As valuable and important as the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) may be, it is unlikely to be the last thing to be won at the showdown on November 2nd at Del Mar.

On 25 August, one day after Wildness ‘ dramatic victory with a losing head over the brave mare Thorpedo Anna in another blockbuster edition of the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga RacetrackIn the battle for the title of three-year-old male champion, there was an uncertain leader who could be toppled depending on what happens later in America’s richest race.

By the yardstick of “What have you done for me lately?”, Repole Stable’s Fierceness leads the pack with his victory in the Mid-Summer Derby on Aug. 24 and the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) before that, ending his inconsistent win-one-lose-one streak.

But based on graduated bets, Fierceness and Dornoch are tied. Both have two Grade 1 and one Grade 2 wins this year. Fierceness has a win for trainer Todd Pletcher in the Florida Derby (G1), in addition to his results in the Travers and Jim Dandy, while Dornoch, trained by Danny Gargan, triumphed in a Triple Crown test, the Belmont Stakes (G1), along with the Haskell Stakes (G1), and also won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).

A win in the Classic would put any of them in the clear, but a strong second or third in the two-and-a-half-mile test against older rivals could put one of them in the crosshairs with Eclipse Award voters.

“Well, I’m biased, but I’d put him at the top of the class,” Pletcher said of Fierceness on Sunday morning. “I think the Classic will be the deciding factor. Voters have rather short memories when it comes to awards and place more emphasis on what happens in the fall than what happens in the spring. But nobody has a firm grip on the lead in this division yet and the Classic will carry a lot of weight. There’s probably a good argument that whichever of us does best will be the champion.”

Pletcher said Fierceness, owner Mike Repole’s home-bred son of City of Light came back well from the race. Pletcher said Fierceness will most likely stay at Saratoga until September and will have his last training in Keeneland before shipping to Del Mar the week of the Classic.

Gargan said Dornoch was flat after winning Belmont and Haskell. He came out of the race well, but Gargan said he would take the son of Good Magic up to the Classic.

“He ran a little sluggish. He battled two tough races. We’ll restart and come back for the Breeders’ Cup,” Gargan said. “He needs a little time. We’ll keep him up here. The weather’s getting cooler and hopefully we can get him back up there. He was fourth but didn’t run too bad. I’d love to finish fourth in the Travers and win the Belmont every year. We’re proud of him and what he’s accomplished and happy to be a part of it.”

Gargan stressed the importance of the Breeders’ Cup Classic in selecting the three-year-old champion.

“I think it’s up to us and Fierceness and whoever beats who in the Breeders’ Cup will get it,” Gargan said. “It’ll be fun to watch.”

Bred by Grandview Equine and a full brother to the 2023 Kentucky Derby winner magician Dornoch is owned by West Paces Racing, RA Hill Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Two Eight Racing and Pine Racing Stable.

Sierra Leone again placed in an important test for three-year-olds, finishing third in the Travers and finishing about two lengths behind Fierceness as the surprise favourite at 8-5 after being rated fourth choice on the morning line behind Dornoch, Fierceness and Thorpedo Anna.

Trainer Chad Brown said the $2.3 million son of Arms smugglers will likely train for the Classic, where he could potentially win the Eclipse Award at the final jump. A win in the Classic would give him two Grade 1 wins, the Classic and the Blue Grass Stakes (G1), and a Grade 2 win in the Risen Star Stakes (G2), matching the combined totals of Fierceness and Dornoch. In addition, Sierra Leone finished second in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Jim Dandy finished third in the Belmont and Travers. He has never finished worse than third, while Dornoch has been unplaced three times this year and Fierceness finished 15th in the Kentucky Derby.

“He has to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic to make a good case for him,” Brown said. “But Fierceness has come into form. He’s put up very fast numbers and is very good. He’s been very well managed.”

Brown said Sierra Leone ran a “solid” race in the Travers but was unable to catch Fierceness and Thorpedo Anna, who were more of a moderate pace than his late-running colt.

“He ran another solid race and unfortunately came up short,” said Brown. “The lack of pace didn’t help him and Saratoga may not be his favorite track. Fierceness was a deserved winner but I expected a lot more pace from our horse than (:48.10) but that’s the way it is when you have a finisher like him who can be dependent on the pace.”

Sierra Leone, bred by Debby Oxley, is owned by Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Rocket Ship Racing.

Trainer Ken McPeek reported that Thorpedo Anna came out of the Travers well and the daughter of Almost Anna was on course for the Cotillion Stakes (G1) on September 21 in Parx Race.

“She did great and we are very proud of her,” he said. “A few changes here and there and maybe she’ll still make it.”

While the battle for the three-year-old colt crown is still wide open, Thorpedo Anna has secured the title in three-year-old fillies, and the three-time Grade 1 winner would certainly be a popular choice for Horse of the Year if she closes the year with victories in the Cotillion and Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).

“That’s for others to decide, but she’s ready for anything,” McPeek said of the possibility of becoming Horse of the Year. “Let’s get through the next race first, but she’s been fantastic all season and yesterday was no exception.”

Bred by Judy Hicks, Thorpedo Anna was purchased for $40,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Sale and owned by Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Hicks and McPeek’s Magdalena Racing is listed at $1,000.

Jerkens winner Domestic Product could target BC Dirt Mile

Brown picked up a fifth Class 1 victory on Saturday when Klaravich Stable’s Domestic product angular Prince of Monaco by a neck in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) over seven furlongs.

The four-time Eclipse Award winner said he was considering the two-lap Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) for the home-bred son of Pranks which has flourished since being reduced to one round.

“The (Breeders’ Cup Sprint, G1) is too short for him,” Brown said of the six-furlong sprint. “If he can find a good pace, the mile could work for him. Maybe the pace is more important than the two turns.”

Brown finished Saturday’s race with 31 wins, and with seven days to go, he holds a commanding ten-race lead over Mike Maker and 11-race lead over Todd Pletcher heading into Sunday’s race.

For Brown it would be the fourth Spa title in a row and the seventh overall.