The 2025 horse racing season has been defined by the commanding presence of Sovereignty, a colt who has not only captured racing’s most coveted prizes but has done so with an air of undeniable authority. Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the son of Into Mischief embarked on a spectacular campaign, beginning with a powerful stretch run to win the Kentucky Derby. He then solidified his dominance over the three-year-old division with a three-length victory in the Belmont Stakes and a breathtaking 10-length romp in the prestigious Travers Stakes at Saratoga, a performance Mott described as making the colt look “pretty magnificent.”

With a career record of six wins from nine starts, including four consecutive Grade 1 triumphs, and earnings of over $5.8 million, Sovereignty has established himself as the top-ranked Thoroughbred and a leading candidate for Horse of the Year.

As the Breeders’ Cup Classic approaches, the betting world has officially anointed Sovereignty as the one to beat. As reported by Horse Racing Nation, according to the latest odds, Sovereignty leads the board as the heavy favorite, holding firm at 8-5. This positions him ahead of a deeply accomplished field of rivals.

The defending Classic champion, Sierra Leone, is listed at 4-1 as he attempts the difficult task of repeating, a feat only accomplished once in the race’s history by Tiznow (2000 and 2001 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion). Another major threat is the Pacific Classic winner Fierceness, who is secured at 6-1 and has already proven his affinity for the Del Mar racing surface, having finished second in last year’s Classic.

The international star Forever Young, who was third in the 2024 Classic, and the talented but unlucky Mindframe are both also in the mix at 6-1 and 14-1, respectively.

Also, Sovereignty’s year-long rival, Journalism, is also in the field with a surprising 12-1 odds. Rest horses in the field are Baeza (14-1), Antiquarian (25-1), Nevada Beach (25-1), and Contrary Thinking (40-1). The challenge for Sovereignty is as immense as the $7 million purse. He will be facing older horses, a test that often separates the good three-year-olds from the true legends.

Sovereignty will face pressure from one Japanese horse

So, the 2025 season in American horse racing has really been all about Sovereignty and Journalism, right? But when the Breeders’ Cup rolls around, we can expect to see some international horses joining the mix too. One of them is Forever Young, and they could really turn into something big. The Japanese star, who just barely missed out on victory by two noses and ended up finishing third in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, was back at the Ritto Training Center gearing up for his fall campaign.

Absolutely, his team is all set for the Del Mar challenge, and they’re feeling quite confident because last year the horse finished third in the same race. Shibuta, the assistant trainer for Forever Young, mentioned, “He seems to be in good shape. Looking at his silhouette, he doesn’t seem to be loose. I hope he’ll have more power with this fruitful autumn, but I think we’ll find out once we get him moving (in training). I’m looking forward to it.”

The horse isn’t just here to join in; he’s on a quest for redemption. He really demonstrated his passion for American racing with a fantastic performance at Churchill Downs and Del Mar last year. We’ll just have to wait and see if he can really challenge the American horses and maybe even take the spotlight for himself.