Division rankings: 5 takeaways from this year's Breeders' Cup

We all know the feeling. Every year right after the Breeders’ Cup, the hangover hits. For me, it sets in the moment the final race is run. I step away from racing for a few days, maybe even a week or two. By this point in the season, I’m usually spent and need time to recharge before diving back in.

In the coming weeks, I’ll dig into the Eclipse Award debates. At least seven divisions are up for discussion, some sure to be more contentious than others. But for now, let’s start simple with five of my takeaways from this year’s Breeders’ Cup.

Before we get to those, let’s take an updated look at what turned out to be this season’s true glamour division, the older dirt males.

Older dirt males

1. Forever Young. I think many racing fans don't truly appreciate how exceptional this horse is. Since bursting onto the international scene in February 2024 with his Grade 1 Saudi Derby win over Book’em Danno and Bentornato, he hasn’t raced in the same country in consecutive races. That is a remarkable stat. Hehas traveled the globe like no dirt horse before him and handled every challenge. His Breeders’ Cup Classic victory against the best the U.S. had to offer was nothing short of brilliant and likely secured him the Eclipse in this division. The best part? Unlike his U.S. counterparts, he won’t be off to the breeding shed and will return to race next season at age 5.

2. Sierra Leone. He might have turned in the best performance of his career in defeat, narrowly denied a repeat victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Still, he’ll go down as one of the most underappreciated runners in recent memory, ultra-consistent, never off the board in 14 starts and always delivering that dependable late kick. Now off to the breeding shed, he’ll be sorely missed on the racetrack. Will get support for the Eclipse in this division.

3. Fierceness. This guy will be missed too, no doubt about it. A Grade 1 winner in every season he raced, he went out swinging with one of his finest performances, finishing third in a Breeders’ Cup Classic for the ages. Alongside his old sparring partners Sierra Leone and Forever Young, he reminded everyone that last year’s so-called “weaker” crop turned out to be anything but.

4. Mindframe. His off-the-board finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic surprised no regular readers of this column. Still, he put together a respectable career, capturing two Grade 1 wins from nine starts. Ultimately, though, he was a one-paced sort, a solid runner, but a clear notch below the sport’s elite.

5. Nysos. He ground out a win in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile as the heavy favorite, though if we’re being honest, it wasn’t quite the statement performance many expected against that field. Still, talk of his possible return next year is welcome news for an older dirt male division that looks a bit thin heading into 2026.

Next five: Antiquarian, Mystik Dan, Highland Falls, White Abarrio, Phileas Fogg.

I think it’s fair to say most racing fans found the conclusion of the Breeders’ Cup Classic deeply satisfying. If ever a horse and his connections deserved a moment like that, it was Forever Young and his team. They were denied a Kentucky Derby victory in May 2024 under heartbreaking circumstances, but they handled it with grace and sportsmanship. They regrouped, brought their star back this season and immediately jumped into the deep end, facing Romantic Warrior in what will be remembered as the race of the year, the Saudi Cup.

Then, last weekend, in what might have been the second-best dirt race anywhere in the world this year, they triumphed again, this time over America’s finest, including old foes Sierra Leone and Fierceness. And the best part? While those rivals are off to the breeding shed, Forever Young will be back next season, ready to run at 5.

As Sovereignty, the top 3-year-old male, was sidelined by a fever when shipping to California after winning his last three starts just a few hundred yards from his own stall, Forever Young took the opposite path. He hasn’t raced in the same country twice in a row since bursting onto the global stage 21 months ago in the Saudi Derby, where he defeated Book’em Danno and Bentornato. Think about that, nine straight starts, never once in the same country twice in a row. We will save the Eclipse conversation for a future week, but you can see from above which way I am headed with this vote.

Speaking of Fierceness and Sierra Leone, their finishes in the Classic hit me hard too, and both will be deeply missed. Fierceness was a Grade 1 winner in each of his three seasons, coast to coast. Sure, he could be unpredictable, but that was part of his charm. He wasn’t a machine, he was a horse with personality. And he clearly adored California, where four of his best performances came.

As for Sierra Leone, he’ll go down as one of the most underappreciated horses I’ve seen in years. He never ran a bad race and could always be counted on to be right there when it mattered. In fact, his runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Classic might have been the best race of his career, given the circumstances.

We were lucky to have both of these stars around from age 2 through 4, a rarity in today’s game. And together with their Japanese rival, Forever Young, they reminded everyone that last year’s so-called “weaker” 3-year-old crop was anything but. Their sweep of the top three spots in the Classic erased any doubt.

