Susumu Fujita’s Forever Young, the winner of the 2025 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), continues to lead the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings by a narrow four-point margin over the current Horse of the Year, Sovereignty, owned by Godolphin LLC. These rankings highlight the top 10 contenders for the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, scheduled for October 31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, as part of the 43rd Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Forever Young, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, has accumulated 380 points, including 25 first-place votes, maintaining its top spot for the second consecutive week following a victory in the Sept. 18 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. Just behind, Sovereignty—trained by Bill Mott—holds second place with 376 points and 12 first-place votes after winning the Aug. 8 Whitney Stakes (G1). Sovereignty also captured the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1).
The rankings for third through fifth positions have not changed since last week. Godolphin’s Knightsbridge, trained by Mott and winner of the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1), is third with 315 points. Fourth place goes to Magnitude, trained by Steve Asmussen, who won both the Dubai World Cup (G1) and Stephen Foster Stakes (G1), with 283 points. Golden Tempo, trained by Cherie DeVaux and another Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes victor, is fifth with 254 points.
The Puma, trained by Gustavo Delgado and victor of the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), moved up one spot to sixth with 139 points. Napoleon Solo, winner of the Preakness Stakes (G1) and runner-up in the Haskell Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) under trainer Chad Summers, sits seventh with 134 points. Forged Steel, a 4-year-old fresh to the rankings following a decisive win in the Goodwood Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park, is eighth with 105 points under trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Further down, Spendthrift Farm’s Further Ado, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and runner-up in the Pennsylvania Derby, holds ninth place with 84 points. Baeza, third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and trained by Bill Mott, completes the top ten with 66 points, marking Mott’s third entry in the top tier.
Several horses—Forever Young, Sovereignty, Magnitude, Knightsbridge, and Forged Steel—have secured automatic entries to the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” events. The rankings are compiled through votes by leading Thoroughbred racing journalists, handicappers, and Breeders’ Cup racing officials, with final standings due October 6. Voters assign points on a scale from 10 to 1, ranking their top ten horses.
The 2026 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic will be contested over 1 1/4 miles on Keeneland’s main track, is limited to 14 starters, and will be broadcast live on NBC.
This report originally appeared in the Paulick Report on September 29, 2026.
Fan Take:
This close race for the top rankings between Forever Young and Sovereignty adds an exciting storyline leading into the Breeders’ Cup Classic, highlighting the intense competition among elite horses. For racing enthusiasts, this sets the stage for a thrilling showdown that could captivate fans and boost interest in the sport’s marquee event.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
