Trained by Brad Cox, Knicks Go has retaken the No. 1 position which Essential Quality had held for the past three weeks. The Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and Whitney (G1) winner received 322 votes, 18 of which were first-place votes. Knicks Go is scheduled to make his final start before the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic in this Saturday's Lukas Classic (G3) at Churchill Downs. Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, also trained by Cox, won the  Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1). He is now in second place with 316 votes.

Hot Rod Charlie, another top 3-year-old, moves into third place this week following his impressive victory in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx. Owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss, and trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie has 252 votes.

Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, dropped one position to fourth place with 238 votes. Maxfield has won three races this year, including the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June, in which he secured an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp's Max Player, a winner of two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races in the Longines Classic Division in 2021, remains in fifth place with 180 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old Max Player won both the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in July and The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga earlier this month.

Hronis Racing's 4-year-old Tripoli, who captured the “Win and You're In” TVG Pacific Classic (G1) for his automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, stayed in sixth place with 116 votes. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli is slated to start in this Saturday's Awesome Again Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, which is the final automatic qualifier for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic this year.

Zedan Racing Stable's 3-year-old Medina Spirit, who won the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar last month, rose from ninth place to seventh with 76 votes. Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff (IRE) remained in eighth  place with 75 votes.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff earned an automatic starting position in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York Racecourse in England on Aug. 18.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska, a three-time Grade 1 winner this year for trainer Fausto Gutierrez, improved from 10^th place to ninth  with 56 votes.

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good, winner of Saturday's Kelso Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park, moved from 12^th place to 10^th. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good has 45 votes.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' 3-year-old Midnight Bourbon received 74 votes, but his connections announced on Monday that he would not be pointed to this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Sept. 28, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Ahead Of Final Prep, Knicks Go Retakes Lead In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Trained by Brad Cox, the 3-year-old Essential Quality received 282 votes in his second week at No. 1. Just behind Essential Quality with 280 votes is the Cox-trained 5-year-old Knicks Go, who won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga this year.

The next five places in the rankings remained the same from last week. Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield, who earned an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June, has 228 votes. Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie, third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes, is in fourth place with 184 votes for trainer Doug O'Neill.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp's Max Player is in fifth place with 153 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old Max Player has won two Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races this year in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Division, taking the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in July and The Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga earlier this month.

Hronis Racing's 4-year-old Tripoli, who triumphed in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar and gained a free starting position into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, is in sixth place. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli has 153 votes. St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska is in seventh place with 70 votes. Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, won her third Grade 1 race this year when she captured last month's Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga.

Zedan Racing Stable's 3-year-old Medina Spirit, winner of the listed Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, rose from 10^th place to eighth with 68 votes. Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon dropped from eighth place to ninth this week with 67 votes. Also trained by Asmussen, Midnight Bourbon finished second to Essential Quality in the Runhappy Travers Stakes. Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff (IRE) drops one spot to 10^th place with 65 votes. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff secured a free berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York Racecourse in England on Aug. 18.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Sept. 14, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Essential Quality Leads Knicks Go In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 3-year-old Essential Quality, trained by Brad Cox, received 278 votes, which was three votes higher than Korea Racing Authority's 5-year-old Knicks Go, who has 275 votes in second place after being No. 1 for four consecutive weeks. Also trained by Cox, Knicks Go has won three races this year, including the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga.

Godolphin's Maxfield remained in third place with 226 votes.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, the 4-year-old Maxfield captured the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June, in which he earned an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie is in fourth place with 189 votes. Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill, finished third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes. He crossed the wire first in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) on July 17, but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and was placed seventh.

The big mover in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings this week was 4-year-old Max Player, who jumped from 13th to fifth place with 155 votes after winning Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga by 4 lengths. Owned by George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp, the Jockey Club Gold Cup win was Max Player's second Breeders' Cup Challenge Series triumph in the Longines Classic Division this year. Max Player earned a free berth into the Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on July 3.

Hronis Racing's 4-year-old Tripoli dropped one position to sixth place with 96 votes. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli won the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 21 and gained a “Win and You're In” berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska, winner of three Grade 1 stakes races this year, including the Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga, slips one spot to seventh place with 86 votes.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon dropped from seventh to eighth place this week with 76 votes. Also trained by Asmussen, Midnight Bourbon finished just a neck behind Essential Quality in the Runhappy Travers Stakes. Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff (IRE), who earned an automatic starting position into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Juddmonte International (G1) on turf at York Racecourse on Aug. 18, drops one spot to ninth place. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff has 71 votes. Zedan Racing Stable's 3-year-old Medina Spirit, who captured the listed Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 29, remained in 10th place with 60 votes.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Sept. 7, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Essential Quality Overtakes Knicks Go In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 5-year-old Knicks Go, owned by Korea Racing Authority and trained by Brad Cox, received 315 votes, and retained the No. 1 position for the fourth consecutive week. Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, also trained by Cox, received 308 votes following Saturday's Travers Stakes victory by a neck over Winchell Thoroughbreds Midnight Bourbon. The Travers was Essential Quality's third straight win, having captured the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga and the Belmont Stakes (G1) in his two previous starts.