To Sovereignty fans, I get it, really do. I wish he hadn’t scratched either. I would’ve gotten better odds on Forever Young and Sierra Leone. But no, I don’t think Sovereignty would’ve won, and honestly, I doubt he would’ve placed. His ceiling felt like fourth, maybe third if he managed to edge Fierceness, which was no gimme. What this race ultimately confirmed, though, is what some of us suspected all along, the older males were simply better than the 3-year-olds this year.

We’ll get into the 2-year-old filly Eclipse debate in the coming weeks, but honestly, can anyone in good faith vote for Super Corredora? No 2-year-old filly in Eclipse history has ever taken the title with just one stakes appearance. For now, I’m holding off on final judgment until the season wraps up, with Explora sitting atop my rankings. But handing out an Eclipse to a horse with only one stakes start just doesn’t sit right with me.

Lastly, the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Bentornato raced only twice this season, but he made those appearances count, winning both by open lengths and posting eye-popping figures. I’m a fan, no question. But for those arguing he deserves the Eclipse over Book’em Danno, I just don’t see it. The logic seems to be that Bentornato showed up for the Breeders’ Cup and Danno didn’t. Here’s the thing. Danno showed up for five other months of the season, carrying the division while Bentornato was absent.

Being great in this sport isn’t just about brilliance, it’s about consistency and showing up. Danno did the heavy lifting all summer and didn’t need a Breeders’ Cup start to cement his case. Book’em Danno will win the Eclipse, and he’ll deserve it.

Older dirt females

1. Thorpedo Anna. Not surprisingly to regular readers of these rankings, she finished off the board in the Spinster (G1). Simply put, she didn't move forward from last season and never was head and shoulders above the fillies ranked below her. Still, she deserves credit for gutting out wins, even if the competition was subpar. She ran all season and won races while others sat out for months or never ventured beyond their home state. In these rankings, the entire season matters. She will get my Eclipse vote.

2. Cavalieri. She missed the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, but Cavalieri's effort in the Zenyatta (G2) was impressive, especially given the disastrous break and a six-month layoff. She holds her spot here because if the season ended today, she’d still be on my ballot. 

3. Scylla. The Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine quietly put together a solid season, placing in four graded stakes prior to her Distaff win. Overall on her career she has missed the board only two times in 16 starts, running well sprinting and around two turns.

4. Dorth Vader. Didn't run poorly in the Distaff, finishing fifth, beaten less than three lengths for the place. Previous to the Distaff she just missed another Grade 1 in the Personal Ensign, beaten on the bob by Thorpedo Anna. Her only win this season came in June’s Ogden Phipps (G1) at Saratoga. 

5. Seismic Beauty. Ran a dismal race as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup Distaff as she was eased past the wire finishing second to last. Before the Distaff she scored a nice win in the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) going gate to wire.

Next five: Regaled, Gin Gin, Leslie’s Rose, Gun Song, Royal Spa.

3-year-old males

1. Sovereignty. He demolished an outclassed field in the Travers (G1), further padding a résumé that now ranks him among the most accomplished Kentucky Derby winners since American Pharoah. Even after skipping the Classic, his body of work will draw heavy horse of the year support. And if I were betting on it, I’d say the Travers was his curtain call, with his next stop the breeding shed.

2. Journalism. He ran a career best in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, finishing fourth and less than four lengths off the winner. Before that, he was runner-up to Fierceness in the Pacific Classic (G1). It’s been a strong campaign for this 3-year-old, and it appears he will return next year at age 4 with the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) his first major goal.

3. Baeza. As expected, he went off an underlay in the Breeders’ Cup, made a move around the far turn but couldn’t stay with the top-tier runners once the real running began. These waters were simply deeper than he’s used to. Still, he proved clearly the third best in this division, and the encouraging news is that a return next season is in the cards.

4. Nevada Beach. Outclassed in the Classic against a stellar field, he finished right where most expected, seventh. Still, he can hang his hat on being the first of his crop to topple older males in a Grade 1 route, capturing the Goodwood (G1) impressively over last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner, Full Serrano, among others.

5. Magnitude. He rebounded from a disappointing Travers with a sharp, come-from-behind performance to finish second to Baeza in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). What impressed me most was how he did it, closing from several lengths back with real determination.

Next 5: Gosger, Burnham Square, Citizen Bull, Goal Oriented, Rated By Merit.

