City Of Troy to retire after Breeders’ Cup Classic
European champion two-year-old and Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) hero City Of Troy (Justify) will retire to Coolmore’s base in Ireland after the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Gr 1, 10f) at Del Mar in three weeks’ time.
The news was revealed by Coolmore on Saturday and ends any speculation he would stand alongside his sire Justify (Scat Daddy) at his owners’ Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
City Of Troy went unbeaten in his juvenile season, with three striking performances including a six-and-a-half-length rout in the Superlative Stakes (Gr 2, 7f) and another deeply impressive display in the Dewhurst (Gr 1, 7f).
He started odds-on for the 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) on his return in May, but while Triple Crown dreams were dashed on the Rowley Mile, he has since won the Derby, Coral-Eclipse (Gr 1, 1m 2f) and Juddmonte International (Gr 1, 1m 2.5f) to become the highest-rated performer on turf this year with an official mark of 127.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien said of the four-time Group 1 winner. “He’s definitely the best we’ve ever trained, no doubt about it.
“Everything he’s done from the start has suggested that. He’s the most amazing horse, with a fantastic temperament and an incredible stride. He just never seems to tire and is really only getting going at the end of his races, so Ryan [Moore] has often had a job to pull him up.
“We still don’t really know how much more there is under the bonnet. I think he’ll make an unbelievable stallion.”
Coolmore’s MV Magnier said: “As a yearling he was rated the nicest Justify we’ve bred and even before he won his maiden at the Curragh on Irish Derby weekend, Aidan was enthusing about him like no other before. It’s seriously exciting to watch him in his work and in his races. He also seems to have really caught the imagination of the racing public, which is great for the sport.
“The team in America were very keen for him to stand alongside his sire Justify at Ashford, but the home team have won the day and we’re delighted to be able to offer such a unique talent to our European clients. He’s the perfect blend of Justify and Galileo; a remarkable horse who seems to be getting better and better, as his last run at York was undoubtedly his best performance.”
A stud fee for City Of Troy will be announced at a later date.