Godolphin's Maxfield remained in third place with 253 votes. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the 4-year-old Maxfield has won three races this year, including the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June, in which he earned an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Hot Rod Charlie, owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss, is in fourth place with 206 votes. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie finished third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes. He crossed the wire first in the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) on July 17 but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and was placed seventh.

Hronis Racing's 4-year-old Tripoli stayed in fifth place with 119 votes. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli won the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 21 and gained a “Win and You're In” berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska captured last Saturday's Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) at Saratoga for her fifth win of the year and her third Grade 1 stakes victory of 2021. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska has 112 votes.

Midnight Bourbon joins the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings for the first time in seventh place, as many voters were impressed with his hard-fought second-place finish in the Travers. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bourbon has 94 votes.

Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff (IRE), who earned an automatic starting position into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Juddmonte International (G1) on turf at York Racecourse, drops one spot to eighth place. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff has 81 votes.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State slipped one spot to ninth place with 66 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State won his first four races of 2021 before finishing third in the Whitney.

Also new to the top 10 this week is Zedan Racing Stable's Medina Spirit, who captured the listed Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Sunday in his first start since finishing third in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Medina Spirit is in 10^th place with 59 votes.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Sept 1, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Essential Quality Closing The Gap On Knicks Go In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 5-year-old Knicks Go, owned by Korea Racing Authority and trained by Brad Cox, received 307 votes, maintaining the top spot for the third consecutive week. Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), is in second place with 273 votes. Also trained by Cox, Essential Quality is expected to run in this Saturday's Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

The 4-year-old Maxfield, also owned by Godolphin, is in third place with 254 votes. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield earned a free berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in June.

Three-year-old Hot Rod Charlie, owned by Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss, and trained by Doug O'Neill, is in fourth place with 204 votes.

Hronis Racing's 4-year-old Tripoli jumped into the top 10 for the first time off a sparkling win in the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar. The victory gave Tripoli an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli is in fifth place with 125 votes.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska dropped one spot to sixth place with 107 votes. Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, has won four of five starts this year, including the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont Park and the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Prince A A Faisal's 4-year-old Mishriff was another “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic last week when he captured the Juddmonte International (G1) on turf at York Racecourse in England. Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Mishriff, who is in seventh place with 95 votes, also won the Saudi Cup (G1) and the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) this year.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State slipped two spots, from sixth to eighth place, with 70 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State won his first four races of 2021 before finishing third in the Whitney. George E.

Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.'s 4-year-old Max Player, also trained by Asmussen, dropped from eighth to ninth place with 63 votes. Max Player won the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park in July.

Another runner moving into the top 10 for the first time is the undefeated 3-year-old Life Is Good. Owned by CHC Inc and WinStar Farm, Life Is Good won both the Sham Stakes (G3) and the San Felipe Stakes (G2) before being sidelined with an ankle injury in the spring. Now back in training, Life Is Good is in 10^th place with 58 votes.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 24, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Tripoli, Mishriff Join Top 10 In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Knicks Go, trained by Brad Cox, received 286 votes in his second week at No. 1. Knicks Go has won three of five starts this year, which in addition to the Whitney includes the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park in January and the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) in July.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, also trained by Cox, is in second place with 259 votes. Essential Quality won the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga and the Belmont Stakes (G1) in his last two starts.

Maxfield, second in the Whitney and winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, is in third place with 244 votes. Owned by Godolphin and trained by Brendan Walsh, the 4-year-old Maxfield gained a free berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic with his win in the Stephen Foster.

Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's 3-year-old Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill, is in fourth place with 192 votes.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska improved one position to fifth place with 109 votes. Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, has won four of five starts this year, including the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont Park and the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State rose from seventh to sixth place with 94 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State finished third in the Whitney after winning his first four races this year.

CRK Stable's 4-year-old Express Train, winner of the San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar, is in seventh place with 90 votes.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.'s 4-year-old Max Player, trained by Asmussen, is in eighth place with 65 votes. Max Player won the Suburban (G2) at Belmont Park in July.

Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver, third in the Suburban, is in ninth place. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver has 54 votes.

Another horse trained by Pletcher, St. Elias Stable's Dr Post, has joined the top 10 for the first time. A winner twice in three starts this year, Dr Post, who captured the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on July 17, has 53 votes.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 17, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Cox Trainees One-Two In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Knicks Go, trained by Brad Cox, rose from fourth place to the top of the Classic Rankings, receiving 314 votes. Knicks Go led the 1 1/8-mile Whitney from start to finish, winning by 4 ½ lengths over Maxfield, who had been the top-rated horse in the poll for the first six weeks. Knicks Go has won three of five starts this year, which includes the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park in January and the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) in July. Last year, Knicks Go won the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, also trained by Cox, stayed in second place this week with 276 votes. Essential Quality, last year's TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner, won the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga and the Belmont Stakes (G1) in his last two starts. Godolphin's 4-year-old Maxfield dropped from first to third place this week with 269 votes. Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield has won three races in 2021, including the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, in which he earned an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's 3-year-old Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill, dropped one position to fourth place with 202 votes.