3-year-old fillies

1. Nitrogen. She ran better than expected, finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, a performance likely good enough to lock up the Eclipse in what was an otherwise uninspiring division this year. Prior to that, she turned in a solid runner-up effort in the Spinster behind Gin Gin.

2. Clicquot. Her fourth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff wasn't bad as she made a late-season push to probably be second best in this division. She was a surprise winner of the Cotillion (G1) before the Breeders' Cup and had strung together four straight wins, including the Indiana Oaks (G3).

3. Good Cheer. Clearly not the same filly who won the Kentucky Oaks (G1), she was off the board in the Cotillion, beaten by more than six lengths. Her races earlier this year matter, so she stays in the top five here.

4. La Cara. Tied for the most top-level scores in this division, the problem is she has been off the board in three other Grade 1 races, including her last two.

5. Laurelin. Ran OK in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1), where she was runner-up. The Saratoga Oaks (G2) winner’s stock did take a hit with her first career loss.

Next five: Scottish Lassie, Quietside, Margie’s Intention, Ragtime, Lush Lips.

Turf males

1. Rebel’s Romance. I’m keeping this guy on top, even after his runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, a performance that was downright remarkable given the circumstances. Big horses such as him aren't supposed to be able to thread through traffic on a tight course like that, yet he did, bursting between rivals in the stretch and finishing with authority. He gets the edge over Notable Speech thanks to a stronger overall résumé and a far tougher campaign with four graded-stakes wins, including two Grade 1s, and placings in two more top-level events. The very definition of a globetrotting superstar.

2. Notable Speech. He was sensational in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, notching back-to-back top-level wins in North America. But let’s not forget, just two months ago, he was winless in four starts on the year and off the board in three of them. When it comes to Eclipse voting, the full body of work matters, not just the the last two months.

3. Formidable Man. Ran a career-best race in the Breeders' Cup Mile when runner-up, silencing critics who felt he was outclassed by this field and had been beating up on weak competition in California. For the season he has won three graded stakes, including the Kilroe Mile (G1) early in the season. 

4. El Cordobes. He ran a solid race to finish third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, just two lengths off the winner. The Sword Dancer (G1) champ showed up again, much like he did in his prior start when finishing third behind Rebel’s Romance in the Joe Hirsch (G1).

5. Deterministic. He has strung together three straight graded-stakes victories, including back-to-back Grade 1s. Most recently, he dominated the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga after capturing the shortened, 1 1/8-mile Manhattan (G1) the day after the Belmont Stakes. Now 3-for-4 this year, he clearly is trending the right way. He hasn’t worked since his last win on Aug. 2.

Next five: Far Bridge, Redistricting, Fort Washington, Integration, Gold Phoenix.

Turf females

1. She Feels Pretty. She again showed up big and ran a game race in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf over a distance I felt was a little out of her scope. Still, she finished runner-up and did more than enough this season to win the Eclipse. She won three of her five starts and was runner-up in the other two. 

2. Special Wan. She delivered a dominant victory in the Goldikova (G3) on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, cementing her place among the best in this division for 2025. Earlier, she captured the Ladies Turf (G3) at Kentucky Downs in just her third start of the season. It’s been a strong campaign overall, third behind Dynamic Pricing in the Just a Game (G1) and victorious in the Honey Fox (G3). 

3. Excellent Truth. After three near-misses, she finally scored her first Grade 1 in the Diana. Though retired after a training injury, she holds her top five for now and stays on my Eclipse ballot.

4. Bellezza. She finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, beaten only five lengths. Earlier in the year, she captured both the Flower Bowl (G2) and the Sheepshead Bay (G3), and in between, she held her own against top company, placing in the New York (G1) behind She Feels Pretty and again in the Glens Falls (G2).

5. Dynamic Pricing. She was off the board in the First Lady (G1) at Keeneland, but her résumé still holds up for a top-five ranking. She ran third in the Diana, well behind the division’s top two. This summer she broke through with her first Grade 1 in the Just a Game and then backed it up with a win in the Perfect Sting at Saratoga.

Next five: Simply in Front, Diamond Rain, Laurelin, Lush Lips, Segesta.

Male sprinters

1. Book’em Danno. His Forego (G1) win further solidified his stranglehold on the sprint division marking three straight big wins. Even without a Breeders’ Cup Sprint appearance, Eclipse voters will find him hard to ignore. He gets my vote.

