A top-class international field of 14 will line up for the 41st running of the $7 million Longines Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Classic as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships return to Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for a third time this weekend.
City Of Troy strides out smartly in his Del Mar workout (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
The 2000m Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday is topped by morning-line favourite City of Troy (5-2), campaigned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith and trained by Aidan O’Brien, with Repole Stable’s Fierceness (3-1) the second choice on the morning line.
Susumu Fujita’s Forever Young (JPN) (6-1) is the third choice in his first U.S. appearance since a narrow loss in the Kentucky Derby (Gr1).
The four-time Group 1 winner City of Troy will be making his dirt track debut. The son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify will be ridden by Ryan Moore from post 3.
“We always talk very highly of him,” said O’Brien, who has a stellar record of 18 previous wins in the World Championships but is chasing his first win in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic after 17 prior attempts.
“Obviously, he was by Justify, so there was always a big chance that he would (run well) on the dirt. He has a very brave heart… He has a very high cruising speed, tactically, very quick… He was a horse we always dreamed about that maybe could be very competitive in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher – saddles Fierceness (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Fierceness enters the Classic off a victory in the Travers Stakes (Gr1), his third Grade 1 victory, with the first coming in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year at Santa Anita Park – a win that solidified championship honors as the top 2-year-old of 2023. John Velazquez has the mount from post 9 aboard the son of 2018 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (Gr1) winner City of Light.
Third choice on the morning line at 6-1 is Forever Young, a winner of six of seven starts trained by Yoshito Yahagi. Ryusei Sakai has the mount Saturday from post 1.
Completing the field in post-position order are: Highland Falls (post 2, 20-1), Mixto (post 4, 30-1), Senor Buscador (post 5, 30-1), Derma Sotogake (JPN) (post 6, 20-1), Ushba Tesoro (JPN) (post 7, 12-1), Pyrenees (post 8, 30-1), Tapit Trice (post 10, 30-1), Sierra Leone (post 11, 12-1), Arthur’s Ride (post 12, 15-1), Newgate (post 13, 20-1), and Next (post 14, 8-1). Rattle N Roll is listed as an also eligible (30-1).
