Connections of top Thoroughbreds from around the globe have declared their intention to compete in the Oct. 31-Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, with 207 pre-entries recorded this week for the international festival of racing. 

Pre-entry is the first of a two-step process for all owners intending to start a contender in one of the 14 Breeders’ Cup World Championships races. The entry stage takes place Monday, Oct. 27, when post positions will be drawn live on FanDuel TV beginning at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET. The draw will also be streamed on BreedersCup.com, the official Breeders’ Cup mobile app, and YouTube, Facebook, and X social channels. 

The World Championships will feature 14 Grade 1 races and more than $34 million in purses and awards, as the sport’s top horses, owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys converge on racing’s biggest stage. Headlining the list of 191 individual contenders targeting the two-day celebration are the top three from last year’s $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) – Sierra Leone, Fierceness, and Forever Young (JPN) – preparing to face off in a rematch for the ages, alongside leading 3-year-olds Sovereignty and Journalism. Antiquarian, Baeza, Contrary Thinking, Locked, Mindframe, and Nevada Beach complete a deep cast pre-entered for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. Sixteen horses that have won this race have gone on to earn Horse of the Year honors at the Eclipse Awards, reflecting the elite caliber of competition that defines the World Championships. 

Del Mar – “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” on the shores of the Pacific Ocean – will host the Breeders’ Cup for the fourth time, following a record-setting 2024 edition that achieved a new global wagering benchmark of $203.7 million. Horses from five continents – Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America – have been pre-entered, including 58 from abroad. Contenders hail from Argentina, Canada, Chile, England, Ireland, France, Japan, Peru, South Africa, the United States, and Uruguay.  

Underscoring the exceptional depth and quality across all divisions this year, eight Breeders’ Cup Champions will seek another victory: Citizen Bull, winner of the 2024 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1); Fierceness, winner of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and runner-up by 1 1/2 lengths in the 2024 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic; Full Serrano (ARG), winner of the 2024 Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1); Nobals, winner of the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1); Rebel’s Romance (IRE), winner of the 2022 and 2024 editions of the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1); Sierra Leone, winner of the 2024 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic; Straight No Chaser, winner of the 2024 Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1); and White Abarrio, winner of the 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.  

Additionally, 46 individual pre-entered horses qualified through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In – an international series of 93 stakes races in 15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the World Championships. 

“The incredible group of horses pre-entered for this year’s Breeders’ Cup reflects the unmatched quality and global prestige of the World Championships,” said Drew Fleming, President & CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “The divisions are loaded with champions, classic winners, and international stars. We are deeply grateful to the owners, breeders, trainers, jockeys, and teams, whose dedication and care make it possible for these extraordinary Thoroughbreds to put on an incredible show. Our thanks also go to Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for their partnership, to our nominators for their vital support, and to the passionate fans and bettors whose enthusiasm continues to drive our sport forward. We can’t wait to deliver another unforgettable edition of the World Championships at Del Mar.”