2022 Breeders Cup: Top Contenders and Qualifiers
The 39th running of the annual Breeders’ Cup World Championships is just around the corner. This year-end international championship is where the world’s greatest come together to crown champions. No wonder it’s dubbed the “Racing’s Super Bowl.”
To top it off, the Breeders’ Cup isn’t only known for its 14 Championship races but also for its purses and awards. They’re now exceeding $31 million, making the Breeders’ Cup the year’s premier thoroughbred horse race of this calendar year.
On November 4-5, the majestic athletes from all over the world will once again descend on the historic Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, for the Breeders’ Cup 2022. Here are some of this year’s top contenders based on Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic’s recent rankings and what made them shine against the others.
Flightline
Flightline, a four-year-old colt, dominated the recent $1 million TVG Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar, San Diego, last September 3. It was an absolutely dominant 19 ¾-length runaway win that’s quite similar to Secretariat’s 31-length Belmont Stakes victory around 50 years ago. This is one of the reasons why he maintained the overall lead in the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings for the 10th straight week.
Other reasons why Flightline is the early favorite of the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic are he’s the fastest horse in training on paper, has elite tactical speed and will be plenty rested before the said race. In addition, with his other-worldly Pacific Classic victory, Flightline improved to 5-for-5 and earned a “Win and You’re In” expenses-paid automatic berth in the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland Race Course this November 5.
Epicenter
Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Epicenter is multiple Graded stakes-winning 3-year-old Bay colt. He recently had his first Grade 1 victory at the $1.25-million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. As a result, he rose to the top five in the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings. His Travers’ Stakes win is also his likely ticket to win the 3-year-old Male Horse of the Year award at the 52nd annual Eclipse Awards next year on January 26.
Previously, Epicenter was the favorite in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. However, he was easily bested by Rich Strike and Early Voting this year. The good news is Epicenter will continue to be trained by Steve M. Asmussen, a two-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer and the leading trainer in North America by wins. Not only that, he’ll be ridden by Joel Rosario, a multiple-graded stakes-winning jockey.
Life Is Good
Life Is Good is a three-time Grade 1 winner. He won the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last November 2021, the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Dirt last January 2022, and the $1 million Whitney Stakes last August 2022.
He won the Grade II John A. Nerud Stakes Race at Belmont Park last July 2022 as well. He was undefeated in six career starts but suffered one of only two career losses in the Dubai World Cup (G1).
Trainer Todd A. Pletcher, a seven-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Trainer of the Year, is training Life Is Good for the $500,000 Woodward (G1) in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup. He and his team will see how this four-year-old Into Mischief colt will do at Woodward first before diving into what’s next. But they’re already considering Life Is Good to be either one of Breeders’ Cup Classic or Breeders Cup Mile Contenders.
Country Grammer
The Tonalist colt Country Grammer defeated favored Life Is Good in the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) at Meydan Racecourse last March 2022. After Medina Spirit’s failed post-race drug test, it was a highly emotional win for his trainer Bob Baffert. This has resulted in Medina Spirit’s disqualification as last year’s Kentucky Derby winner and the Hall of Fame trainer’s 90-days suspension with a $7,500 fine by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
After his Dubai World Cup score, the five-year-old Country Grammer took an extended break. However, he came back in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) last July 2022 at Del Mar Racetrack, where he placed second to Royal Ship. At the same venue, Country Grammer also finished a distant second after the unbeaten Flightline in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes last September 3.
Final Thoughts
The Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series is in full swing nowadays. These races will give the world’s top Thoroughbreds a starting spot at the 2022 Breeders’ Cup World Championships this November 4 and 5 at Keeneland.
Of course, it’s still the prep season, so the top contenders aren’t crystal clear yet. But one thing is for sure, Flightline, Epicenter, Life Is Good, and Country Grammer have been rocking the current leading rankings.
