Breeders’ Cup Classic Notebook: An Update

Horse:  Antiquarian

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Luis Saez

Set: Approximately 5:45 a.m.

Morning Activity: Galloped once around the track at Del Mar under exercise rider Eddie Herrera. Pletcher said that Antiquarian and the other horses from his stable had an uneventful trip from Saratoga to Del Mar on Sunday.

Planned Activity: Will go to the track for a routine gallop at approximately 5:45 a.m. 

The Quote: On his victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Aug. 31: “I thought he ran terrific. And it was kind of a shame that his accomplishment of winning the Grade 1 was a little bit overlooked by all the issues that went on in the race. Watching it live, I wasn’t able to appreciate it because I was worried about Mindframe. But going back and watching replays of it, I thought he did exactly what we needed him to do, which was put himself in a good position and he finished up well, going a mile and a quarter. We’re obviously super pleased for him and happy that he was able to get that Grade 1.” – Todd Pletcher

Horse: Baeza
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Jockey: Hector Berrios
Set: 6:30 a.m.
Morning Activity: Jogged and galloped one lap around
Planned activity: Similar routine tomorrow
The Quote: Baeza became the third Grade 1 winner out of the Big Brown mare Puca when he won the Pennsylvania Derby last out on Sept. 20 at Parx Racing. He follows in the footsteps of Mage, the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner, and Dornoch, the 2024 Belmont Stakes winner. All three horses were bred by Grandview Equine.

“We are thrilled to be in the race. He’s doing exceptionally well. We think he’ll run a heads-up race against possibly the toughest field in Classic history. We’ve been pinching ourselves ever since Mage won the Derby. Puca is the gift that keeps on giving, and we’re thrilled to have kept a piece of one of her good colts. Everything’s going according to plan.” – Robert Clay of Grandview Equine, co-owner and breeder

Horse: Fierceness
Trainer:  Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez
Set: Approximately 5:45 a.m.
Morning Activity: Galloped once around the track at Del Mar under exercise rider Danny Wright. Pletcher said that Fierceness and the other horses from his stable had an uneventful trip from Saratoga to Del Mar on Sunday.
Planned Activity: Will go to the track for a routine gallop at approximately 5:45 a.m.
The Quote: On his victory in the Pacific Classic on Aug. 30: “It was extremely worrisome, the first part. For a moment there, I thought he was going to go completely over the temporary rail there and was just thankful that he was able to get himself corrected. But, even then, I thought, ‘Wow, that’s really a lot to overcome, even in a mile and a quarter race, to get off to a start like that.’ I was pretty concerned, but you could tell that he recovered and got himself in a good position. It seemed like he was traveling really well down the backside, and Johnny (Velazquez) saw an opportunity to kind of make a move at the half-mile pole or just before, and kind of blew the race wide open when he did that. In the end, it turned out to be super-impressive performance.” – Todd Pletcher

Horse: Forever Young (JPN)

Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi

Jockey: Ryusei Sakai

Set: 8 a.m.

Morning Activity: One lap canter, schooled in the paddock

Planned Activity: Breeze will be on Wednesday, Oct 29, his jockey Ryusei Sakai will ride

The Quote: “I flew into L.A. last night, and it is the first time on him since his final domestic gallop. I got a great feeling, and he is definitely in good shape. I will ride his breeze on Wednesday.” – Ryusei Sakai

Horse: Journalism
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Morning Activity: Walk day following his 5f Sunday breeze in 1:01 2/5 under new jockey Jose Ortiz. Trainer Michael McCarthy said Monday that he came out of the work fine.
Planned Activity: Will return to the track for morning exercise. Time is TBD.
The Quote: What are the positives from running in the Pacific Classic, where he finished second to Fierceness?: “I think we learned some things that we’d like to adjust going into the Classic. We got him a mile and a quarter race over the Del Mar surface, which is obviously what he’ll have to do in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It allowed for us to have a home game and not just play at home, but be able to continue to practice at home for the nine weeks from the Pacific Classic to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and have what we envisioned. At the time, the decision was made to use the Pacific Classic as the segue to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. If Michael and my eyes aren’t deceiving us, we’ve accomplished that mission, because we’re seeing a very fresh animal.” – Aron Wellman, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

Horse: Mindframe
Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Set: Approximately 5:45 a.m.
Morning Activity: Galloped once around the track. Pletcher said that Mindframe and the other horses from his stable had an uneventful trip from Saratoga to Del Mar on Sunday.
Planned Activity:  Will go to the track for a routine gallop at approximately 5:45 a.m.
The Quote:  Why did you opt to train up to the Classic after the incident in the Jockey Club Gold Cup when he lost his rider shortly after leaving the gate?: “It was sort of a tricky situation. You don’t know how much conditioning you got out of it. It was a race of some form, but it wasn’t a true race. The first question we had to answer was, do we want to consider running back in another prep before going to the Breeders’ Cup Classic? We felt like that our best chance to show up in the Classic with our best chance of winning, was to train up to it. So that’s what we decided to do.” – Todd Pletcher

Horse: Nevada Beach

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Mike Smith

Morning Activity: Jogged at 6 a.m.

Planned Activity: Will gallop at the same time

The Quote: “I think he will go a mile and a quarter. He will have to get the trip. That is why I have Mike Smith on him. We are going to need some magic, and he is one of the few riders who makes things happen. He makes magic happen; he has done it a lot of times for me. He will always be Big Money Mike. He always shows up; that is why has won more Breeders’ Cup races (27) than anybody else.” – Bob Baffert

Horse: Sierra Leone, Contrary Thinking
Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Set: Del Mar 8:00 a.m.

