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Preakness Added To Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series

Officials at Breeders’ Cup Limited and The Stronach Group have announced that the Oct. 3 GI Preakness S., the final leg of this year’s reconstituted Triple Crown, has been added to the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series and will offer the winner an all-expenses-paid berth in the starting gate for the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland Nov. 7. It will mark the first time that a Triple Crown races is part of the series.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional first leg of the Triple Crown was postponed from its customary position on the first Saturday in May and was rescheduled for Sept. 5. The New York Racing Association staged the GI Belmont S. as the first of this year’s Triple Crown races June 20. Tiz the Law (Constitution) was the convincing winner of the Belmont, shortened to nine furlongs for this running.

The Preakness and Breeders’ Cup Classic will both air on NBC.

“We are delighted to join The Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club in welcoming the Preakness to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, and that we will be able to provide the winning connections with an added incentive to run in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO. “As a foundation race of the Triple Crown and the premier event in the proud history of Maryland racing, we look forward to working together with The Stronach Group, and our partners at NBC Sports, to promote an exciting fall season for Thoroughbred racing.”

Added Craig Fravel, Chief Executive Officer, Racing Operations, 1/ST: “The events of 2020 have for all of us been about responding to unforeseen challenges and making the best of them. Many of those challenges–including the changes to the Triple Crown–have been unwelcome, but becoming part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is most welcome and a fitting finale to the 3-year-old season as the horses and their connections make their way to Baltimore for the last leg of the Triple Crown. We look forward to hosting the best of America’s three-year-old horses on Oct. 3 at the Preakness and to enjoying their success thereafter in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”

“With terrific racing ahead, we’re excited that the two biggest events of the fall months will be further connected with the Preakness Stakes winner earning a coveted berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic,” said Jon Miller, President of Programming for NBC and NBCSN.

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Preakness Stakes To Offer Automatic Starting Position In Breeders’ Cup Classic

Officials of the Breeders' Cup and The Stronach Group today announced that the winner of the 145th Preakness Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds on Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore will earn an automatic starting position into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). The announcement marks the first time that a Triple Crown race will be a part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into corresponding races of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held this year on Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. The $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, contested at 1 ¼ miles, will be run on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Both the Preakness, run at 1 3/16 miles, and the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, will be broadcast live on NBC.

“We are delighted to join The Stronach Group and the Maryland Jockey Club in welcoming the Preakness to this year's Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, and that we will be able to provide the winning connections with an added incentive to run in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic,” said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO. “As a foundation race of the Triple Crown, and the premier event in the proud history of Maryland racing, we look forward to working together with The Stronach Group, and our partners at NBC Sports, to promote an exciting fall season for Thoroughbred racing.”

“The events of 2020 have for all of us been about responding to unforeseen challenges and making the best of them,” said Craig Fravel, Chief Executive Officer, Racing Operations, 1/ST. “Many of those challenges including the changes to the Triple Crown have been unwelcome but becoming part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is most welcome and a fitting finale to the three-year-old season as the horses and their connections make their way to Baltimore for the last leg of the Triple Crown. We look forward to hosting the best of America's three-year-old horses on October 3 at the Preakness and to enjoying their success thereafter in the Breeders' Cup Classic.”

“With terrific racing ahead, we're excited that the two biggest events of the fall months will be further connected with the Preakness Stakes winner earning a coveted berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic,” said Jon Miller, President of Programming for NBC and NBCSN.

Due to scheduling changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Preakness date was shifted from May 16 to Oct. 3, and will be run as the third jewel of the 2020 Triple Crown. This year's Triple Crown began on June 20 with the Belmont Stakes (G1), won by Tiz the Law, at Belmont Park, and will be followed by the Kentucky Derby (G1), which will be run on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.

Four Preakness winners have won the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. In 2015, American Pharoah swept the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland to become racing's first “Grand Slam” winner. Preakness winners Sunday Silence (1989), Alysheba (1987) and Curlin (2007) also won the Classic. Alysheba captured the Classic in 1988.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the $150,000 in entry fees for the Preakness winner to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which is limited to 14 starters. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of $10,000 for all North American starters based outside of Kentucky to compete in the World Championships. The Preakness winner must already be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program or it must be nominated by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 26 to receive the rewards.

