City Of Troy dominated the discussion ahead of the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Having saddled Giant’s Causeway and Henrythenavigator to finish second in the great race, could this be the horse to take the Aidan O’Brien into the Winners’ Enclosure? As the winner of the Epsom Derby, the Coral-Eclipse, and the Juddmonte International, the mount of Ryan Moore had the form in the book, but could he do it on dirt? Sire Justify landed the Triple Crown on dirt, which provided cause for optimism, but the dam side of his pedigree was all turf.
The home team are invariably tough to crack in this contest, and Todd Pletcher’s Fierceness assumed favouritism on the day. A triple Grade 1 winner, he landed the Travers Stakes on his most recent outing and looked rock solid to go well from gate 9. Chad C Brown’s Sierra Leone was next best of the US runners and handed Coolmore a strong second string should City Of Troy disappoint. Beaten by a nose in the Kentucky Derby and never out of the frame in three starts since, he had the assistance of Flavien Prat, who partnered Flightline to a brilliant victory in 2022.
The most successful trainer in Breeders’ Cup Classic history, Bob Baffert, relied on the four-year-old Newgate. Arriving on the back of a strong finishing third in the California Crown Stakes, the son of Into Mischief was the mount of evergreen Italian Frankie Dettori.
Alongside the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Breeders’ Cup Classic features high on the wish list of Japanese trainers. Despite their success in other events at the meeting, the rising power of the racing world had yet to land this prize. Hoping to put that right in 2024 were 2023 runner-up Dermo Sotogake, 2023 Dubai World Cup champ Ushba Tesoro, and Kentucky Derby third, Forever Young.
Result
- 1st – Sierra Leone 69/10, Jockey: Flavien Prat, Trainer: Chad C Brown
- 2nd – Fierceness 14/5F, Jockey: John R Velazquez, Trainer: Todd Pletcher
- 3rd – Forever Young 41/10, Jockey: Ryusei Sakai, Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – £2,866,141.73
- 2nd – £937,007.87
- 3rd – £496,062.99
- 4th – £275,590.55
- 5th – £165,354.33
- 6th – £110,236.22
- 7th – £55,118.11
- 8th – £55,118.11
- 9th – £55,118.11
- 10th – £55,118.11
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- Tote Win – $15.80
- Tote Places – 1st – $3.60, 2nd – $3.20, 3rd – $3.60
- Exacta – $28.80
- Trifecta – $131.20
Recap
Any hope City Of Troy had of grabbing the rail and making the running ended immediately. Slow into stride as the stalls opened, the three-year-old found himself towards the rear and facing the unfamiliar kickback. Barely a half furlong into the race, the writing looked to be onto the wall for O’Brien’s latest hope.
Arthur’s Ride produced his usual quick break to overcome his wide draw and move upside market leader Fierceness towards the head of affairs, whilst Forever Young did well to obtain a clear passage from gate 1. However, fellow Japanese runner Dermo Sotogake set off like a bat out of hell to lead the field around the first bend. Newgate, Mixto, and Highland Falls added to a leading group of six, with a five-length gap back to Pyrenees, who led the pursuers. City Of Troy looked far from comfortable on the surface, alongside the patiently ridden Sierra Leone.
Midway up the backstretch, Dermo Sotogake continued to pour on the pace, with the clock confirming one of the fastest half-mile splits in Breeders’ Cup history. Fierceness and Forever Young were clinging onto his coattails, but, in going so quickly, the frontrunners were surely setting this up for a closer.
Moving around the turn for home, Dermo Sotogake unsurprisingly cracked. However, Fierceness was not about to lie down so easily. Pushed into the lead by John R Velazquez, the Travers Stakes champ moved a length clear, followed by the tough Forever Young and Newgate. At this point, Sierra Leone slip-streamed around the outside and appeared to be travelling much the better.
To his credit, Fierceness made a race of it, but those early exertions told as Sierra Leone ground it out to claim success by one and a half lengths. Forever Young kept at it well to regain third on the line. Disappointment for City Of Troy, who finished 13 lengths behind the winner in eighth.
It was a 19th win at this fixture for Chad C Brown but a first in the big one. It was a second Classic triumph for Flavien Prat, who had to work harder than when little more than a passenger aboard wonder-horse Flightline in 2022.
Runners
- 1. Forever Young – SP: 41/10, Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi, Jockey: Jim Ryusei Sakai
- 2. Highland Falls – SP: 179/10, Trainer: Brad H Cox, Jockey: Luis Saez
- 3. City Of Troy – SP: 39/10, Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Jockey: Ryan Moore
- 4. Mixto – SP: 69/1, Trainer: Doug O’Neill, Jockey: Kyle Frey
- 5. Senor Buscador – SP: 58/1, Trainer: Todd W Fincher, Jockey: Joel Rosario
- 6. Derma Sotogake – SP: 43/1, Trainer: Hidetaka Otonashi, Jockey: Christophe-Patrice Lemaire
- 7. Ushba Tesoro – SP: 144/10, Trainer: Noboru Takagi, Jockey: Yuga Kawada
- 8.Pyrenees – SP: 64/1, Trainer: Cherie DeVaux, Jockey: Brian Joseph
- 9. Fierceness – SP: 14/5F, Trainer: Todd Pletcher, Jockey: John R Velazquez
- 10. Tapit Trice – SP: 31/1, Trainer: Todd Pletcher, Jockey: Irad Oriz Jr
- 11. Sierra Leone – SP: 69/10, Trainer: Chad C Brown, Jockey: Flavien Prat
- 12. Arthur’s Ride – SP: 133/10, Trainer: William Mott, Jockey: Junior Alvarado
- 13. Newgate – SP: 154/10, Trainer: Bob Baffert, Jockey: Frankie Dettori
- 14. Next – SP: 122/10, Trainer: William D Cowans, Jockey: Luan Machado
Non-Runners
All Ran