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Olympiad (Speightstown) wins the Stephen Fosters (G2) at Churchill Downs on 7.2.22. Junior Alvarado up, Bill Mott trainer, Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables and LNJ Foxwoods owners.
Following his convincing win in Saturday’s Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable, LLC, and LNJ Foxwoods’ Olympiad has risen from seventh place to third in the latest Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings, a weekly rating of the top 10 horses in contention for the $6 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 5.
Hronis Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Summer Wind Equine LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing, LLC’s undefeated 4-year-old Flightline remains at No. 1 in the rankings with 260 votes, which includes 21 first-place votes. CHC, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC’s 4-year-old Life Is Good, a 6-length winner in Saturday’s 7-furlong John A. Nerud Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park, improved from third to second place in the poll, with 201 votes.
Olympiad, a 4-year-old son of Speightstown, is now five for five this year. His 2 ¼-length victory over Americanrevolution in the Stephen Foster was his second consecutive score at Churchill Downs, having won the Alysheba Stakes (G2) on May 6. Olympiad earned 192 votes, including three first-place votes.
Country Grammer, owned by Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, LLC, WinStar Farm LLC, and Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., dropped one spot to fourth place. Winner of the Dubai World Cup (G1), the 5-year-old son of Tonalist registered 185 votes. Boat Racing, LLC, Gainesway Stable, Roadrunner Racing and William Strauss’ 4-year-old Hot Rod Charlie (127 votes), runner-up in the Dubai World Cup, dropped one spot to fifth place.
Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s 3-year-old Epicenter (83 votes), second in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Preakness Stakes (G1), jumped two spots from eighth place to sixth this week. Also moving up two spots is Klaravich Stables Inc.’s 3-year-old Early Voting, who won the Preakness Stakes. Early Voting is now in seventh place with 75 votes. Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant’s undefeated 3-year-old Jack Christopher, winner of both the Pat Day Mile (G2) at Churchill Downs and the Woody Stephens (G1) at Belmont Park this year, is now in eighth place with 70 votes.
Three new horses entered the top 10 this week, beginning with CRK Stable LLC’s 5-year-old Express Train. Winner of the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), Express Train comes into the rankings in ninth place with 43 votes. Tied for 10th place with 37 votes apiece are CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC’s 4-year-old Americanrevolution, and Jeff Drown’s 3-year-old Zandon, who captured the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, and finished third in the Kentucky Derby.
Godolphin’s Mandaloun, fourth in the Stephen Foster, and Donegal Racing and Repole Stable’s Mo Donegal, who has been taken out of training due bone bruising, have both dropped out of the top 10.
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. 11. 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 – July 5, 2022*
| Rank | Horse | Votes | First-Place Votes | Previous Week |
| 1 | Flightline | 260 | 21 | 1 |
| 2 | Life is Good | 201 | 2 | 3 |
| 3 | Olympiad | 192 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Country Grammer | 185 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Hot Rod Charlie | 127 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Epicenter | 83 | 0 | 8 |
| 7 | Early Voting | 75 | 0 | 9 |
| 8 | Jack Christopher | 70 | 0 | 9 |
| 9 | Express Train | 43 | 0 | 11 |
| 10 | Americanrevolution | 37 | 0 | Not rated |
| 10 | Zandon | 37 | 0 | 12 |