There are six horses who have thus far earned automatic starting positions into this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Classic through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Mozu Ascot, winner of the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 23; Tom's d'Etat, who took the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 27; Authentic, winner of the TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park on July 18; Improbable, who won the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 1; Ghaiyyath (IRE), winner of the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) at York on Aug. 19 in Great Britain and Maximum Security, who won the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 22.

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Tiz The Law Ascends To Top Of Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

Following his dominant win in last Saturday's Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, Sackatoga Stable's 3-year-old Tiz the Law is the new No. 1 in the 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington on Nov. 7.

The 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. 13. A list of voting members can be found here.

Trained by Barclay Tagg, Tiz the Law (265 votes) remained undefeated in four starts this year, rolling to a 5 ½-length victory in the Travers under jockey Manny Franco. Tiz the Law, a New York-bred son of Constitution, will be pointed next to the Kentucky Derby (G1) on Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs, which is the second jewel in this year's restructured Triple Crown. Tiz the Law, who earned 11 first-place votes in this week's poll, won the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 20 prior to his Travers score.

GMB Racing's Tom's d'Etat (262 votes), was tied for first with the 4-year-old Maximum Security in last week's Classic Rankings, but drops to second place. Trained by Al Stall Jr., the 7-year-old Tom's d'Etat, winner of the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2), is five points ahead of third-place Maximum Security (257 votes). Owned by Gary and Mary West, Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magner and Derrick Smith, Maximum Security won the San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar on July 25 for trainer Bob Baffert. Maximum Security received 10 first-place votes from the panel this week.

A second Baffert-trained runner, WinStar Farm, CHC Inc. and SF Racing's Improbable (201 votes), drops from third to fourth place this week. The 4-year-old chestnut son of City Zip earned a “Win and You're In” automatic starting position into the Breeders' Cup Classic following his 2-length victory in the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 1.

Allied Racing Stable's 4-year-old By My Standards (124 votes), second in the Whitney, retains fifth place in the rankings. Trained by Bret Calhoun, By My Standards won the New Orleans Handicap (G2) and the Oaklawn Handicap (G2.

W.S. Farish's 4-year-old Code of Honor (110 votes) remains in sixth place. Trained by Claude R. “Shug” McGaughey III, Code of Honor, who won the Westchester Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in June, finished fourth in the Whitney.

Bruce Lunsford's 3-year-old Art Collector (93 votes) jumped from 10th to seventh place this week following his front-running victory in last Sunday's Ellis Park Derby as the odds-on favorite. A bay son of Bernardini, trained by Tom Drury Jr., Art Collector remains unbeaten this year in four starts, including the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on July 11.

Juddmonte Farms' 4-year-old Tacitus (90 votes) stays in eighth place in the Classic Rankings for the fourth consecutive week. Trained by Bill Mott, Tacitus swept to an 8 ¾-length victory in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on July 4. He is expected to run next in the Woodward (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 5.

Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing's 5-year-old mare Midnight Bisou (81 votes), who was defeated as the odds-on favorite in Saratoga's Personal Ensign (G1) on Aug. 1., drops from seventh to ninth place this week.

The 4-year-old Vekoma (74 votes), trained by George Weaver, drops one spot this week to 10th place. Owned by R.A Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, Vekoma is unbeaten in three starts this year, including two wins in Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races: the Runhappy Carter Handicap (G1), for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), and the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1), for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 11, 2020*

RANK	HORSE	TOTAL VOTES	FIRST-PLACE VOTES
1	Tiz the Law	265	11
2	Tom's d'Etat	262	8
3	Maximum Security	257	10
4	Improbable	201	2
5	By My Standards	124	0
6	Code of Honor	110	0
7	Art Collector	93	0
8	Tacitus	90	0
9	Midnight Bisou	81	0
10	Vekoma	74	0

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

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 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, which will be run at 1 ¼ miles on the main track at Keeneland, will be televised live on NBC.

