Sovereignty, Journalism, Sierra Leone headline loaded $7M Breeders' Cup Classic pre-entries

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DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Sovereignty, Preakness winner Journalism, and defending champion Sierra Leone head a loaded field pre-entered Wednesday for the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

The Classic field was among the 207 horses, including 58 from overseas, pre-entered for the over $34 million, 14-race world championships on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the seaside track north of San Diego that is hosting for the fourth time.

The 11-horse field includes Fierceness and Forever Young, last year's second- and third-place finishers. Others pre-entered Wednesday were Antiquarian, Baeza, Contrary Thinking, Locked, Mindframe and Nevada Beach, trained by Bob Baffert, who has won the Classic four times.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has four entries, and trainer Chad Brown has two.

The Classic has produced 16 Horse of the Year honorees.

Nine horses were pre-entered for the $2 million Juvenile, whose winner is tabbed as the winter favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby. Baffert has three entries — Brant, Desert Gate and Litmus Test — while Pletcher has Ted Noffey.

Eight previous winners return: 2024 Juvenile champion Citizen Bull, 2024 Dirt Mile champion Full Serrano, 2023 Turf Sprint winner Nobals, 2022 and 2024 Turf winner Rebel's Romance, 2024 Sprint winner Straight No Chaser and 2023 Classic winner White Abarrio.

Final entries and the post-position draw are Monday.

The world championships will open with five races for 2-year-olds in what’s billed as Future Stars Friday on Oct. 31, followed by nine races on Nov. 1.

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AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing