Sovereignty Favored in Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar

Del Mar, Calif. — The Breeders Cup World Championships return to Del Mar on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, culminating in the 7 million Longines Breeders Cup Classic on Nov. 1 that will pit top older horses and three year olds, including Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty, against one another in a deep field expected to test trainers, riders, and bettors alike. The Classic is set as Race 9 with a 3:25 p.m. Pacific post time, and NBC will anchor its Saturday broadcast window around the race.

Organizers received 191 preentries for the two day championships, down from last year, with a smaller international contingent among the entrants. Eleven horses were preentered for the Classic, headlined by Sovereignty, who arrives off victories in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes and is the morning-line favorite. Also preentered are Journalism, Fierceness, Baeza, Sierra Leone the defending champion, Forever Young, Nevada Beach, Antiquarian, Mindframe, Locked and Contrary Thinking.

Journalism will race with Jose Ortiz in the irons after the connections replaced Umberto Rispoli. Trainer Michael McCarthy said the change was intended to secure "every edge we can get to deliver Classic...