Breeders’ Cup Classic Runners Guide 2024 Including City Of Troy and Fierceness

The Breeders’ Cup Classic runners are confirmed – with 14 horses heading to post this Saturday, for what is the most lucrative contest over the two-day meeting at Del Mar.

City Of Troy Grabbing All The Breeders’ Cup Classic Headlines

All the pre-race attention has been on the Aidan O’Brien-trained City Of Troy, who will be looking to give the Ballydoyle Irish handler his first success in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but heading into the meeting the yard have recorded 18 wins at these US horse racing championships.

City Of Troy, who has been handed gate 3, will also be hoping to become the first winner from that post position since 1998.

He’ll face a stern US challenge from this season’s Travers Stakes winner Fierceness, plus Japanese raider Forever Young.

While, ahead of the race, the best horse racing betting sites in the UK are also making City Of Troy favourite.

Breeders’ Cup Classic Runners For 2024 Del Mar Race

See below the final 14 Breeders’ Cup Classic runners ahead of the Del Mar race on Saturday that will carries a £2.8m purse.

We’ve also included the trainers, jockeys, post position (gate), age, weight and the recent form of each runner.

There is also a reserve – Rattle N Roll – should any of the final 14 Breeders’ Cup Classic runners should be scratched between now and the race on Saturday 1st November.

Plus, with a seven-hour UK-California time difference you can see all the GMT Breeders’ Cup race times here.

The great news is the Breeders’ Cup Classic will also be shown LIVE on ITV4 for UK horse racing fans.

Breeders’ Cup Classic Runners In Full

What Date Is The Breeders’ Cup Classic 2024?

📅Date: Saturday 2nd November 2024
🏇Racecourse: Del Mar, San Diego
📺 TV: Sky Sports Racing / ITV4 /NBC
⌚ Time: 9:41pm GMT (2:41pm local)
💰 Winnings: £2,866,142

Breeders’ Cup Runner-by-Runner Guide

1. Forever Young

Japanese raider that is looking to make history in becoming the first Far East winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Has a leading chance too after running third in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs back in May. Plus, has backed that up with a win in the Japan Dirt Classic at the start of October.

Likes the dirt and being the winner of six of his seven career starts has to be taken seriously.

2. Highland Falls

Curlin colt that represents the Brad Cox team who won the Classic in 2021 with Knicks Go, which was also the last time the race was staged at Del Mar. This 4 year-old Godolphin runner has won five of his nine starts and over $1m in prize money.

Was last seen landing the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga in September.

3. City Of Troy

Grabbing all the attention in the build-up to the race – both in Europe and in the US. Will be trying to give top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien his first Breeders’ Cup Classic win – having gone close in 2000 when his Giants Causeway was just touched off by Tiznow.

City Of Troy’s only blot came with a defeat in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, but has since bounced back to win the Epsom Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International – on that form he’s the one to beat.

Oh, there’s also a small matter of being sired by former US Triple Crown winner Justify – which is why many US racing fans will also be cheering him on. Favourite with the best betting sites in the UK.

4. Mixto

One of the more experienced in the field with 14 starts. Has won just two of these though – one of which was last time out when taking the Grade 1 Pacific Classic Stakes here at Del Mar.

In fact, he also won a Maiden Special Weight at the California track back in 2023, so will have that track edge and experience over most. Will be looking to give trainer Doug O’Neill a first Breeders’ Cup Classic.

5. Senor Buscador

Trainer by Todd Fincher – not to be confused with Pletcher. This 6 year-old is one of the oldest Breeders’ Cup runners this year but the bad news is since this race was first run in 1984 – EVERY winner has been aged 5 or younger.

Won the lucrative Saudi Cup earlier this year, but hasn’t won since and needs to bounce back from a poor show in the California Crown Stakes last time out (5th).

6. Derma Sotogake

Another raider from Japan and many US racing followers will remember him running second in the Classic to White Abarrio last season.

However, hasn’t carried that form into 2024 with three average runs. Including when only 6th in the Dubai World Cup back in March.

Connections are also reaching for the first-time blinkers in a bid to recapture some form.

7. Ushba Tesoro

Third and final of the Japanese Breeders’ Cup Classic runners in 2024. Is also the oldest horse in the race at 7 years-old but is still holding his form well.

The winner of 11 of his 35 career starts and was an excellent runner-up in the Dubai World Cup in March this year and also the Saudi Cup before that.

Has also won a whopping $16.4m in total prize money during his career but is another that would need to defy the age trend.

8. Pyrenees

Second last time to Highland Falls in the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes at Saratoga and before that took another silver in the Stephen Foster Stakes. Both are Grade One contests.

However, this is a big step up again here and despite his consistent profile he’d be a shock winner.

9. Fierceness

Many people’s idea of the biggest danger to City Of Troy. This top US Breeders’ Cup Classic runner is likely to have the most support from the home crowd and it’s easy to see why.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, who won this race in 2019 with Vino Rosso, and is the winner of five of his eight starts and over $2.6m in prize money.

Flopped in the Kentucky Derby back in May, when sent off as favourite. But has since bounced back with top wins in the Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes – both at Saratoga.

While he also saw off another entry here Sierra Leone in the Travers by a length, so many feel he can have that horse’s measure again. Veteran US rider John R Velazquez gets the leg-up as he looks for his second win in the race having won it in 2020 on Authentic.

10. Tapit Trice

Winner of 50% of his 12 career starts and has banked over $1.7m in the process. Is also another from the Todd Pletcher team and also ran in the Kentucky Derby this season (7th).

Has since built on that run with wins in the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup Stakes and also won the Woodward Stakes at Belmont At The Big A last time out. Has plenty of stamina if he’s still there in the home straight and also has last year’s winning rider on his back – Irad Ortiz Jr.

11. Sierra Leone

The Chad Brown camp are still to win the Classic but they have a live chance of putting that right here with this consistent 3 year-old. Who is sired by the 2017 winner of this race – Gun Runner.

Has raced eight times in his career and is yet to finish out of the first three (3 wins). Was also a nose second in the Kentucky Derby this season. But has since seen the back of Fierceness twice so will need to overturn that form.

12. Arthur’s Ride

Trained by Bill Mott, who won this race in 2011 with Drosselmeyer and in 1995 with the classy Cigar. Another sired by Tapit in the race and is the winner of 50% of his eight career starts. With the most recent the Grade One Whitney Stakes at Saratoga in August.

Has, however, since run 5th in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, so has form to make up with the winner of that race – Highland Falls.

13. Newgate

Will have plenty of backers – mainly due to being trained by Bob Baffert, who has won the Classic four times. Which is the most by any stable.

Plus, will also be ridden by a certain Frankie Dettori, who is now based in California and won the Classic for trainer John Gosden on Raven’s Pass back in 2008. This 4 year-old colt has won three of his 11 starts and is also a winner here at Del Mar.

Won a Grade 1 at Santa Anita back in March and heads here in fair form after a third in the California Crown Stakes – beaten by 1/4 of a length. Gate 13 would be the issue and from there will require some ‘Frankie Magic’.

14. Next

Another of the older runners in the race at 6, but that means experience too. Having raced 23 times and with 13 wins knows how to get his head in front. Will also draw the eye of punters having won his last six races.

Albeit at a slightly lower level than this. But is another drawn wide (14) so will have it all to do from there.

15. Rattle N Roll (Res)

Trained by this season’s Kentucky Derby winner Kenneth McPeek but is only the reserve. This means the horse will only get into the race if one of the other Breeders’ Cup Classic runners are scratched.

If he does make it will come here with a record of eight wins from 22 starts. With the last of those a third in the G3 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs in September.