Each week a panel of media members, horseplayers, and Breeders’ Cup World Championships officials release a poll tabulating their votes on the nation's top contenders for the 2023 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic.  Forte, a 3-year-old, maintains the No. 1 ranking this week as many of the horses on this list await the running of the Travers Stakes Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course.

The rankings are determined by each voter ranking their top 10 horses with points assigned on a descending 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. The rankings will be updated each week through Oct. 10. The results of the latest poll are below.

Breeders’ Cup Classic Rankings for August 15

Forte. (Liz Lamont/Eclipse Sportswire)

1. Forte (19 first-place votes)

Owner: Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2023 record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 1 seconds– 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Jim Dandy Stakes, July 29 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: Travers Stakes, Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course

White Abarrio. (Liz Lamont/Eclipse Sportswire)

2. White Abarrio (1 first-place votes)

Owners: C Two Racing Stable amd Antono Pagnano

Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr.

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2023 record: 4 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 1st, Whitney Stakes, Aug. 5 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race:  Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park, or Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, Nov. 4 at Santa Anita Park

Geaux Rocket Ride. (EQUI-PHOTO)

3. Geaux Rocket Ride (3 first-place vote)

Owner: Pin Oak Stud

Trainer: Richard Mandella

Jockey: Mike Smith

2023 record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, TVG.com Haskell Stakes, July 22 at Monmouth Park

Next race: FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes, Sept. 2 at Del Mar

Mage. (Jessica Morgan/Eclipse Sportswire)

4. Mage (1 first-place vote)

Owners: OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing, CMNWLTH

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Jockey: Javier Castellano

2023 record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Last race: 2nd, TVG.com Haskell Stakes, July 22 at Monmouth Park

Next race: Travers Stakes, Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course

Arcangelo. (Evers/Eclipse Sportswire)

5. Arcangelo (1 first-place vote)

Owners: Blue Rose Farm

Trainer: Jena Antonucci

Jockey: Javier Castellano

2023 record: 4 starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, June 10 at Belmont Park

Next race: Travers Stakes, Aug. 26 at Saratoga Race Course

Defunded. (John Putman/Eclipse Sportswire)

6. Defunded (2 first-place votes)

Owners: Karl Watson, Michael Pegram, and Paul Weitman

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Jockey: Juan Hernandez

2023 record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Last race: 4th, San Diego Handicap, July 29 at Del Mar

Next race: FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes, Sept. 2 at Del Mar

Rattle N Roll. (Candice Chavez/Eclipse Sportswire)

7. Rattle N Roll (3 first-place votes)

Owner: Lucky Seven Stable

Trainer: Ken McPeek

Jockey: Brian Hernandez

2023 record: 5 starts – 3 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 2^nd, Stephen Foster Stakes, July 1 at Ellis Park

Next race: FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes, Sept. 2 at Del Mar, or Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Sept. 2 at Saratoga Race Course

Zandon. (Matt Wooley/Eclipse Sportswire)

8. Zandon

Owners: Jeff Drown

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

2023 record: 3 starts – 0 wins – 3 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2nd, Whitney Stakes, Aug. 5 at Saratoga Race Course

Next race: TBD

Art Collector. (Tim Sudduth/Eclipse Sportswire)

9. Art Collector

Owners: Bruce Lunsford

Trainer: Bill Mott

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

2023 record: 3 starts – 1 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Last race: 2^nd, Alysheba Stakes, May 5 at Churchill Downs

Next race: TBD

Proxy. (Jessica Morgan/Eclipse Sportswire)

10. Proxy

Owners: Godolphin

Trainer: Michael Stidham

Jockey: Joel Rosario

2023 record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 0 thirds

Last race: 1st, Monmouth Cup Stakes, July 22 at Monmouth Park

Next race:  Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Sept 2 at Saratoga Race Course