Saudi Crown jumps into Breeders’ Cup Classic top 10
Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby winner Saudi Crown moved into the top 10 on Tuesday in the latest Breeders’ Cup Classic rankings in which Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo maintained the overall lead following the 11th week of voting.
Owned by FMQ Stables, Saudi Crown captured Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds by leading from gate to wire over a sloppy track, earning his third win in five starts. Trained by Brad Cox, the gray son of Always Dreaming rose from 17th place to eighth with 111 points.
Arcangelo, owned by Blue Rose Farm, led the poll for the fifth consecutive week with 333 points, registering 25 first-place votes. Fellow 3-year-olds Geaux Rocket Ride, with 276, and Pacific Classic (G1) winner Arabian Knight, who earned 265, were second and third.
White Abarrio, who won the Whitney (G1) at Saratoga, was fourth with 247 points. Forte, who was second in the Belmont and won the Jim Dandy (G2), ranked fifth with 152. The 5-year-old Proxy, runner-up in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), maintained sixth place with 131. The 4-year-old Bright Future, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup, was seventh with 126.
Following eighth-place Saudi Crown was Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Ushba Tesoro in ninth with 69. Mage, winner was 10th with 59.
Zandon, who was 10th last week, dropped out of the top 10.
| Breeders’ Cup Classic | Pts. | 1st pl. | Last wk. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Arcangelo | 333 | 25 | 1st |
| 2. Geaux Rocket Ride | 276 | 1 | 2nd |
| 3. Arabian Knight | 265 | 3 | 3rd |
| 4. White Abarrio | 247 | 4 | 4th |
| 5. Forte | 152 | 0 | 5th |
| 6. Proxy | 131 | 0 | 6th |
| 7. Bright Future | 126 | 0 | 7th |
| 8. Saudi Crown | 111 | 0 | 17th |
| 9. Ushba Tesoro | 69 | 2 | 9th |
| 10. Mage | 59 | 0 | 8th |
The Breeders’ Cup Classic rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers and members of the Breeders’ Cup racing directors and secretaries panel. Rankings will be announced for two more weeks.
In the Breeders’ Cup Classic rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.