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After Whitney Loss, Tom’s D’Etat Tied With Maximum Security Atop Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings

San Diego Handicap (G2) winner Maximum Security and Tom's d'Etat, third in the Whitney Stakes (G1), are tied for first place with 281 votes in the 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $7 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington on Nov. 7.

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.

Owned by Gary and Mary West, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the 4-year-old Maximum Security moved up from second place last week to tie for the top spot. A winner in his first start for trainer Bob Baffert in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar on July 25, Maximum Security is being pointed to the “Win and You're In” TVG Pacific Classic (G1) on Aug. 22, which will give the winner an automatic berth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic.

Tom's d'Etat, owned by Gayle Benson's GMB Racing, had been alone atop the Classic Rankings for the first two weeks. A 7-year-old bay son of Smart Strike, trained by Al Stall Jr., Tom's d'Etat had won four consecutive races, including the “Win and You're In” Stephen Foster (G2) prior to the Whitney at Saratoga, but stumbled at the start and could not overcome breaking last from the gate on Saturday, and wound up third.

The big mover in the rankings this week is the Whitney winner, Improbable (243 votes), who jumped from ninth to third place in the poll. Owned by WinStar Farm, CHC Inc. and SF Racing, Improbable is also trained by Baffert. The 4-year-old chestnut son of City Zip earned a “Win and You're In” automatic starting position into the Breeders' Cup Classic following his 2-length victory in the Whitney under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. The win was Improbable's second Grade 1 triumph this year after taking the Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 6.

Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tiz the Law (208 votes), one of two 3-year-olds in the top 10, remains in fourth place. Unbeaten in three starts this year, the Sackatoga Stable's star, trained by Barclay Tagg, is scheduled to start in this Saturday's Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.

Allied Racing Stable's By My Standards (144 votes), second in the Whitney, moves up two spots to fifth place. Trained by Bret Calhoun, By My Standards won the New Orleans Handicap (G2) and the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) before finishing second to Tom's d'Etat in the Stephen Foster.

W.S. Farish's 4-year-old Code of Honor (117 votes) drops from third to sixth this week after finishing a non-threatening fourth as the 5-2 second choice in the Whitney.

Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables and Allen Racing's 5-year-old mare Midnight Bisou (95 votes) was upset by Vexatious in Saratoga's Personal Ensign (G1) on Saturday, losing by a neck as the odds-on favorite. The Steve Asmussen-trained dark bay daughter of two-time Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Midnight Lute falls two spots to No. 7.

Juddmonte Farms' 4-year-old Tacitus (93 votes) retains eighth place in the Classic Rankings for the third consecutive week. Trained by Bill Mott, Tacitus rolled to an 8 ¾-length victory in the Suburban Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park on July 4. He is expected to run next in the Woodward (G1) at Saratoga on Sept. 5.

The 4-year-old Vekoma, trained by George Weaver, moves up one spot to ninth place this week. Owned by R.A Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, Vekoma is unbeaten in three starts this year, including two wins in Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races: the Runhappy Carter Handicap (G1), for the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), and the Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap (G1), for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Rounding out the top 10 is a new shooter in Bruce Lunsford's 3-year-old Art Collector. Unbeaten in three start this year, including the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on July 11, Art Collector is expected to start in Sunday's Ellis Park Derby for trainer Tom Drury Jr.

CRK Stable's 3-year-old Honor A. P., second in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar, dropped from sixth to 11th place.

Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings – Aug. 4, 2020*

RANK	HORSE	TOTAL VOTES	FIRST-PLACE VOTES
1	Maximum Security	281	13
1	Tom's d'Etat	281	13
3	Improbable	243	2
4	Tiz the Law	208	2
5	By My Standards	144	0
6	Code of Honor	117	1
7	Midnight Bisou	95	0
8	Tacitus	93	0
9	Vekoma	72	2
10	Art Collector	61	0

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