By Steve Sherack
DEL MAR, Calif. — Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the imposing 6-5 morning line favorite for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, has spiked a fever and “there's a possibility that he won't make the race on Saturday,” according to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
“He had a slightly elevated temperature and that remained through the night,” Mott said to a group of media assembled on the Del Mar backstretch during training hours Tuesday morning. “This morning at 5 a.m. and when we got here at 5:30 a.m., he still had a slight fever… Since 6 a.m., we gave him some medication to help with the fever. His temperature is down to normal right now. He's eating everything, he looks fine.”
The Godolphin homebred and GI Kentucky Derby, GI Belmont Stakes and GI Travers S. winner breezed four furlongs in :49.80 (5/5) at Del Mar Monday. He walked the shedrow this morning. Sovereignty's temperature got as high as 103, Mott said.
“If we don't feel like he's 100 percent, he's not gonna run,” Mott said. “If his temperature becomes elevated again, it's over. If he respikes any sort of fever, I think we're committed to saying that we're just gonna bypass everything.”
“If his temperature becomes elevated again, it's over.”
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: @BreedersCup Classic favorite SOVEREIGNTY spiked a fever. Bill Mott with details here. pic.twitter.com/wmxXDn8q8F
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 28, 2025
About an hour before the news that rocked the backstretch broke, there was no shortage of star power on display following the break on a sunsplashed morning.
'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) stole the show, moving beautifully with those massive strides of his as he prepares to defend his title in the $7-million centerpiece. Classic rivals Baeza (McKinzie) and Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) were also out strutting their stuff during this timeframe as well.
Sierra Leone | Sherackatthetrack
While the Classic has dominated headlines ahead of this weekend's 42nd Championships–and rightfully so–how about a little love for this year's Dirt Mile?
The uber-talented 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' and Dirt Mile 8-5 morning-line favorite Nysos (Nyquist) looked phenomenal upon entering the track. He galloped in close proximity with one of his main opponents Saturday, last year's GI Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan (Goldencents).
The stacked field of 10 also includes the Dirt Mile defending winner Full Serrano (Arg) (Full Mast); last year's champion 2-year-old Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) and 2023 Classic hero White Abarrio (Race Day).
Other heavyweights spotted in action as training hours began to wind down include: two-time Turf winner Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}); Distaff horse-to-beat Seismic Beauty (Uncle Mo); and the very popular chestnut filly She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}), one of the headliners for the F/M Turf.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
