Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:47

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf: O'Brien hopes to continue dominance with Gstaad

Megan Coggin
Gstaad has yet to win a Group 1 but has finished second three times.

Seven of the last 14 years, Aidan O’Brien has trained the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner. He has won the race’s last three editions, and Puerto Rico was thought to be the O’Brien-trained favorite for this year’s Juvenile Turf. Puerto Rico wasn’t pre-entered. O’Brien still has the favorite.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:30

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Precise shows up as likely favorite

Goodwood Racecourse
After winning the Fillies' Mile and Moyglare Stud, Precise looms a formidable favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

She was out of contention, and now she’s back in.

The appearance of Precise in the pre-entries for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Oct. 31 gives the one-mile race a clear favorite.

Precise won the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket Racecourse in Britain on Oct. 10 for her second consecutive win in a Group 1 and fourth straight win overall. In the immediate aftermath of the race, trainer Aidan O’Brien said Precise would be rested for a spring campaign.

O’Brien has changed his mind.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:28

Breeders' Cup Sprint: Gate could again be at capacity, with 2024's top two returning

Barbara D. Livingston
Bentornato is currently the Daily Racing Form’s 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Sprint.

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.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:28

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Hometown team is strong

Benoit
Motorious will be making his third start in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. He finished second a year ago and fifth in 2023.

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.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:28

Breeders' Cup Turf: Once again, it comes down to the Europeans

Barbara D. Livingston
Rebel's Romance looks to win his third Breeders' Cup Turf after winning the race in 2022 and 2024.

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.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:27

Breeders' Cup Distaff: Full field will have to catch Seismic Beauty

Benoit Photo
Seismic Beauty's 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.

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.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:27

Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf: She Feels Pretty headlines oversubscribed lineup

Barbara D. Livingston
She Feels Pretty (left) won the Group 1 New York Stakes at Saratoga in June and the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on Aug. 16.

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.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:27

Eight prior Breeders' Cup winners top 191 pre-entered for 2025 World Championships

Debra A. Roma
Sierra Leone, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Classic, is one of eight previous winners pre-entered in this year's 14 Breeders' Cup races.

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.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:15

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint: Lots of moving parts to overflow field

Barbara D. Livingston
The highly touted Schwarzenegger comes into the Breeders' Cup off a victory in the Indian Summer at Keeneland.

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.

Wed, 10/22/2025 - 12:15

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies: Tommy Jo tries to nail down a championship

Barbara D. Livingston
Tommy Jo decisively won the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga (above), but her victory in the Alcibiades at Keeneland via disqualification was less convincing.

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.