Each week a panel of media members, horseplayers, and Breeders’ Cup World Championships officials release a poll tabulating their votes ranking the top contenders for the 2024 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. The results are a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention and 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.

Week nine of the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic rankings is led by DraftKings Travers Stakes winner Fierceness, who has topped the rankings poll since Week five. The only change in the rankings was Sierra Leone moving up to fourth and switching spots with Dornoch.

Note: the poll was released before the results of the Nippon TV Hai on Sept. 25 at at Funabashi Race Track, which included Japanese Classic hopefuls Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake.

The rankings will be updated each week. The results of the latest poll are below.

Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings for Sept. 24, 2024

1. Fierceness (16 first-place votes)

Owner: Repole Stable

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

2024 record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 1^st, DraftKings Travers Stakes, Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

2. City of Troy  (9 first-place votes)

Owners: Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith

Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Jockey: Ryan Moore

2024 record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1^st, Juddmonte International Stakes, Aug. 21 at York Racecourse

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

3. Forever Young (2 first-place votes)

Owner: Susumo Fujita

Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi

Jockey: Ryusei Sakai

2024 record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 3^rd, Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve, May 4 at Churchill Downs

Next race: Japan Dirt Classic (Derby), Oct. 2 at Ohi Tokyo Racecourse

4. Sierra Leone

Owners: Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brooke Smith

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Flavien Prat 

2024 record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 2 thirds

Last race: 3rd, DraftKings Travers Stakes, Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

5. Dornoch (1 first-place vote)

Owners: West Paces Racing, R. A. Hill Stable, Belmar Racing And Breeding, Two Eight Racing, and Pine Racing Stables

Trainer: Danny Gargan

Jockey: Luis Saez

2024 record: 6 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 4th, DraftKings Travers Stakes, Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

6. Highland Falls

Owner: Godolphin

Trainer: Brad Cox

Jockey: Flavien Prat

2024 record: 6 starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1^st, Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

7. Ushba Tesoro (1 first-place vote)

Owners: Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co. Ltd.

Trainer: Noboru Takagi

Jockey: Yuga Kawada

2024 record: 3 starts – 0 wins – 3 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2^nd, Nippon TV Hai, Sept. 25 at at Funabashi Race Track

Next race: TBD, possibly Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

8. Arthur's Ride 

Owner: Glassman Racing

Trainer: Bill Mott

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

2024 record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race:  5^th, Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Sept. 1 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

9. Derma Sotogake (1 first-place vote)

Owner: Hiroyuki Asanuma

Trainer: Hidetaka Otonashi

Jockey: Christophe Lemaire

2024 record: 3 starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 5th, Nippon TV Hai, Sept. 25 at at Funabashi Race Track

Next race: Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 2 at Del Mar

10. Senor Buscador 

Owner: Peacock Family Racing Stable

Trainer: Todd Fincher

Jockey: Joe Talamo

2024 record: 4 starts – 1 win – 1 second – 1 third

Last race: 4^th, Pat O’ Brien Stakes, Aug. 24 at at Del Mar

Next race: California Crown Stakes, Sept. 28 at at Santa Anita

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