Juddmonte's 3-year-old Mandaloun, winner of the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) on July 17, remained in fifth place with 127 votes. Also trained by Cox, Mandaloun has been taken out of training for the remainder of the year due to a sore foot.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska rose one spot to sixth place with 96 votes. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska won the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont Park and the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in her last two starts.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State dropped one spot to seventh place with 95 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State finished third in the Whitney, suffering his first defeat of the year after four wins.

CRK Stable's 4-year-old Express Train, winner of the San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar, remained in eighth place with 85 votes.

George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.'s 4-year-old Max Player, winner of Belmont's Suburban (G2), is in ninth place. Also trained by Asmussen, Max Player has 70 votes.

Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Saver and Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm's Royal Ship (BRZ) are tied in 10^th place with 53 votes apiece. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Happy Saver lost his first race in six starts when he finished third in the Suburban. Royal Ship won the Californian Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita in April and was recently third in the San Diego Handicap for trainer Richard Mandella.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 10, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Whitney Win Vaults Knicks Go To Top Of Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Maxfield, trained by Brendan Walsh, received 22 first-place votes and 280 total votes. Maxfield earned an automatic berth into this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic when he won the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 26.

Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, last year's TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner, remained in second place with 273 votes. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality won Saturday's 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga by a half-length over Keepmeinmind. The victory was Essential Quality's fourth in five starts this year and was his first start since winning the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 5.

Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's 3-year-old Hot Rod Charlie, trained by Doug O'Neill, is in third place with 225 votes.

Korea Racing Authority's 5-year-old Knicks Go, winner of the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park in January and the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) on July 2, moved up one spot to fourth place with 163 votes.

Also trained by Cox, Knicks Go is expected to face Maxfield and Silver State in this Saturday's Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, which is a “Win and You're In” for the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Juddmonte's 3-year-old Mandaloun drops one spot to fifth place with 161 votes. Also trained by Cox, Mandaloun finished a nose behind Hot Rod Charlie in the July 17 TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park, but was declared the race winner following the disqualification of Hot Rod Charlie for interference in the stretch.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State remained in sixth place with 105 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State is unbeaten in four starts this year, which includes victories in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Belmont's Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1).

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska stayed in seventh place with 85 votes. Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska won the Ogden Phipps (G1) at Belmont Park and the Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in her last two starts.

CRK Stable's 4-year-old Express Train, winner of the San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar, rose from 10^th to eighth place with 66 votes. George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.'s 4-year-old Max Player, winner of Belmont's Suburban (G2), is tied in ninth place with Wertheimer and Frere's 4-year-old Happy Saver, who finished third in the Suburban. Max Player, also trained by Asmussen, and Happy Saver, trained by Todd Pletcher, have 59 points apiece.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 3, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Maxfield Tops Essential Quality In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 4-year-old Maxfield, who has won three of four starts this year, including the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 26, leads the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings with 20 first-place votes and 299 total votes. Godolphin's 3-year-old Essential Quality, the Belmont Stakes (G1) winner, retained second place with 276 votes. Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality won last year's TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1). Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing, and William Strauss's Hot Rod Charlie moved from fourth to third place this week with 219 votes. Trained by Doug O'Neill, Hot Rod Charlie crossed the wire first in Saturday's TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) but was disqualified for interference and placed seventh. Juddmonte's 3-year-old Mandaloun finished a nose behind Hot Rod Charlie in the Haskell and was declared the race winner following the stewards' ruling. Mandaloun, also trained by Cox, jumped from ninth to fourth in the rankings with 172 votes.

Places five through eight in the rankings remained unchanged. Korea Racing Authority's Knicks Go, the third Cox-trained horse in the top 10, is in fifth place with 147 votes. This year, Knicks Go has won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park and the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3) on July 2, which he captured by 10 ½ lengths. Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's 4-year-old Silver State is in sixth place with 128 votes. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Silver State is unbeaten in four starts this year, including victories in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and Belmont's Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1). WinStar Farm's 4-year-old Country Grammer, winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) at Santa Anita Park, is in seventh place with 87 votes.

St. George Stable's 5-year-old mare Letruska, trained by Fausto Gutierrez, is in eighth place with 84 votes. 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. Wertheimer and Frere's 4-year-old Happy Saver, trained by Todd Pletcher, moved from 10th to ninth this week. Happy Saver, who lost his first race in six starts when he finished third in the Suburban (G2) at Belmont Park on July 3, has 64 votes. George E. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds Corp.'s 4-year-old Max Player, who won the Suburban, is in 10^th place. Also trained by Asmussen, Max Player has 63 votes. Godolphin's Mystic Guide, who was third in last week's rankings, has been taken out of training due to an injury.

Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – July 20, 2021*

*Note – The Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings have no bearing on qualification or selection into the Longines 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.

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.

The post Maxfield Remains On Top Of Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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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*

*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.

The post Maxfield Retains Top Spot In Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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