DEL MAR, Calif. – There were two posts remaining – stalls 1 and 6 – and the names of Sovereignty and Fierceness had yet to be called as the post position draw for Saturdays $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic came to an end Monday in the Del Mar paddock. When Fierceness drew post 1 it immediately conjured up memories of the Pacific Classic held here two months ago. In that race, Fierceness, breaking from the rail, ducked in, nearly hitting the temporary rail and almost unseating John Velazquez. But Velazquez quickly got Fierceness straightened away, and ultimately Fierceness drew off to a 3 1/4-length victory over Journalism. The good news is Fierceness showed he can win from the rail and overcome adversity. The bad news is the field assembled for the Classic is as tough as they come. Fierceness, the runner-up to Sierra Leone in last year’s Classic, was made the 4-1 second choice behind Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Sovereignty, who was installed as the 6-5 morning-line choice by David Aragona. The Classic is one of 14 Breeders’ Cup races – five for 2-year-olds to be run Friday and nine for 3-year-olds and up to be run Saturday – to be held over two days at Del Mar. Pletcher is hoping that Fierceness, having been here and done that, can overcome the rail draw again and at least not do anything to compromise his chances leaving the starting gate. :: Get the inside scoop from the morning workouts with Breeders' Cup Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team. “The difference is now I think they said there’s going to be a longer temporary rail. I’ll talk to the starter when I go to stand some horses” on Tuesday, Pletcher said after the draw. “I think now that he did that, Johnny’s going to be more aware of it and possibly ready for it, and hopefully can prevent it from happening altogether. Still, even without that being the case, you ideally wouldn’t draw the rail in a field like that, but hopefully he’s good enough to overcome it.” Pletcher was pleased enough with the draws of his two other Classic entrants. Mindframe, the Stephen Foster and Churchill Downs Stakes winner, drew post 8, while Antiquarian, the Jockey Club Gold Cup winner, drew post 10. “They’re both horses with tactical speed, can get into a good rhythm from out there and survey what’s going on before they have to commit too much,” Pletcher said. Bill Mott, trainer of Sovereignty, said he had “no complaints” about drawing post 6. “I’m happy, there’s some speed inside. It gives him a good opportunity to see what’s unfolding in the race,” Mott said. The main speed inside of Sovereignty is Contrary Thinking. He is entered in the race to ensure there is a pace for his stablemate Sierra Leone, last year’s Classic winner. Contrary Thinking’s presence in the race is a source of frustration for Mike Repole, owner of Fierceness and Mindframe. In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Mindframe lost his rider when Phileas Fogg came over on Contrary Thinking who came over on horses to his inside, which led to a bumping incident that unseated Irad Ortiz Jr. from Mindframe. A representative for Repole has pointed out to California horse racing officials a portion of California Rule 1692 that states horses should be “entered with the intention to win.” :: BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC: See DRF’s special section with top contenders, odds, comments, news, and more Contrary Thinking was permitted to enter and will most likely be allowed to run, though Scott Chaney, executive director of the California Horse Racing Board, said the stewards have the option to scratch him after looking at the horse’s past performances even after entries come out. “I don’t know of any situation like this where the stewards have invoked 1692 in order to scratch a horse,” Chaney said in a phone interview earlier Monday. “I don’t tell them what to do or have a say in this decision. History is history.”  The stewards will not couple Contrary Thinking and Sierra Leone, citing a rule passed in 2006 that uncoupled horses even if there was common ownership. Peter Brant is listed as the owner of Contrary Thinking. Brant owns part of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone drew post 7 and was listed as the 8-1 fourth choice behind Forever Young (6-1) who drew post 5. Outside of Fierceness, in post order, are Baeza (15-1), Nevada Beach (20-1), Contrary Thinking (50-1), Forever Young (6-1), Sovereignty (6-5), Sierra Leone (8-1), Mindframe (10-1), Journalism (10-1) and Antiquarian (15-1). While the inside draw may be deemed unfavorable for Fierceness, several top contenders in other Breeders’ Cup races drew seemingly disadvantageous outside posts, especially in turf races that drew full fields. * She Feels Pretty, the 4-1 second choice on the morning line, and See The Fire, the 5-1 third choice, drew posts 13 and 14, respectively, in the $2 million Filly and Mare Turf. Gezora, the 7-2 morning-line choice, drew favorably in post 5. * Trainer Aidan O’Brien has the likely favorite in both the Juvenile Turf and Juvenile Fillies Turf, both $1 million races run Friday. Gstaad drew post 14 in the Juvenile Turf, while Precise drew post 13 in a field of 14 in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. * True Love (7-2 morning line), Cy Fair (6-1), Schwarzenegger (5-1), and Lennilu (8-1) – potentially four of the top five choices – drew post positions 9 through 12 in Friday’s $1 million Juvenile Turf Sprint. That race is limited to 12 starters and five also-eligibles were carded. * Dorth Vader, quickly becoming a “buzz horse” for the $2 million Distaff, drew post 12 of 13 in a race where likely favorite Seismic Beauty drew post 8. * Minnie Hauk, a 3-year-old filly attempting to give O’Brien a record-extending eighth victory in the $5 million Turf, drew post 8. Rebel’s Romance, seeking a third Turf victory and second straight, drew the rail. He is the 5-2 second choice. * In races where posts didn’t matter as much due field size, Ted Noffey drew the outside post in an eight-horse field for the $2 million Juvenile. Ted Noffey, trained by Pletcher, has won all three of his races and has started from the outside post in all three. * Explora, the 5-2 morning-line favorite drew post 7 in a field of nine for the $2 million Juvenile Fillies. * Sweet Azteca drew post 6 and is the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint. ON SALE NOW: DRF Breeders' Cup Packages! Get everything you need to win and save big. * Motorious, the 7-2 morning-line favorite, drew post 1, and Ag Bullet, the 4-1 second choice, drew post 8 in a full field of 12 plus four also-eligibles in the Turf Sprint. Motorious and Ag Bullet were noses apart when finishing second and third in last year’s Turf Sprint. * Bentornato, last year’s Sprint runner-up, drew post 10 and is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the $2 million Sprint. Straight No Chaser, last year’s Sprint winner, drew post 12 and is the 8-1 fourth choice in a field of 14 plus one also-eligible. Kopion, the filly, drew post 1 and is the 7-2 second choice. * Notable Speech, trying to improve upon his third-place finish in last year’s Mile, drew post 2 and is the 5-2 morning-line favorite. Rhetorical, the New York-bred who won the Coolmore Turf Mile and is the 5-1 second choice, is marooned in post 11. * Nysos, a winner of 5 of 6 starts, drew post 3 and was made the 8-5 morning-line favorite in the $1 million Dirt Mile. Full Serrano, last year’s winner, drew post 6 and is the 7-2 second choice on the line. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.