Breeders' Cup Classic Watch: Fierceness vs. Sierra Leone

This is the third installment of a weekly feature exclusive to Horse Racing Nation that tracks the Breeders’ Cup Classic horses all the way through the $7 million race on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

In consecutive weeks, Journalism and Sovereignty made a statement that the 3-year-olds will be a force to be reckoned with in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. This week, the older horses get their turn in the spotlight, and we should have a good one Saturday. Champions Fierceness and Sierra Leone will renew acquaintances in the Grade 1, $1 million Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.

It’s not often we see two champions race against each other as many as five times these days, but that is exactly what we’ll be treated to in what has become New York’s best race for older horses.

Both 4-year-olds enter the win-and-you’re-in Whitney off decent runner-up finishes last time. Fierceness chased home Raging Torrent on a wet track in the Met Mile (G1), and Sierra Leone’s late run could not get to Mindframe in the Stephen Foster (G1).

Although neither has distinguished themselves yet as older horses, with only one win in four starts combined, both Fierceness and Sierra Leone remain positioned for a strong run at this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic. Last year, the pair ran 1-2 in the $7 million affair at Del Mar.

On Saturday, Fierceness holds the edge on paper for the nine-furlong distance of the Whitney and after defeated his rival in both prior meetings at Saratoga. But with plenty of speed signed on, Sierra Leone is likely to make his presence felt when the field hits the stretch.

Others of note in the Whitney are topped by White Abarrio, who won both this race and the Breeders’ Cup Classic two seasons ago. The 6-year-old son of Race Day began this year with a bang by romping in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) but needs to prove himself again against the best of his younger competition after a disappointing Met Mile.

Highland Falls won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) in his only previous start at Saratoga last year and returned recently with a nice win for trainer Brad Cox. Veteran Skippylongstocking won the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) in his most recent start. Like Fierceness and White Abarrio, both do well when involved early, and could earn a trip to the Classic this year with a big effort on Saturday.

Post Time is another dangerous horse in Saturday’s race at the Spa. The son of Frosted is a strong late runner who finished third in the Whitney last year but is much more likely to point for the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile than the Classic. He finished second in the Dirt Mile last year.

Recapping the highlights from last week must begin with the top sophomore in the land. Any concerns over Sovereignty following the Triple Crown and cutting back to nine furlongs seemed downright silly as the powerful son of Into Mischief once again was stellar down the stretch in Saturday’s Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga.

Baeza ran a very good race to be much the best of the rest and far ahead of a trio of graded-stakes winners, but he was simply no match for the big strides of Sovereignty. The runner-up continues to be one to consider for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and might look for something a little easier now as a prep.

As for Sovereignty, he looked as good as ever for trainer Bill Mott in what amounts to little more than a prep for next month’s Travers Stakes (G1).

The current favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic is on an impressive three-race winning streak and is starting to scare away his 3-year-old competition. He might have his easiest race yet in the mid-summer derby.

Although Sovereignty deservedly was the star of the weekend, he was not the only Breeders’ Cup Classic contender to win on Saturday. Nysos was a prohibitive favorite in the 1 1/16-mile San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar, and after waiting for running room on the rail, he got out and proved much the best over an overmatched field.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the 4-year-old son of Nyquist never had been longer than a mile before, so the nifty 2 3/4-length win over his stablemate Mirahmadi moved him one step closer. But it is still a long way from taking on the very best at 10 furlongs.

A start in the Pacific Classic (G1) on Aug. 30 would tell us plenty about his distance capabilities. It also could offer a showdown with Journalism.

After the Whitney, the next Breeders’ Cup Classic Challenge series race on the schedule will be the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Run on the grass at York Racecourse, it is unclear whether any serious candidates will emerge, but last year’s winner City of Troy did come over only to finish eighth in the Classic. Tepin’s son Delacroix is one of the early favorites for this year’s edition.

Track all the top contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Classic each week right here.

New to the list: None

Dropped from the list: Mixto and Sandman