DEL MAR, Calif. -- The Breeders’ Cup World Championships will make its way to Southern California once again, a third straight trip west of the Rockies. After 2023’s rendition, the BC will have spent two weekends at Del Mar. Back to Kentucky and Keeneland Race Course in 2026, and an enticing trip to NYC and ‘new’ Belmont Park in 2027.
Last year’s BC provided plenty of memorable moments: Thorpedo Anna, the eventual 2024 Horse of the Year, dominated the Distaff as a 3-year-old; Rebel’s Romance returned to Southern California after a globe-trotting campaign and defended his title in the Turf; Lake Victoria saved her best for last in Friday’s Juvenile Fillies Turf, cementing her place as top 2-year-old turf filly on the planet.
This year offers many of the same sorts of storylines. Sovereignty, the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Travers winner, is the 6/5 morning line favorite in the $7M BC Classic. He’s the obvious front-runner for 2025 Horse of the Year, and can cement one of the great 3-year-old campaigns in some time with a win at Del Mar on Saturday.
The problem? Sovereignty spiked a mild fever overnight Monday, and is now scratched from the Classic. The race has completely changed as a result, and the race for Horse of the Year may have re-opened, too.
SATURDAY, RACE 9: BC CLASSIC
Late in 2024, horse racing fans got a stream of good news: many of the best 3-year-old runners we had enjoyed watching in 2024 were coming back for 4-year-old campaigns. Too often, fans watch the top runners make their way to the breeding shed, a part of the game that funds far too many other things to be ignored.
Outside of the horse’s well-being, the chief concern around Sovereignty’s scratch is the likelihood we’ll never see him on the track again. My guess? You’ll see him promotional photos and in selfies with folks visiting the Godolphin property in Kentucky, and nothing more.
Sierra Leone, last year’s Classic winner, returned. He added another Grade 1 win to his resumé with a thundering win in the Whitney at Saratoga.
Fierceness, last year’s Jim Dandy and Travers winner, ran 2nd in last year’s Classic. He put it all together last out, overcoming a regrettable start to dominate the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, run at Del Mar. He bested fellow Classic contender Journalism by over 3 lengths.
Forever Young, the lightly-raced, Japan-based runner from the Yoshito Yahagi barn, finished a good 3rd in both the 2024 Kentucky Derby and 2024 Classic. Sierra Leone was in that 3-way photo finish with Forever Young; the Derby winner, Mystik Dan, will try the Dirt Mile this year. Forever Young backed up his form by winning 3 Grade 1s in Japan in 2025, adding to his intrigue coming into this edition of the Classic.
Had Sovereignty run, it would have been one of the greatest Classic fields ever, and almost certainly the best this century. Still, 8 starters in this field have won Grade 1s. It’s impossible to overstate the depth and quality of this collection of runners.
SATURDAY, RACE 7: BC DISTAFF
Earlier this month, Thorpedo Anna was retired from racing. She’ll begin her next career as a broodmare in 2026. Her absence leaves a massive hole the Distaff division, which has been nicely shored up by a solid group of 3-year-old contenders. The Distaff division is for female horses, or fillies and mares, at least 3-years-old.
The favorite in the Distaff is the Southern California-based Seismic Beauty, a 4-year-old daughter of super sire Uncle Mo. She’s trained by Bob Baffert, his barn the standard out west. Home track advantage is real, as she’s training, running, and sleeping in familiar environs. She won the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch last out, cementing her spot as the top dirt filly in California. Prior to that, she won the Grade 2 Santa Margarita, run at the same distance as the Distaff.
Nitrogen, who’s had the most interesting campaign of any 3-year-old filly in 2025, draws the rail. She began her career on turf, breaking her maiden in a stakes race at Gulfstream Park in January. She’s only been in stakes company this year, with 4 wins from 8 starts. Her last 3 starts have been in Grade 1s, with a win and 2 close 2nds in those races. She’ll have to return to her form from August’s Alabama Stakes, run at Saratoga, if she is to contend in this spot.
Cliquot enters the Distaff off a win in the Grade 1 Cotillion, a million dollar race at Parx near Philadelphia. She broke into the graded stakes winner’s circle with an impressive, against the grain win in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks. Trainer Brendan Walsh told me after the race that he had Distaff hopes for her, but needed an effort like the Cotillion; it was indeed confirmation. She’s a pro’s pro, and should put in a great effort on Saturday.
