Thu, 10/30/2025 - 11:21

Breeders' Cup Turf: Still in top form, Rebel's Romance chases history

Susie Raisher
A 7-year-old gelding, Rebel’s Romance has 20 wins at 14 tracks in six countries.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Race No. 30 in Rebel’s Romance’s already acclaimed career could be historic.

A 7-year-old gelding, Rebel’s Romance has 20 wins at 14 tracks in six countries. On Saturday at Del Mar, he will attempt to become the first three-time winner of the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar. Rebel’s Romance won the 2022 BC Turf at Keeneland and the same race last year at Del Mar.

Thu, 10/30/2025 - 10:00

Foreigners won't go home empty-handed in Breeders' Cup, and could win Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
If Goliath can regain his form from last year’s King George, he will be a threat in the Turf.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Let’s set the over-under for international wins on this Breeders’ Cup Saturday at 2.5, and it’s not a huge stretch to imagine horses who shipped to Del Mar from distant lands winning five. That would encompass the four turf races and the Classic.

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Thu, 10/30/2025 - 08:52

Belmont at the Big A cancels Thursday card

Barbara D. Livingston
Racing at Belmont at the Big A will resume Friday, when the Tempted and Pumpkin Pie will be featured.

The eight-race Thursday program for Belmont at the Big A has been canceled due to a forecast that called for high winds and rain, the New York Racing Association announced Thursday morning. 

According to the National Weather Service, the winds were forecast between 16 and 22 miles per hour with gusts as high as 41 miles per hour. Also, between three-quarters to an inch of rain is forecast.

Wed, 10/29/2025 - 19:19

Handle falls at 2025 Santa Anita fall meet after decline in CAW wagering, lack of California Crown event

Barbara D. Livingston
Total handle was down 9.1 percent at this year's Santa Anita fall meet.

Handle on races run at Santa Anita declined 9.1 percent at the track’s autumn meeting that ended Sunday, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form.

Two factors contributed to the decline.

This year’s meeting had a different promotional format than the 2024 season. 

Wed, 10/29/2025 - 09:45

Sovereignty will scratch from Breeders’ Cup Classic due to fever

Barbara D. Livingston
Sovereignty will be scratched from the Breeders' Cup Classic after re-spiking a fever Tuesday afternoon.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Sovereignty, the dual-classic winner and morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar, will be scratched from that race after the 3-year-old developed another fever, trainer Bill Mott said Wednesday morning. 

“We’re going to scratch,” Mott said. “He developed a fever yesterday afternoon, his temp shot up again, we retreated him. That basically made our decision.” 

Tue, 10/28/2025 - 21:00

Breeders' Cup Friday: Europeans expected to add to recent dominance on turf

Debra A. Roma
Queen of Hawaii showed a quicker turn of foot in her last start, a win at The Curragh.

DEL MAR, Calif. – You might have forgotten a filly named Hard to Justify. After all, her last start came in May 2024. Why bring her up? Hard to Justify’s victory in the 2023 Juvenile Fillies Turf marks the only North American-based 2-year-old turf win at the last two Breeders’ Cups.

European horses landed the other five Friday turf races, and they almost certainly will win more this Friday.

Juvenile Turf

Tue, 10/28/2025 - 13:54

Smith has five chances to make Breeders' Cup history

Barbara D. Livingston
Mike Smith won his first Breeders’ Cup race with the mighty turf runner Lure in the 1992 Mile and has won a record 27 BC races.

September was a month of revival for 59-year-old jockey Mike Smith.

Smith won his first Grade 1 stakes of the year aboard Bottle of Rouge in the Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 6 and another Grade 1 aboard Nevada Beach in the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27. This weekend, those runners – as well as Kopion, who starts in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint; Tamara, a contender in the $1 million BC Filly and Mare Sprint; and Will Take It, an outsider in the $1 million BC Dirt Mile – can make Smith the oldest rider to ever win a Breeders’ Cup race.

Mon, 10/27/2025 - 22:03

Breeders’ Cup: Fierceness must deal with post 1 in deep Classic field

Barbara D. Livingston
Fierceness trains over the Del Mar main track on Monday morning. He is the 4-1 second choice for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

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.

Mon, 10/27/2025 - 20:31

Breeders’ Cup: Sovereignty draws post 6, made 6-5 favorite for Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Bill Mott leads Sovereignty through the Del Mar paddock on Sunday morning.

Sovereignty, winner of the Kentucky Derby and four other stakes this year, drew post 6 for Saturday’s $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar, his first start against older horses.

Sovereignty, trained by Bill Mott for Godolphin Racing, faces a tremendous field in the BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles, the richest race in North America. Linemaker David Aragona made Sovereignty a 6-5 favorite.

Sierra Leone, Fierceness, and Forever Young – the first three finishers in the 2024 BC Classic at Del Mar – drew posts 7, 1, and 5.

Mon, 10/27/2025 - 14:07

Breeders' Cup Clocker: Sovereignty has easy breeze under snug hold

Sovereignty works at DMR 10-27-2025
Barbara D. Livingston
Under exercise rider Neil Poznansky, Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Sovereignty put in his final work for the race, going a half-mile in 49.83.

Del Mar 
Monday, Oct. 27

Weather: Cloudy
Temp.: 60°
Track: Fast
Turf: Firm

DEL MAR, Calif. – Anyone who came out expecting to see Sovereignty lay down a bullet work in final preparation for the Classic may have been sorely disappointed, but his connections certainly were not after the number one attraction for this year’s Breeders’ Cup breezed an easy, maintenance-like half-mile shortly after dawn Monday at Del Mar.