On November 5, 2022, the Breeders’ Cup Classic was run on Keeneland Racetrack in Lexington, Kentucky. The field included horses Flightline, Epicenter, Rich Strike, Hot Rod Charlie, Taiba, Life is Good, Olympiad and Happy Saver. Various pundits had predicted that no one was going to beat Flightline, and that proved to be so, with the horse finishing 8 1/4 lengths in front of Olympiad. Jockey Sonny Leon rode Rich Strike to a strong fourth place finish behind winner Flightline, Olympiad and Taiba. The colt seems to have been slowed by a faltering Epicenter, who suffered a track career-ending injury during the race. Dawson and Reed announced after the race that Rich Strike would likely now be rested to prepare for 2023.