Longshot Scylla is a fascinating runner, as trainer Bill Mott appears to be willing to try her once again at 9 furlongs. And her form indicates this is likely the best move: her last outing in the 9 furlong, Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland was her best in 2025. She was part of the 4-way photo finish in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint; should she improve off her effort in the Spinster, she’s got a great shot to get a nice check.
SATURDAY, RACE 8: BC TURF
The Turf is always one of the world’s great grass races each year, surpassed in prestige only by the Arc at Longchamps in Paris. This year’s edition offers a matchup of an international superstar, with a budding international superstar.
Rebel’s Romance won this race the last two years, a near-impossible feat in such a difficult race. He’ll go for a third consecutive victory, a task that seems even further uphill from his lofty perch amongst the finest turf horses in the world. He’s backed up last year’s form with 4 wins in graded stakes company this year, entering the race off back-to-back wins in Grade 1s. He’s earned over $14M in his career.
The world was introduced to a 3-year-old filly this year named Minnie Hauk, who nearly won the aforementioned Arc de Triomphe against Europe’s very best turf runners. She’s a daughter of Frankel, universally regarded as one of the top turf sires on the planet. She won the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks going left-handed, the standard running direction in North America. The buzz around her 4-year-old campaign would reach a fever pitch should she win here.
There’s a fascinating runner on the outside in Ethical Diamond, likely to break at his morning line number of 30/1. He began his career in hurdle races before moving to flat ground, which he immediately took to and has won back to back stakes races. His most recent race was going left-handed, and he’s 2-for-3 going a flat mile and a half. An absolute wild card, but one that could spice up your wagers.
FRIDAY, RACE 8: BC JUVENILE FILLIES TURF
Last year, we were introduced state-side to Lake Victoria, who made the trip to Del Mar and easily bested the field in this race.
In 2025, we’ll see Precise, whose career only began in July. She’s since won 4 times, with 3 of those coming stakes company. Her last 2 races have been Group 1s, and she’s won over yielding, good, and firm go. She’s the real deal, and is a deserving favorite. She is among the group of favorites who drew either rail or far outside positions during this year’s draw; we’ve seen horses win from far outside posts in the past, including longshot Order of Australia in the 2020 BC Mile.
FRIDAY, RACE 9: BC JUVENILE
The Juvenile is always a race of keen interest, both to determine the 2-year-old champion for the year, and as a springboard for potential Derby contenders in the spring.
Brant is the local favorite, a $3M purchase in March of this year. He’s shown great form in his 2 career starts, both at Del Mar. His most recent outing was in the 7 furlong, Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, in which he overame a bump at the start to win gate-to-wire. Flavien Prat keeps the mount for this budding superstar, whose morning works have been electric.
Breaking to the outside of Brant is Ted Noffey, playfully named for Ned Toffey, the farm manager at Spendthrift Farm. He’s an undefeated son of Into Mischief, with top connections in trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez. He’ll be the likely favorite at post time, but the potential showdown between Ted and Brant has us salivating.
FRIDAY, RACE 10: BC JUVENILE TURF
Another potential superstar shipping for a turn on the grass is Gstaad, who like Precise drew the outside post in his race. He’ll have to do a ton of work to win from there, but he does have a win against 19 other starters on his resume. He broke his maiden going left-handed, and has just missed in 3 straight Group 1 races, all at top tracks and in top company. He’ll have to kick his recent bout of seconditis, but he’s more than capable.
LIVE BROADCASTS
You can catch the Sporting Tribune’s Louie Rabaut live from Del Mar Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
He will be live 7a-9a PT on ESPN Radio Louisville on Thursday and Friday. You can stream the broadcasts live at www.espnlouisville.com. Guests include NBC’s Kenny Rice and Steve Kornacki, Naismith Hall of Famer Dan Issel, and former NFL QB Shaun King, among others.
Rabaut will host BloodHorse at the Breeders’ Cup, available on BloodHorse’s YouTube page Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Join Rabaut live on Saturday at 9am PT on the Sporting Tribune’s X feed, as Louie welcomes a string of handicappers to help you place your wagers.
HANDICAPPING SEMINAR
Check out the Sporting Tribune's YouTube page, where you can watch Rabaut's handicapping seminar ahead of the weekend.
Good luck this weekend! Watch for our weekend preview article on Friday morning.