A standout moment from last year’s racing calendar was the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic, where the leading trio of horses—Sierra Leone, Fierce, and Forever Young—all returned to race again in 2025. This time, Forever Young managed to outperform Sierra Leone and Fierce, adding extra excitement to the event. What made this even more compelling was that all three had competed in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, where Mystic Dan won, and Sierra Leone and Forever Young made strong showings. The presence of familiar champions adds depth and appeal to the races.
By the close of 2024, Sierra Leone and Fierce had established themselves well enough to launch promising stallion careers. Fierce had been crowned champion as a two-year-old, and in the following year, secured Group 1 victories in both the Florida Derby and Travers Stakes. Sierra Leone earned the Eclipse Award for outstanding three-year-old colt after winning Grade 1 titles in the Blue Grass and Breeders’ Cup Classic, coming close in the Kentucky Derby.
Their continued involvement in training beyond their three-year-old season has positively influenced the sport, a rarity in an era where horses are often raced primarily to become breeding stock rather than for the love of racing itself.
Forever Young, sticking to Japanese racing tradition, is likely to continue racing through age five before retiring to stud, as early retirement isn’t typical there. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi is preparing for the 2026 season with this in mind.
Looking ahead to 2026, Godolphin jockey Michael Banahan confirmed that Sovereignty will remain in training, returning to Bill Mott’s stable in Florida after the New Year. With the Dubai World Cup, founded by Godolphin owner Sheikh Mohammed, early in the season, it’s expected to be a prime target for Sovereignty. Although Sheikh Mohammed had a stud operation in Kentucky, keeping Sovereignty conditioning locally seems favored.
Sovereignty was favored to win the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Classic, boasting five wins in six starts that year, including victories in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Travers Stakes at the Grade 1 level. However, rising temperatures forced the horse’s withdrawal from the race.
Sovereignty, an Into Mischief stallion, may face familiar rivals next year. Journalism and Baeza, who finished second and third behind Sovereignty in both the Derby and Belmont, are targeting their four-year-old campaigns. All three boast Grade 1 wins and could have been retired to stud, but their continued racing is great news for the sport.
It has been some time since a horse has won consecutive Eclipse Awards as champion three-year-old and top older horse. Sierra Leone may garner some votes for 2025, though their record shows just one win in five races. Past examples include California Chrome, who won three-year-old honors in 2014 and the older horse award in 2016.
To find recent back-to-back Eclipse Award winners, one must go back to Carlin in 2007-2008. Before that were Tiznow (2000-2001), three-time champion Skip Away (1996-1998), and Thru O’ Gold (1983-1984). In the late 1970s, legends like Seattle Slew, Affirmed, and Spectacular Bid all earned consecutive Eclipse Awards as four-year-olds, with Spectacular Bid having a perfect nine-win season at that age.
The scarcity of repeat champions today is partly due to many top horses skipping their four-year-old campaigns. Of the last ten three-year-old champions, six did not race at age four, including recent stars like Arcangelo, Epicenter, Essential Quality, Authentic, and Triple Crown winners Justify and American Pharoah.
Horses are not machines, and there’s no certainty that Sovereignty, Journalism, and Baeza will line up together again. However, the hope is that they do, potentially thrilling fans repeatedly throughout the upcoming season.
That’s my take from the eighth pole.
Fan Take: This continued rivalry among top-tier horses keeps the sport vibrant and engaging for fans, offering thrilling storylines and unforgettable moments. Seeing champions remain on the track not only elevates competition but also strengthens the connection between horse racing’s past glories and its future excitement.
