Aidan O’Brien has his sights set on the Breeders’ Cup Classic again and this time he believes three-year-old Troy has the speed and heart to provide a tough championship for the Irish trainer. O’Brien rode 17 horses in the race and, despite two second-place finishes, never won the $7 million Classic. A son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, City of Troy will need to translate his success on European turf to the fast dirt track at Del Mar in Southern California. Only then can the title favorite (5-2) end its drought of an experienced coach.
“We always think very highly of him,” O’Brien told reporters in Troy. He has won his last three starts there. “Coming from Justify, I’ve always had a great opportunity to work with sand,” he said. “He has a very brave heart. Tactically, it has a very high cruising speed.”Troy City took his third pole, which could have been difficult had he not broken well under jockey Ryan Moore and suffered a blow to the face early in the 14-horse race. He is known for his explosive speed and a quick start will be essential to keep his Fierceness (3-1), a 3-year-old mare whose style suits her stall position. Cruelty, who won the Florida Derby by a record 13-1/2 lengths in March, won the Traverse Stakes in a thriller in August.
Japanese-bred Forever Young finished third with 6 wins and 1 loss, but derailed the Saudi Arabia-UAE derby champions. He may have been looking for revenge after finishing third in the Kentucky Derby in a last-minute loss to runner-up Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is in 5th place with 12 wins and 1 loss. The Breeders’ Cup consists of 14 races over two days and ends with the Classic on Saturday. It is the richest horse race in North America, and its results influence year-end awards, including Horse of the Year voting.
