Where to start Fierceness next weekend? Repole wants your help

Mike Repole wants your help. In an X post Thursday, he asked racing fans whether Fierceness should run in next Saturday's Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar or next Sunday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga.

He said he and trainer Todd Pletcher are considering both races, which are win-and-you're-ins for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

In the Pacific Classic, Fierceness's competition could include Bob Baffert's Nysos and perhaps Journalism, winner of the Preakness and Haskell (G2) in his last two starts. One factor in favor of the Pacific Classic is that he could get acclimated to Del Mar ahead of the Breeders' Cup. Last year, Fierceness finished second to Sierra Leone in the Classic, also at Del Mar.

His rivals in the Jockey Club Gold Cup would include multiple Grade 1-winning stablemate Mindframe and 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic and 2025 Pegasus World Cup (G1) winner White Abarrio. Fierceness won last year's Jim Dandy and Travers at Saratoga, but he's 0-for-2 there this year, finishing second in the Met Mile (G1) and fifth in the Whitney (G1).

Both races will be drawn Wednesday.