Coolmore received their arms on the Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional, but it surely was Sierra Leone and never Metropolis Of Troy who landed the spoils, as Aidan O’Brien’s quest for a fairytale success in Del Mar led to disappointment.
Many of the pre-race build-up had centred on whether or not O’Brien’s all-conquering son of Triple Crown hero Justify might switch his distinctive turf type to filth and finish O’Brien’s quest for an elusive win within the $7m showpiece.
Nevertheless, Ryan Moore knew his destiny very early because the Derby winner was slowly away and nearly instantly had loads of work to do.
Whereas Metropolis Of Troy was floundering it appeared chief US hope Fierceness had the race at his mercy as he swung the flip for residence with Bob Baffert’s Newgate for firm, however Chad Brown’s Kentucky Derby runner-up was consuming up the filth with each stride and edged his strategy to an unassailable lead because the wire got here into vary.
Japanese contender Eternally Younger ran on for third, with the Frankie Dettori-ridden Newgate fourth.
O’Brien mentioned: “He was left at first the place he misplaced three lengths and we did not have him ready to interrupt rapidly sufficient. We thought we had, however we hadn’t. He was making up floor on the finish (ending eighth), however Ryan had no likelihood.
“He impressed us as a horse that might do nicely within the Traditional, 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.”
In addition to the Derby, Metropolis Of Troy gained the Eclipse and Juddmonte Worldwide this yr, including to his Dewhurst win as a juvenile.
He now heads for a stallion profession, 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.”
For Brown, it was a nineteenth win on the Breeders’ Cup, only one behind O’Brien, and a primary within the Traditional.
He mentioned: “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 second having seen what occurred within the Derby and the Travers this greater than makes up for all of it.”
He went on: “To lastly get this achieved (win the Traditional). We’ve not had many runners and have simply dabbled within the Traditional. You by no means know when you may be up right here once more as a result of that is the hardest race on the earth.
“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.”
