Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings for Oct. 5

Racing
The field for the Woodward Stakes breaks from the gate at Aqueduct on Oct. 1, with eventual winner Life Is Good starting best of all from the inside post position at right. (Joe Labozzetta/NYRA)

Each week a panel of media members, horseplayers, and Breeders’ Cup World Championships officials release a poll tabulating their votes on the nation's top contenders for the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.

The rankings are determined by each voter ranking their top 10 horses with points assigned on a descending 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. The poll launched on June 28 and the final results for the latest poll are below. 


Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings for Oct. 5

Eclipse Sportswire

1. Flightline (29 first-place votes)

Owners: Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing

Trainer: John Sadler

Jockey: Flavien Prat

2022 record: 2 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, TVG Pacific Classic Stakes, Sept. 3 at Del Mar

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course


Susie Raisher/NYRA

2. Epicenter 

Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Joel Rosario

2022 record: 7 starts – 4 wins – 3 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Runhappy Travers Stakes, Aug. 27 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course


Susie Raisher/NYRA

3. Life Is Good 

Owners: China Horse Club and WinStar Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2022 record: 5 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1stWoodward Stakes, Oct. 1 at Belmont at the Big A

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course


Eclipse Sportswire

4. Taiba

Owner: Zedan Racing Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Mike Smith

2022 record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 1 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Pennsylvania Derby, Sept. 24 at Parx Racing

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course


Janet Garaguso/NYRA

5. Olympiad

Owners: Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable and LNJ Foxwoods

Trainer: Bill Mott

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

2022 record: 7 starts – 6 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course


Eclipse Sportswire

6. Hot Rod Charlie

Owners: Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss

Trainer: Doug O’Neill

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

2022 record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 1st, Lukas Classic Stakes, Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course


Eclipse Sportswire

7. Country Grammer  

Owners: Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Zedan Racing Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Juan Hernandez

2022 record: 5 starts – 1 win – 4 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2nd, Awesome Again Stakes on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: TBD


Coady Photography

8. Rich Strike

Owner: Red TR-Racing

Trainer: Eric Reed

Jockey: Sonny Leon

2022 record: 7 starts -1 win – 1 second – 2 thirds

Last race: 2nd, Lukas Classic Stakes, Oct. 1 at Churchill Downs

Next race: TBD, possibly the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course or the Clark Stakes Presented by Norton Healthcare, Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs


Eclipse Sportswire

9. Cyberknife

Owner: Gold Square

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Florent Geroux

2022 record: 8 starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Last race: 3rdPennsylvania Derby, Sept. 24 at Parx Racing

Next race: TBD, possibly the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic or Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Nov. 5 at Keeneland Race Course


BENOIT photo

10. Defunded

Owners: Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Edwin Maldonado

2022 record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Awesome Again Stakes on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park

Next race: TBD

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