Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) on June 26, retained his lead over Mystic Guide and Essential Quality following the second week of voting in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). This year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic will be run at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California, on Nov. 6 as the final race of the 38th Breeders' Cup World Championships.
Maxfield, who has also won the Mineshaft Stakes (G3) and the Alysheba Stakes (G2) this year for trainer Brendan Walsh, leads all Classic contenders with 18 first-place votes and 300 total votes. The 4-year-old Mystic Guide remains in second place despite his defeat by a neck to Max Player in Saturday's “Win and You're In” Suburban (G2) at Belmont Park. Trained by Mike Stidham, Mystic Guide, the Dubai World Cup (G1) winner, has 276 votes. Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Essential Quality, also owned by Godolphin, is in third place. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality, winner of the 2020 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), has 268 votes.
Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie, second in the Belmont Stakes, remains in fourth place with 175 votes for trainer Doug O'Neill. Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State, unbeaten in four starts this year, is in fifth place with 122 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State has won the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Belmont's Metropolitan Handicap (G1), a “Win and You're In” for the $1 million Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) this year.
The big mover in the poll this week was Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, who dominated the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) last Friday with a 10 ¼-length victory. Also trained by Cox, Knicks Go, the 2020 Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner, jumps from 11th to sixth place with 117 votes. WinStar Farm's 4-year-old Country Grammer, winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Santa Anita Park, retains seventh place with 105 votes.
Wertheimer and Frere's 4-year-old Happy Saver suffered his first career defeat after five wins when he finished third in the Suburban. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver (84 votes) dropped from sixth to eighth place.
St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska stayed in ninth place with 80 votes. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska has won four of five starts this year, including a 5 ¾-length victory in the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 26.
Juddmonte's Mandaloun is the third Cox-trained horse in the top 10. Second in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Mandaloun (71 votes) dropped from eighth to 10th place.
The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders' Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 11. A list of voting members can be found here.
In the Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.
Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – July 6, 2021*
| Rank | Horse | Votes | First-Place Votes | Previous Week |
| 1 | Maxfield | 300 | 18 | 1 |
| 2 | Mystic Guide | 276 | 10 | 2 |
| 3 | Essential Quality | 268 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Hot Rod Charlie | 175 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Silver State | 122 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | Knicks Go | 117 | 1 | 11 |
| 7 | Country Grammer | 105 | 1 | 7 |
| 8 | Happy Saver | 84 | 0 | 6 |
| 9 | Letruska | 80 | 0 | 9 |
| 10 | Mandaloun | 71 | 0 | 8 |
*Note – The Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Breeders' Cup Classic.
The 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be broadcast live on NBC.
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