2. Bentornato. He absolutely dominated the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in just his second start of the year. But for those arguing he deserves the Eclipse simply because Danno skipped the Breeders’ Cup, I’d ask, where was Bentornato during the other five different months Danno was out there actually running? Bentornato will be on my ballot, but only as second best.

3. Patch Adams. After failing to stretch out, this 3-year-old found his wheelhouse in sprints, rattling off back-to-back Grade 1s against fellow 3-year-old males capped by the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) at Saratoga. Retired because of injury, he stays here as he would be on my Eclipse ballot if the season ended today.

4. Imagination. Backed up his last out win with a runner-up effort in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. The Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) winner ran just three times in 2025.

5. Dr. Venkman. This gelding showed up once again, just missing the runner-up spot by a nose in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. Before that, he captured the Pat O’Brien (G2) and hit the board in three other graded stakes earlier in the season.

Next five: Lovesick Blues, Straight No Chaser, Nakatomi, Mullikin, Barnes.

Female sprinters

1. Kopion. She holds onto the top spot despite her off-the-board finish against the boys. Over the course of the season, she was the most consistent and accomplished female sprinter, delivering the standout performance of the division in May in the Derby City Distaff (G1). She’ll have my Eclipse vote, no question.

2. Sweet Azteca. Scored her second win this season last out in the Rancho Bernardo (G3). This was after her remarkable comeback win in the Great Lady M, where she defeated Kopion. That came nine months after her last race, a stunning off-the-board finish at 1-9 odds in the four-horse Chillingworth (G3) at Santa Anita. Was scratched out of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

3. Splendora. Defeated a watered-down seven-horse Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint field. This was her first graded-stakes win of the season, and she placed in two other graded races.

4. Hope Road. Disappointed with her third-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, where she was beaten by six lengths. Before that she was in New York dominating the Ballerina at Saratoga, earning her first Grade 1 victory. The win also flattered Kopion, whom she had been chasing earlier in the year. 

5. Ways and Means. Absolutely dominated the Bed o’ Roses (G2), drawing off by more than seven lengths and staking her claim as likely the top female sprinter on the East Coast. Before that she was a solid third in the Derby City Distaff (G1) behind top-ranked Kopion. She was put on the shelf for the remainder of the season, and her return next year is in question.

Next five: Positano Sunset, Vahva, Richi, Ragtime, Tamara.

2-year-old males

1. Ted Noffey. He capped off a flawless 4-for-4 season with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), giving him three Grade 1 wins on the year. Although I don’t see him as a major threat for next year’s Triple Crown given the added distances, there’s no denying he was an above-average 2-year-old by modern standards.

2. Brant. The hype horse in the division heading into the Breeders' Cup, he ran well to finish a game third. Obviously the farther he runs the less effective he will be, but as a 2-year-old this season he surely was one of the best.

3. Mr. A. P.. This maiden winner made quite a splash in his first stakes race as he nearly won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, dropping a one-length decision when runner-up. 

4. Desert Gate. A bit disappointing in the American Pharoah (G1) when finishing second, beaten by less than a length. Before that the Best Pal (G3) winner ran a strong race in the Del Mar Futurity (G1), closing late on Brant to finish a length behind.

5. Blackout Time. Ran well at Keeneland in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) to be runner-up to Ted Noffey. I get the feeling he might be better than most we have seen thus far despite no stakes wins. Scratched from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Next 5: Napoleon Solo, Intrepido, Ewing, It’s Our Time, Litmus Test.

2-year-old fillies

1. Explora. I am going to place this gal on top of this division for now, mainly because I am not sure I can vote for a horse in Super Corredora who only ran in one stakes race so far this season as the best in this division. Explora dominated the Oak Leaf (G2) before the Breeders' Cup and finished second in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) in other stakes appearance.

2. Super Corredora. Should we really hand an Eclipse to a horse with only one stakes appearance all season? It’s never happened in the Eclipse-award era. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner will need to make another start before she earns my vote.

3. Percy’s Bar. Third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, this gal's arrow is pointing up. Before the Breeders' Cup she was clearly the best horse in the Alcibiades (G1), crossing the wire first before being disqualified for interference in the stretch. That effort followed a runner-up finish in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga. 

4. Taken by the Wind. The Pocahontas (G2) winner is 2-for-2 to kick off her career.

5. Tommy Jo. This gal struggled in the Breeders' Cup finishing fifth, but she does have two grade 1 wins on her resume, albeit one by DQ.

Next 5: Bottle of Rouge, Rileytole, Ground Support, Lennilu, Meaning.