Winner Winchell Thoroughbred’s Travers Stakes (G1) Epicenter move up to second and win the Kentucky Derby (G1) Rich Strike made it into the top 10 for the first time, while undefeated Flight route still leading in this week’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Ranking.
The Longines Breeders ‘Cup Classic’ is a weekly ranking of the top 10 horses competing for the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky, on November 5.
Flightline, owned by Hronis Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Summer Wind Equine LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, LLC, received 290 votes. Coached by John Sadler, Flightline has won both the Hill ‘N’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) this year. Flight path worked 5 clamps in 1: 00.04 at Santa Anita . Park on Saturday in preparation for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.
3 year old Epicenter, coached by Steve Asmussen, jumped over Life is good and came in second this week with 281 votes. Life Is Good, the 4-year-old, starts his first since winning the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on August 6, won 1 1/8 Woodward miles (G1) on Saturday at Water troughs equal to 1 1/4 of the length. Owned by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC, and coached by Todd Pletcher, Life Is Good won 217 votes.
Zedan Racing Stable’s Taiba winner of the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) for coach Bob Baffert, rising one place to fourth with 188 votes. Olympiad , owned by Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable LLC and LNJ Foxwoods, dropped one place to fifth with 181 votes. The Olympiad, coached by Bill Mott, has won six of seven races this year, including the Saratoga Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).
Boat Racing, LLC, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss’ Hot Rod Charlie who beat Rich Strike by head in Saturday’s Lukas Classic Stakes (G2) match at Churchill Downsin sixth place with 164 votes. Country Grammer who finished second in Awesome Again Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, came in seventh place with 97 votes.
Rich Strike, owned by RED TR-Racing, LLC, and coached by Eric Reed, entered the top 10 at 8th place with 61 votes after taking runner-up in the Lukas Classic. Gold Square LLC’s Cyberknife TVG.com winner Haskell Stakes (G1), in 9th place with 46 votes.
Another horse entering the top 10 for the first time, following a stunning win in Awesome Again Stakes, is Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman’s 4-year-old. Refunded . Also trained by Baffert, Defunded came in 10th place with 30 votes.
The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic standings will be published each week through October 11. featuring the leading Thoroughbred racing media, equestrian riders and members of the Secretariat/Director Breeders Cup Racing Director. The list of voting members can be found here.
In the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Ranking, each voter ranks horses according to the 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.
Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Standings – October 4, 2022 *
|
Places
|
Horse
|
Votes
|
First vote
|
Last week
|
|
first
|
Flight route
|
290
|
29
|
first
|
|
2
|
Epicenter
|
217
|
0
|
3
|
|
3
|
Life is good
|
217
|
0
|
2
|
|
4
|
Taiba
|
188
|
0
|
5
|
|
5
|
Olympiad
|
181
|
0
|
4
|
|
6
|
Hot Rod Charlie
|
164
|
0
|
7
|
|
7
|
Country Grammer
|
97
|
0
|
6
|
|
8
|
Rich Strike
|
sixty one
|
0
|
16
|
|
9
|
Cyberknife
|
forty six
|
0
|
9
|
|
ten
|
Refunded
|
30
|
0
|
Not rated
|
*Note – The Longines Breeders ‘Cup Classic standings are not related to Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic eligibility or selection.
The Longines Breeders ‘Cup Classic 2022, which will run a quarter mile on the main track at Keeneland, is limited to 14 starters. The race will be televised live on NBC.
This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. For any questions, please contact the organization that produced the release.
