Racing’s focus turns to Del Mar, where contenders prepare for the highly anticipated Breeders’ Cup Classic. Fierceness and Journalism headline a competitive, star-studded field with tactical intrigue and career milestones at stake. Around the country, handicappers spotlight value plays at Belmont, Keeneland, and Woodbine, while promising two-year-olds and up-and-coming trainers capture attention at regional tracks.
Breeders’ Cup Classic Field Comes into Focus
The $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar is set with one of its deepest fields in years. Fierceness enters the race off a commanding performance in the Pacific Classic Stakes, showcasing his signature late-turn acceleration and solidifying his reputation as one of the most brilliant three-year-olds of the season. Though his campaign includes occasional inconsistency, Fierceness’s career record stands at 10 starts, six wins, and over $3.9 million in earnings, making him the likely centerpiece of the Classic’s narrative.
Challenging Fierceness is Journalism, runner-up in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and winner of a gritty edition of the Preakness. He has never finished worse than second in a stakes race, yet must again confront the formidable Sovereignty as well as several emerging rivals. The use of a dedicated pacesetter by Sierra Leone’s camp is expected to influence early race dynamics, creating a test of both class and tactics.
National Racing Highlights and Best Bets
- Belmont at the Big A: Pistol Liz Ablazen, a consistent performer with five wins from her last seven starts, returns to a preferred distance, looking to rebound from a subpar Saratoga effort on an unsuitable surface.
- Keeneland: Googol Joke, a developing runner, receives attention while shortening in distance and securing an advantageous inside post. The expectation is for improved early positioning against manageable opposition.
- Woodbine: Pickford Sweet, noted for late-closing ability, shifts to a sprint distance. In later action, the debut of Spikephil—a full brother to multiple stakes performers—draws interest following strong works and positive trainer-jockey statistics.
- Remington: Merry Mary Lou is rated as a longshot worth watching for an in-form trainer-jockey combination that recently secured a stakes double at the track.
Two-Year-Olds and Debut Watch
Notable juvenile activity features the debut of Swing It, a Charlatan filly, at Gulfstream. Well-regarded in the morning, this debutante attracts attention in a competitive two-year-old maiden field and represents another promising campaigner from one of the year’s leading first-crop sires.
Industry and Community Notes
Off the track, Jacquelyn Dickey and Bandon claimed the 2025 freestyle division in the Thoroughbred Makeover, showcasing the growing prominence of off-track Thoroughbred events in the equestrian community.