Morning activity: Both Classic horses jogged a lap with a pony clockwise around the track

Planned activity: Gallop on Tuesday

Quote: “Everything was smooth and it’s always great here. Del Mar is an easy place to ship into. They’re always very organized here. Luckily, the horses got here in good shape. It’s an exciting group of horses here, particularly in the Classic. We’re going to base the weekend on (Sierra Leone) and see if we can pick up some pieces in the other races. It’s a good group of seven. Village Voice is an interesting horse. She’s got a lot of upside. Program Trading is flying in today (from Kentucky), just second in a Grade 1, and we’re going to try him in the Mile. A couple of our other horses are outsiders in the Turf—Redistricting and Hill Road—and we’re going to take a shot in there and see what happens. A little lighter this year than in years past. My 2-year-olds are a bit behind. I had a lot of sick horses this summer and fall, but hopefully that will set us up for a good spring.” – Chad Brown

Owner-breeder Debby Oxley may have a mere 20 mares on the farm and a few graded stakes winners to her credit as an owner, but the impact of her breeding operation—the same quality-over-quantity boutique enterprise that bred 2024 Classic champ Sierra Leone—has been nothing short of potent, dating back to her beloved foundation mare Darling My Darling, who unfortunately shuffled off her mortal coil at the age of 28 on April 7.

“I’m so proud of my mare, Darling My Darling, who was such a great girl and I miss her,” Oxley said. “We unfortunately lost her to old age earlier this year, but she was such a joy. Even as late as last year around the Derby, people were amazed at how good she looked, as she had excellent care and brought us so much.”

Fifth in the 1999 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in Oxley’s pink and black colors, Darling My Darling would go on to produce Oxley’s Grade 1 winner Heavenly Love, who finished 11th in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies before producing Sierra Leone, who was sold for $2.3 million at Fasig-Tipton’s 2022 Saratoga Sale.

“It’s just been a marvelous experience to watch him,” Oxley explained. “When you breed horses, sell them and they go to a trainer, you sometimes don’t know exactly what is happening, but we knew Sierra Leone was special and were so glad that he went to such a good trainer in Chad Brown. When he got his first start, we were just excited that he got to the races, but to follow his career from the beginning to now and see what he’s done, it’s just been a joy. He’s been such a consistent horse and always comes running. Even if he doesn’t win, he always hits the board.

“Last year, we were hopeful in the Classic, but you never know when they are a 3-year-old running against older horses,” Oxley continued. “It was a very pleasant and exciting surprise because, while I thought he would hit the board because he’s been so consistent, the question was if he would have enough pace to run at and would he get there in time. It’s definitely hard on the heart to watch him with his late-running style, but my husband and I were standing in front of the TV just screaming so much during the race when he won that I was hoarse the next day. It was just really thrilling to see it all come together.”

Being exceptional has been associated with Sierra Leone since Day One.

“When he was a baby, he was always laidback and had a presence about him,” Oxley reflected. “He was a really well put-together, nice-looking horse and when you have a farm and a good-looking nice one like him, you can’t always keep them and economics say you have to let this one go—but we were very thrilled with the price he brought at the sale and we were so happy that he went to a good home.

“I must say I really am grateful to his ownership group for letting him run as a 4-year-old,” she continued. “It’s been so much fun to watch—and to win the Whitney this year was such a thrill. We have been lucky enough to see him run a few times and make some great memories, especially when he won the Blue Grass, which was special because it proved he belonged in the Kentucky Derby—and the Derby, itself, what a race!”

The icing atop Oxley’s Darling My Darling cake comes by way of her Grade 2-winning daughter Forever Darling (by Congrats), who was sold as a yearling and would eventually end up in Japan, producing Saudi Cup winner and 2024 Classic third Forever Young. This, of course, is the same Forever Young who played a game of shoulder-smash with his aforementioned cousin in the 2024 Kentucky Derby before the duo finished third and second in an unforgettable three-horse photo astern Mystik Dan.

“It has been great to see Forever Young do so well,” Oxley said. “I definitely cheer for him because it’s all in the family and reminds us of how great of a mare Darling My Darling was. We have enjoyed seeing him win around the world and now he’s back here for the Breeders’ Cup, so we’d love to see (Sierra Leone and Forever Young) finish one-two.”

Horse: Sovereignty – photo attached – Credit Eclipse Sportswire

Trainer: Bill Mott

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Morning Activity: Worked 4f in 49 4/5 with assistant trainer Neil Poznansky up.

Planned Activity: Mott said it’s possible he would take him to track Tuesday morning, TBA

The Quote 1: “I don’t like to use the word maintenance work because everyone uses that so I am not going to use that. We know the horse is talented, and we just want to keep him fit and let him do enough where he is happy and let him stretch his lungs out a little bit and have him ready for Saturday. I liked what I saw today. We’ll see if we take him out tomorrow. We don’t want to get him too high. Sometimes, just getting him out there and moving around a little is good … same as any athlete I guess.” – Bill Mott

The Quote 2: “He went easy. He had an extended gallop and then he just stretched his legs a little down the lane. It felt like an open gallop. Before he has wanted to go off a little aggressive and then he will go and spit the bit and go about his way. Today he was very even and drugged me along and when he turned for home, he actually grabbed the bit again. He is very smart.” – Neil Poznansky