With Sovereignty still reigning as the season’s undefeated champion, the top challengers still have a shot at dethroning the king in October. While Sovereignty took two Triple Crown races, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, and his biggest rival and Preakness champ Journalism is preparing for one last grand face-off at the Breeders’ Cup. Yet, at a time when the horse racing world is gearing up for the epic clash, a veteran horse’s story played out.

At 8 years old, Impossible Task is in the twilight of his racing career. Yet, the veteran racer refuses to carve his path to retirement quietly. Instead, the thoroughbred lit up the track on what was supposed to be just another day of racing at Del Mar on August 21. Farfellow Farms, which gave Impossible Task his forever home, saw their horse leave the competition in the dust, literally.

“Take care of the horse, the horse will take care of you…” wrote Santa Anita Park, California-based trainer Leonard Powell. While far younger horses retire every year, Powell highlights how even an 8-year-old can repay their owners with a $28,000 purse when they have faith in the horse. “Farfellow Farms reached out to claim their homebred Impossible Task to give him a home forever and rewarded them with an 8l victory,” he added.

And yes, you read that right, an eight-length victory. “Impossible Task coming by the eighth pole with a five-length lead. And Impossible Task will be impossible to catch from here,” said the announcer during the race. Impossible Task extended that lead to eight lengths when he crossed the line under jockey Jack Herrera. “Congrats, Kip and Jack. Thanks for caring,” added Powell.

The 8-year-old horse clocked a 1:36.89 to win the race, with American Empire taking second ahead of Sea Dop. What’s even more impressive is that the Del Mar allowance was the sixth start for the thoroughbred this season, and his best result so far. Although Impossible Task’s story may remain a highlight for the 2025 racing season at Del Mar, the main event should be the crown jewel.

Del Mar will host horse racing’s World Championships

This year, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, one of the most prestigious races in horse racing, is coming to ‘Where the turf meets the surf,’ Del Mar. “Our return to Del Mar in back-to-back years marks the continuation of a wonderful collaboration and successful partnership, both with our friends at the track and with the greater San Diego area,” said Drew Fleming.

Fleming, the president and CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited, explained that he looks forward to assembling the “world’s best Thoroughbreds” for the end-of-the-year race. Needless to say, nearly all the horse racing season’s top performers are eyeing one last chance at glory in October. FanDuel put out its list of favorites earlier this month, with the usual suspects.

Unsurprisingly, the Kentucky Derby Champion Sovereignty topped the list. However, FanDuel didn’t put its biggest challenger, Journalism, in the second spot. Instead, Michael McCarthy’s horse, which recently won the $1 million Haskell Stakes, was fourth on the list. Besides Fierceness and Sierra Leone, the real curveball was the 2025 San Diego Handicap winner, Nysos.

Bob Baffert, who’s been looking to make his mark since the Kentucky Derby, plans to go all out at the upcoming Breeders’ Cup. So it’s safe to say that after Impossible Task, a lot of other exciting stories will unfold at Del Mar this year.