Taiba on Rise in Breeders' Cup Classic Rankings for Sept. 28

Racing
Connections of Taiba celebrate with the horse and jockey Mike Smith in the Parx Racing winner’s circle after the Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 24. (Eclipse Sportswire)

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. This week Taiba was the big mover as the talented 3-year-old rose from No. 10 in the previous poll all the way to No. 5 after winning the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby.


Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings for Sept. 28

Eclipse Sportswire

1. Flightline (34 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 Photo

2. Life Is Good 

Owners: China Horse Club and WinStar Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

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

Last race: 1stWhitney Stakes, Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Woodward Stakes, Oct. 1 at Belmont at the Big A


Viola Jasko/NYRA

3. 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


Joe Labozzetta/NYRA

4. 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


Joe Labozzetta/Equi-Photo

5. 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


Eclipse Sportswire

6. Country Grammer  

Owners: Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Zedan Racing Stables

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: John Velazquez

2022 record: 4 starts – 1 win – 3 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2nd, TVG Pacific Classic Stakes, Sept. 3 at Del Mar

Next race: Awesome Again Stakes on Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park


Eclipse Sportswire

7. Hot Rod Charlie

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

Trainer: Doug O’Neill

Jockey: Flavien Prat

2022 record: 4 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 3rd, Whitney Stakes, Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course

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


Eclipse Sportswire

8. Happy Saver

Owners: Alain and Gerard Wertheimer

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

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

Last race: 2nd, Whitney Stakes, Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course

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


Nikki Sherman/EQUI-PHOTO

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


Eclipse Sportswire

10. Americanrevolution

Owners: China Horse Club and WinStar Farm

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Joel Rosario

2022 record: 3 starts – 0 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2nd, Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: TBD

newsletter sign-up

Stay up-to-date with the best from America's Best Racing!

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram TikTok YouTube
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram TikTok YouTube