Breeders’ Cup Roundup: Big Saturday awaits at Saratoga

The 2025 Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar is 73 days away. Catch up on the latest news and developments with our weekly Breeders’ Cup Roundup:

She Feels Pretty bounces back in E. P. Taylor

She Feels Pretty earned an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) with a hard-fought triumph in Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile E. P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine.

Exiting a head defeat in the Diana (G1) at Saratoga, She Feels Pretty came out on the right side of a similar photo finish in the E. P. Taylor. After tracking slow splits of :25.08, :49.56, and 1:14.11 in third place, She Feels Pretty seized command, then dug deep to repel European raider Diamond Rain by a head in 2:00.80.

She Feels Pretty is now 3-for-4 this year, having won the New York (G1) and Modesty (G3) during the spring. Her exploits at the Grade 1 level have stamped her as an early favorite for the Breeders’ Cup.

Sovereignty faces four in Travers

Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1) winner Sovereignty aims to reaffirm his leadership of the three-year-old division with a victory in Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile Travers (G1) at Saratoga.

The Godolphin homebred will face only four rivals in the Travers, with impressive Risen Star (G2) and Iowa Derby winner Magnitude looming as his fiercest foe.

Should Sovereignty prevail as expected, he’ll have three Grade 1 wins over 1 1/4 miles on his record this year, cementing his credentials as a formidable contender for the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) this fall.

Travers undercard includes three Breeders’ Cup qualifiers

The Travers card at Saratoga includes four other Grade 1 races, three of which award “Win and You’re In” berths to the Breeders’ Cup.

A strong renewal of the Personal Ensign (G1) leads the undercard. The 1 1/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) qualifier has attracted 2024 Horse of the Year and reigning Distaff winner Thorpedo Anna, as well as Grade 1 winners Randomized, Raging Sea, Dorth Vader, and Leslie’s Rose.

A Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) berth is up for grabs in the seven-furlong Forego (G1). Reigning Forego winner Mullikin, who ran third in the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), is back to defend his title. But to do so, he must turn the tables on 2024 Woody Stephens (G1) winner Book’em Danno, who has defeated Mullikin in both the True North (G3) and Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G2) at Saratoga this year.

The seven-furlong Ballerina (G1), a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), has drawn a nine-horse field packed with seven graded stakes winners. Scylla, runner-up in the 2024 Ballerina, is the slight favorite while seeking to go one better this year. Other key contenders include Derby City Distaff (G1) runner-up Hope Road and last year’s Dogwood (G3) heroine My Mane Squeeze.

York, Goodwood host five qualifiers

No fewer than five Breeders’ Cup qualifiers are taking place at two racecourses in England this week.

York is hosting four of the qualifiers:

• Wednesday’s 1 5/16-mile Juddmonte International (G1) awards a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Delacroix and Ombudsman, who were separated by a neck when running 1-2 in the Eclipse (G1) last month, are the expected favorites. Japan’s Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) winner Danon Decile adds further depth to the compact field.
• Thursday’s 1 1/2-mile Yorkshire Oaks (G1) looks ripe for conquest by three-year-old Minnie Hauk, winner of the Epsom Oaks (G1) and Irish Oaks (G1) in succession. A victory at York would secure the Aidan O’Brien trainee a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
• Friday’s five-furlong Nunthorpe (G1), a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1), figures to draw a large and competitive field. Early betting has established flashy two-year-old Lady Iman, winner of the Molecomb (G3), as a slight favorite. She isn’t old enough to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, but the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) could be an alternative target if she takes the Nunthorpe.
• Eight horses will vie for a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) berth in Wednesday’s seven-furlong Acomb (G3). Debut winner Distant Storm and Superlative (G2) runner-up Italy are shaping up as the favorites.

Meanwhile, Goodwood is hosting Sunday’s Prestige Fillies’ (G3), a seven-furlong qualifier to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). The field is still very much in flux, but the early entries include Aidan O’Brien’s Airlie Stud (G2) winner Beautify.

Pat O’Brien awards Dirt Mile berth

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile candidates will square off over seven furlongs in Del Mar’s Pat O’Brien (G2).

Entries won’t be announced until Wednesday, but the list of nominees is impressive and includes 2024 champion two-year-old male Citizen Bull, plus Grade 1 winners like Express Train, Gaming, and Stronghold.

Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series Qualifiers

The following horses have secured Win and You’re In berths to the 2025 Breeders’ Cup via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series:

Breeders’ Cup Classic

Costa Nova
Forever Young
Journalism
Hit Show
Mindframe
Sierra Leone

Breeders’ Cup Turf

Calandagan
Danon Decile
El Cordobes
Intense for Me
Meisho Tabaru
Ombudsman
Sinsel

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Dorth Vader
Sarawak Rim
Seismic Beauty
Thorpedo Anna

Breeders’ Cup Mile

Deterministic
Docklands
Gran Oriente
Jantar Mantar
One Stripe
Qirat
Soul Rush

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

Dark Saffron
Lovesick Blues
Straight No Chaser

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Raging Torrent 
Touch of Destiny

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Ascoli Piceno
Double Grand Slam
La Kika
She Feels Pretty
Whirl

Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Ag Bullet
American Affair

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint

Charles Darwin
Lady Iman