DEL MAR, Calif. – The last time a full field of 14 horses went postward in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint was in 2020, when the ageless Whitmore rallied from near the rear of the field to spring an 18-1 upset at Keeneland. From all indications, the starting gate could be at capacity once again for the 2025 edition of the six-furlong Sprint.

Seventeen horses were pre-entered this week. Fourteen have given the race first preference, including Straight No Chaser and Bentornato, the one-two finishers in last year’s renewal of the event.

The 18 pre-entrants for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint have made their most recent starts at 10 different tracks in five different countries – the United States, Canada, France, Ireland, and Japan. But there’s a strong hometown trio of California-based Motorious and Ag Bullet, and Reef Runner, who has been based locally since August. All are assured spots in the main body of the Turf Sprint field, which is limited to 12 starters.

A deep group of European-based runners are likely to overwhelm a small domestic team in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Of the 14 pre-entered runners for the BC Turf at 1 1/2 miles, there are five 2025 Grade 1 or Group 1 winners, all based in Europe.

Two of them, the filly Minnie Hauk and veteran gelding Rebel’s Romance, are expected to dominate the betting in an expected big field.

Rebel’s Romance won the 2022 BC Turf at Keeneland and the 2024 running at Del Mar, He can become the first three-time winner of the BC Turf.

The fastest two-turn filly in North America is the early favorite among 14 fillies and mares pre-entered in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Fourteen are allowed to start in the Distaff, which will be run Nov. 1 at Del Mar, and they’ll all be chasing the front-runner Seismic Beauty.

Bob Baffert trains Seismic Beauty, whose 110 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch in summer at Del Mar is the highest of the year by a filly or mare around two turns. That does not make her the automatic winner of the Distaff, but it’s a good start.

The $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1 is a popular race, attracting 18 pre-entries, the most since the same number were pre-entered in 2020.

The potential lineup is led by the American star She Feels Pretty; Cinderella’s Dream, who was second as the 5-2 favorite in the 2024 BC Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar; and possibly Minnie Hauk, who was second in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on Oct. 5.

Five winners of Breeders’ Cup races in 2024, three other previous Breeders’ Cup winners, and a group of 53 internationally based runners are among the 191 individual horses pre-entered for this year’s Breeders Cup World Championships, a two-day event featuring 14 races worth $30 million in purse money to be held Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Del Mar in Southern California.

Few things are certain in horse racing. One of the virtual certainties is that the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, which leads off the Friday slate as the newest race in the club, will have a full starting gate.

The Juvenile Turf Sprint has gone with the maximum number of starters each year since its addition to the program in 2018, and each year also has had multiple horses excluded. At Del Mar on Oct. 31, the race will be limited to 12 starters. There were 22 pre-entrants for the race that were revealed Wednesday.

Tommy Jo will attempt to nail down a championship in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, which drew nine pre-entries for its Oct. 31 renewal at Del Mar.

“We just want her to settle and get a good trip, and hopefully, she can take care of business,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.

The majority of the nine horses pre-entered in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile were purchased at auction, either as a yearling last fall or at a 2-year-old-in-training sale during the spring.

The connections of Mr. A. P. got their Juvenile prospect out of a high-priced maiden-claiming race in the summer at Del Mar. On Oct. 31, 18 days after winning a one-mile maiden race at Santa Anita, Mr. A. P. will be taking on division heavyweights Ted Noffey and Brant in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile at Del Mar.