Coolmore got their hands on the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, but it was Sierra Leone and not City Of Troy who landed the spoils, as Aidan O’Brien’s quest for a fairytale success in Del Mar ended in disappointment.
Most of the pre-race build-up had centred on whether O’Brien’s all-conquering son of Triple Crown hero Justify could transfer his exceptional turf form to dirt and end O’Brien’s quest for an elusive win in the $7m showpiece.
However, Ryan Moore knew his fate very early as the Derby winner was slowly away and almost immediately had plenty of work to do.
While City Of Troy was floundering it appeared chief US hope Fierceness had the race at his mercy as he swung the turn for home with Bob Baffert’s Newgate for company, but Chad Brown’s Kentucky Derby runner-up was eating up the dirt with every stride and edged his way to an unassailable lead as the wire came into range.
Japanese contender Forever Young ran on for third, with the Frankie Dettori-ridden Newgate fourth.
O’Brien said: “He was left at the start where he lost three lengths and we didn’t have him prepared to break quickly enough. We thought we had, but we hadn’t. He was making up ground at the end (finishing eighth), but Ryan had no chance.
“He inspired us as a horse that could do well in the Classic, and it was so sporting of the lads to run him in it.
“When you get back that far on a dirt surface you can’t do anything about it. I should have had him coming out quicker, it just left Ryan with no chance really. I need to step it up a bit, don’t I, have them a little bit better prepared. We’re learning all the time. Hopefully we’ll try harder next year.”
As well as the Derby, City Of Troy won the Eclipse and Juddmonte International this year, adding to his Dewhurst win as a juvenile.
He now heads for a stallion career, and O’Brien added: “The lads were never afraid to push the boundaries. It’s been a great privilege to train him. It was an incredible experience for us all and we will look forward to his babies now.”
Flavien Prat celebrates after riding Sierra Leone to victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic
For Brown, it was a 19th win at the Breeders’ Cup, just one behind O’Brien, and a first in the Classic.
He said: “To lose a Kentucky Derby by a nose – for him to come out and show so much and be on the go since January he’s a remarkable horse in soundness and mind. He’s a good horse who is cooperative. He makes your job easy.
“For him to have this moment having seen what happened in the Derby and the Travers this more than makes up for it all.”
He went on: “To finally get this done (win the Classic). We haven’t had many runners and have just dabbled in the Classic. You never know when you will be up here again because this is the toughest race in the world.
“Fierceness is a great horse, but our horse hasn’t ever thrown it in. Our horse is all consistency, for me it’s hard to see that he’s not the best three-year-old.”
