pkgbase 15.0-RC2 won't upgrade to pkgbase 15.0-STABLE - says its a downgrade

I prefer to run -STABLE on my laptop, and was waiting for an update on 
https://pkg.freebsd.org/FreeBSD:15:amd64/base_latest, before I upgrade 
from RC2. [per UPDATING 20251115]

Summary:
freeburg:# pkg upgrade -fr FreeBSD-base-stable FreeBSD-kernel-generic
Updating FreeBSD-base-stable repository catalogue...
FreeBSD-base-stable repository is up to date.
FreeBSD-base-stable is up to date.
The following 1 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

Installed packages to be DOWNGRADED:
         FreeBSD-kernel-generic: 15.0.rc2.20251118061818 -> 
15.snap20251121142734 [FreeBSD-base-stable]

Number of packages to be downgraded: 1

45 MiB to be downloaded.

Proceed with this action? [y/N]: n
freeburg:#

Why is that a downgrade?
This is kernel ABI version 1500068 to 1500501


Long Story:
freeburg:$ sysctl kern.osreldate
kern.osreldate: 1500068
freeburg:$ strings /boot/kernel/kernel |grep -A1 'OSS ABI'
FreeBSD native OSS ABI
1500068
freeburg:$
freeburg:$ pkg info -x kernel
FreeBSD-kernel-generic-15.0.rc2.20251118061818
FreeBSD-kernel-man-15.0.rc2.20251118061818

freeburg:$ pkg -vv | egrep ' url|enabled|  FreeBSD-'
   FreeBSD-ports: {
     url             : 
"pkg+https://pkg.FreeBSD.org/FreeBSD:15:amd64/latest",
     enabled         : yes,
   FreeBSD-ports-kmods: {
     url             : 
"pkg+https://pkg.FreeBSD.org/FreeBSD:15:amd64/kmods_latest_0",
     enabled         : yes,
   FreeBSD-base: {
     url             : 
"pkg+https://pkgbase.FreeBSD.org/FreeBSD:15:amd64/base_release_0",
     enabled         : no,
   FreeBSD-base-stable: {
     url             : 
"pkg+https://pkg.FreeBSD.org/FreeBSD:15:amd64/base_latest",
     enabled         : yes,


freeburg:# rm -rf /var/db/pkg/repos/FreeBSD-base-stable
freeburg:# pkg clean -ay
pkg: No package database installed.  Nothing to do!
freeburg:# rm /var/cache/pkg/*


freeburg:# pkg upgrade -r FreeBSD-base-stable FreeBSD-kernel-generic
Updating FreeBSD-base-stable repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: 100%    179 B   0.2kB/s    00:01
Fetching data.pkg: 100%   79 KiB  81.3kB/s    00:01
Processing entries:   0%
Newer FreeBSD version for package FreeBSD-zoneinfo:
To ignore this error set IGNORE_OSVERSION=yes
- package: 1500500
- running userland: 1500068
Ignore the mismatch and continue? [y/N]: y
Processing entries: 100%
FreeBSD-base-stable repository update completed. 499 packages processed.
FreeBSD-base-stable is up to date.
Checking integrity... done (0 conflicting)
Your packages are up to date.
freeburg:#

The zoneinfo error is weird, but not the issue at the moment...
freeburg:# pkg info -x zoneinfo
FreeBSD-zoneinfo-15.0.rc2.20251118061818
freeburg:#

freeburg:# pkg upgrade -fr FreeBSD-base-stable FreeBSD-kernel-generic
Updating FreeBSD-base-stable repository catalogue...
FreeBSD-base-stable repository is up to date.
FreeBSD-base-stable is up to date.
The following 1 package(s) will be affected (of 0 checked):

Installed packages to be DOWNGRADED:
         FreeBSD-kernel-generic: 15.0.rc2.20251118061818 -> 
15.snap20251121142734 [FreeBSD-base-stable]

Number of packages to be downgraded: 1

45 MiB to be downloaded.

Proceed with this action? [y/N]: n
freeburg:#


freeburg:# pkg fetch -r FreeBSD-base-stable FreeBSD-kernel-generic
Updating FreeBSD-base-stable repository catalogue...
Fetching meta.conf: 100%    179 B   0.2kB/s    00:01
Fetching data.pkg: 100%   79 KiB  81.3kB/s    00:01
Processing entries:   0%
Newer FreeBSD version for package FreeBSD-zoneinfo:
To ignore this error set IGNORE_OSVERSION=yes
- package: 1500500
- running userland: 1500068
Ignore the mismatch and continue? [y/N]: y
Processing entries: 100%
FreeBSD-base-stable repository update completed. 499 packages processed.
FreeBSD-base-stable is up to date.
The following packages will be fetched:

New packages to be FETCHED:
         FreeBSD-kernel-generic: 15.snap20251121142734 (45 MiB: 100.00% 
of the 45 MiB to download)

Number of packages to be fetched: 1

The process will require 45 MiB more space.
45 MiB to be downloaded.

Proceed with fetching packages? [y/N]: y
Fetching FreeBSD-kernel-generic-15.snap20251121142734.pkg: 100%   45 MiB 
   3.9MB/s    00:12
freeburg:#
freeburg:# /usr/bin/zstdcat 
/var/cache/pkg/FreeBSD-kernel-generic-15.snap20251121142734.pkg | 
strings | grep -A 1 'OSS ABI'
FreeBSD native OSS ABI
1500501
--
FreeBSD native OSS ABI
1500501
freeburg:#


So the new kernel is newer, but pkg says its a downgrade.
I know I can do '-f', but shouldn't need to for an upgrade.
Any ideas?