‘ANDY,’ ZANDON JOIN TOP 10

Edited Breeders’ Cup Release ― Woodward Stakes (G2) winner Zandon and Awesome Again Stakes (G1) winner Slow Down Andy surged into the top 10 in the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, while Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Arcangelo maintains the overall lead following the 12^th week of voting. The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), which will be run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Jeff Drown’s 4-year-old Zandon, trained by Chad Brown, powered to a 4 1/2-length score in the 1 1/8-mile Woodward at Aqueduct on Sunday as the even-money favorite. Zandon improved his ranking from 11th place to sixth, registering 115 votes. The day before at Santa Anita, Reddam Racing’s Slow Down Andy was also impressive, scoring a gate-to-wire triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Awesome Again and earning an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Trained by Doug O’Neill, the 4-year-old earned 113 votes, rising from 13^th place to seventh this week with 111 votes.

The top five positions in the Rankings remained unchanged, with a trio of 3-year-olds holding the top three positions. Blue Rose Farm’s Arcangelo leads the poll for the sixth consecutive week with 279 votes, followed by Geaux Rocket Ride in second with 279 votes, and FanDuel Racing Classic Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) winner Arabian Knight in third with 259 votes.

C2 Racing Stable, LLC, and La Milagrosa Stable, LLC’s White Abarrio, who won Saratoga’s WhitneyStakes (G1), is fourth with 247 votes. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Forte ranks fifth with 123 votes. Following Zandon and Slow Down Andy is Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s 4-year-old Bright Future, winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), who is eighth with 107 votes.

Rounding out this week’s voting are two runners tied for ninth place with 105 votes each: FMQ Stable’s 3-year-old Saudi Crown, who won the Pennsylvania Derby (G1), and Godolphin’s 5-year-old Proxy, runner-up in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

The Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings are determined by a panel of leading Thoroughbred racing media, horseplayers, and members of the Breeders’ Cup Racing Directors/Secretaries Panel. Rankings will be announced each week through Oct. 10. A list of voting members can be found here.

In the Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, each voter rates horses on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 system in descending order.

Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings – Oct. 3, 2023*