Last weekend was highlighted by an incredible day of racing “where the turf meets the surf” at Del Mar along with one of the oldest races in North America at Saratoga. A total of nine graded stakes races across North America last week led to changes in multiple divisions, led by a group of unstoppable 5-year-old males in Knightsbridge, King of Gosford, and Sorrento Sky.

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Knightsbridge, a 5-year-old Godolphin homebred by Nyquist, was simply dominant in the $1 million Pacific Classic Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar for trainer Bill Mott. Knightsbridge battled with Full Serrano for the lead through a swift half-mile in :45.94 as the 11-10 favorite, took command by two lengths, and went on to a 6 ¼-length victory under Junior Alvarado, dismissing any doubts of his ability to go 1 ¼ miles. The Pacific Classic was Knightsbridge’s fourth graded stakes victory of the year, winning the four by a combined margin of 32 ½ lengths. With his Pacific Classic win, Knightsbridge punched his ticket to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic in October at Keeneland and moved into the top 10 overall and fourth among older males with $1,523,155 in 2026 earnings.

Saturday afternoon at Saratoga Race Course in the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes Presented by Keeneland Sales, My Gun’s Loaded upset heavily favored Counting Stars. A 3-year-old Gun Runner filly, My Gun’s Loaded switched to the Chad Brown barn as a 3-year-old and broke her maiden by 4 ¼ lengths off a nearly six-month layoff in June at Saratoga. In July, she won an allowance-optional claiming race at Saratoga in a one-turn mile and became a Grade 1 winner when stretching out to 1 ¼ miles under regular rider Manny Franco in the Alabama, which was first held in 1872. My Gun’s Loaded is 3-for-3 this year with $459,250 in 2026 purse earnings. She moved into 11^th among 3-year-old fillies and 65^th overall on the Equibase leaderboard.

Sorrento Sky wins Green Flash (Eclipse Sportswire)

Along with Knightsbridge, another 5-year-old punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup over the weekend with a graded stakes win at Del Mar. Sorrento Sky, a 5-year-old gelding trained by Phil D’Amato, earned his first win since February 2025 with a brilliant rally to win the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap Presented by Longines under Umberto Rispoli. Sorrento Sky earned a 108 Equibase Speed Figure for the win and earned an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

D’Amato and Rispoli teamed for another win later on Saturday’s card at Del Mar, taking the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Stakes with King of Gosford. The 5.20-1 fourth betting choice in the 11-horse field, King of Gosford split horses in a thrilling finish to win by a head over game runner-up Detain and race favorite El Potente. This was King of Gosford’s fourth start this year and second consecutive stakes win at Del Mar. The 5-year-old by Zoustar moved into the top 100 and is now 52^nd in the older male division with $282,000 in 2026 earnings. He became racing’s newest millionaire with $1,002,192 in lifetime earnings.

Jose Ortiz remains on top of the North American jockey standings, surpassing $27 million in earnings this year after taking eight trips to the winner’s circle last week and adding $909,825 in earnings to his 2026 resume. When including Dubai World Cup and Saudi Cup days, Ortiz is less than $5,000 away from eclipsing $35 million for the year. Flavien Prat led all jockeys last week by earnings with $1,112,987 from nine wins (20%) while riding 61% in the money. He  moved from third to second among jockeys by purse earnings.

There were no changes in the top five North American trainers last week as Brad Cox continues to hold a steady lead by more than $2 million over Mark Casse in second.

Last week’s top trainer by earnings — Chad Brown: 3 wins, $761,272

Last week’s top jockey by earnings — Flavien Prat: 9 wins, $1,112,987

North American leaders lists for horses, jockeys, trainers and owners are available on equibase.com and you can filter the data to view by a wide variety of categories including age, sex, surface and race type.