Sovereignty and Mystik Dan, the last two Kentucky Derby winners, have both been scratched from their scheduled Breeders’ Cup races this weekend. The absence of these top horses has shifted the competitive landscape, as both were expected to be major contenders for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic and the $1 million Dirt Mile.
Sovereignty, this year’s Run of the Roses and Belmont Stakes winner, was officially scratched on Wednesday after catching a fever. He had been the early 6-5 favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which will be held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in California. The decision to withdraw Sovereignty was made to ensure his health and recovery, as the fever could have impacted his performance in the high-stakes race.
Mystik Dan, the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner, was withdrawn from the Dirt Mile earlier this weekend due to a flexion in his left ankle. This injury, while not severe, required the horse to be rested before the race, which is expected to be one of the most competitive events of the year. Mystik Dan, who narrowly missed out on winning the 2024 Belmont Stakes, will now focus on other races and potential recoveries in the coming months.
The absence of these two top horses has raised questions about the competitiveness of the Breeders’ Cup, which is one of the most significant events in the horse racing calendar. Other notable contenders include Journalism, the 2025 second-place Derby finisher, who won the Preakness Stakes and finished second at the Belmont, and Mindframe, who was last year’s Belmont and Haskell Stakes runner-up. These horses will now face fewer challenges in the upcoming races, as the competition for the $7 million Classic and $1 million Dirt Mile is expected to be more manageable.
Additionally, Sierra Leone, last year’s Classic winner, is set to run again in the Dirt Mile, aiming to become the first horse to win the Classic in back-to-back years since Tiznow in 2000 and 2001. Sierra Leone, who finished third in the 2024 Belmont Stakes, has also won the Whitney Stakes this past August in Saratoga, adding to his reputation as a top contender for the Breeders’ Cup.
With the absence of Sovereignty and Mystik Dan, the racing community is now focused on the remaining contenders for the $7 million Classic and the $1 million Dirt Mile. The post time for the Classic is 6:25 p.m. ET, and the Dirt Mile is scheduled to start an hour and 20 minutes after that. The event is highly anticipated, with fans and analysts eager to see which horses will emerge as the top contenders in the absence of these two major names.