Tom’s d’Etat Stamps Name on Breeders’ Cup Classic Pre-Entries List

Count the 7-year-old multiple graded stakes winner Tom’s d’Etat among the 11 names stamped on the pre-entries list for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Longines Classic (G1), the richest race of the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championships that will be held November 6 and 7 at Keeneland.

Tom’s d’Etat will need a much cleaner break here than what he had in the Whitney Stakes (G1), where he fell to his knees out of the gate but still recovered well enough to finish third in his most recent appearance. After suffering defeat for the first time in his past 5 starts, that blemish will likely keep the field’s elder statesman from vying for top-end favoritism. That will be of no concern to trainer Al Stall Jr., though; he saddled Blame to a 5/1 upset over Zenyatta in the 2010 edition and has very patiently handled Tom’s d’Etat throughout his 19-start career.

Swiss Skydiver, whose first preference is the Longines Distaff, could try becoming just the second female to win the Classic after Zenyatta beat the boys as a 4-year-old in 2009. The Kenny McPeek trainee has 5 graded stakes wins on her resume, each at a different track and with a different rider aboard, including in the Preakness Stakes (G1) last time out when she defeated a field of males.

Tiz the Law, whose Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up finish was his lone defeat in a 2020 season that saw him win 4 times, will try to give trainer Barclay Tagg his first Classic victory. Tagg previously saddled Funny Cide – the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion – to finish ninth in the Classic later that year and 10th in 2004.

Global Campaign seems to be entering the World Championships under the radar despite winning his last 2 starts, including the Woodward Handicap (G1) last time out. Though this would mark his first start in two months, he has a history of winning when given similar gaps between races. The Stanley Hough trainee is also pre-entered in the Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile, though the Classic is listed as his first preference.

Bob Baffert holds the record for most training wins (3) in this race and brings a tough trio of Grade 1 winners aiming to give him #4. Improbable leads the way after winning each of his past 3 starts, all at the Grade 1 level, including in the Awesome Again Stakes last time out over stablemate and runner-up Maximum Security. The 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic – most recently second to Swiss Skydiver in the Preakness – also made the list.

Other pre-entries for the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Longines Classic include By My Standards, Higher Power, Tacitus, and Title Ready.