
A Day in the Life of a Kentucky Derby Horse
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 2021 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Knicks Go regained the top spot and Pennsylvania Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie moved up to third in week 14 of the Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, a poll of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
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 29 and the final poll results for the current week are below.
Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings for Sept. 29
1. Knicks Go (18 first-place votes)
Owner: Korea Racing Authority
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Joel Rosario
2021 stats: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Whitney Stakes, Aug. 7 at Saratoga Race Course
Next race: Lukas Classic Stakes, Oct. 2 at Churchill Downs
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
2. Essential Quality (9 first-place votes)
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez
2021 stats: 6 starts – 5 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Runhappy Travers Stakes, Aug. 28 at Saratoga Race Course
Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 6. at Del Mar
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
3. Hot Rod Charlie (1 first-place vote)
Owners: Boat Racing, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Flavien Prat
2021 stats: 6 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 2 thirds
Last race: 1st, Pennsylvania Derby, Sept. 25 at Parx Racing
Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 6. at Del Mar
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
4. Maxfield (4 first-place votes)
Owner: Godolphin
Trainer: Brendan Walsh
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
2021 stats: 5 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Last race: 2nd, Whitney Stakes, Aug. 7 at Saratoga Race Course
Next race: Woodward Stakes, Oct. 2 at Belmont Park
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
5. Max Player
Owners: George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
2021 stats: 4 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Sept. 4 at Saratoga Race Course
Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 6. at Del Mar
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
6. Tripoli
Owner: Hronis Racing
Trainer: John Sadler
Jockey: Tiago Pereira
2021 stats: 6 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Last race: 1st, TVG Pacific Classic, Aug. 21 at Del Mar
Next race: Awesome Again Stakes, Oct. 2 at Santa Anita Park
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
Owners: Zedan Racing Stables
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: John Velazquez
2021 stats: 7 starts – 3 wins – 3 seconds – 1 third
Last race: 1st, Shared Belief Stakes, Aug. 29 at Del Mar
Next race: Awesome Again Stakes, Oct. 2 at Santa Anita Park
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
8. Mishriff (2 first-place votes)
Owner: Prince A. A. Faisal
Trainers: John and Thady Gosden
Jockey: David Egan
2021 stats: 5 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 1 third
Last race: 1st, Juddmonte International Stakes, Aug. 18 at York Racecourse
Next race: QIPCO Champion Stakes, Oct. 16 at Ascot Racecourse
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
9. Letruska
Owner: St. George Stable
Trainer: Fausto Gutierrez
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
2021 stats: 6 starts – 5 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Personal Ensign Stakes, Aug. 28 at Saratoga Race Course
Next race: Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, Oct. 10 at Keeneland Race Course
Click to add to Equibase Virtual Stable.
10. Life Is Good
Owners: China Horse Club and WinStar Farm
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
2021 stats: 4 starts – 3 wins – 1 seconds – 0 thirds
Last race: 1st, Kelso Handicap, Sept. 25 at Belmont Park
Next race: Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Nov. 6 at Del Mar