner had won both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1), with Cherie DeVaux as trainer.
Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings Reflected Strong Competition
The biggest movement came from the Travers Stakes (G1), where Leading Change and Napoleon Solo produced performances that lifted them into the latest rankings. Leading Change, owned by Wathnan Racing and trained by Brad Cox, entered the top 10 for the first time after upsetting the Travers field. He received 134 votes and moved directly into sixth place from an unranked position the previous week.
Baeza followed closely in seventh with 133 votes. The CRK Stable LLC and Grandview Equine-owned runner had finished second in the Stephen Foster and fourth in the Whitney. Mott also trained Baeza.
Nitrogen occupied eighth place with 132 votes. The four-year-old filly, owned by D.J. Stable LLC and trained by Mark Casse, had finished second in the Whitney Stakes, strengthening her position among the Classic contenders.
Napoleon Solo moved from 12th to ninth with 91 votes. The Espoir USA, Inc.-owned runner, trained by Chad Summers, had won the Preakness Stakes (G1) before finishing second to Leading Change in the Travers Stakes. His rise represented one of the clearest upward moves in the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings.
Renegade completed the top 10 with 75 votes after dropping from sixth place. Owned by Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher, Renegade had finished runner-up in the Kentucky Derby and later won the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2).
Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings and Keeneland Race Course
Four horses in the rankings had already secured automatic starting positions for the Classic through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Win and You’re In programme. Sovereignty earned his place through the Whitney Stakes, Forever Young through the Saudi Cup, Magnitude through the Dubai World Cup and Knightsbridge through the Pacific Classic.
The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings were determined by a panel comprising leading Thoroughbred racing media members, horseplayers and representatives of the Breeders’ Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Voters awarded 10 points to their first choice, followed by nine points for second and continuing down to one point for 10th.
The rankings did not determine qualification or selection for the Classic. The next rankings were scheduled for September 22 and September 29, with the final rankings due on October 6.
The $7 million LONGINES BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC was scheduled to be run over 1 1/4 miles on the main track at Keeneland Race Course, with a maximum field of 14 starters. It formed part of the 43rd Breeders’ Cup World Championships, which were scheduled for October 30 and 31 and included 14 Grade 1 championship races with more than $34 million in purses and awards.
The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings placed Sovereignty first, while Leading Change and Napoleon Solo entered the top 10 following the Travers Stakes.
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