A battle of the “ages”—a global showdown of 3-year-old Thoroughbreds vs. older horses—takes place over 1 1/4 miles on the Del Mar most important monitor Nov. 2 within the Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1).
The three-year-old contingent is led by Fierceness , Sierra Leone , Endlessly Younger , and Metropolis of Troy —the highest-rated turf horse on the planet who’s trying to switch his type to dust—pitted towards more-seasoned older horses corresponding to Highland Falls , Arthur’s Trip , Subsequent , Ushba Tesora, and Senor Buscador . Along with the $7 million purse at stake, year-end championships may very well be determined by the end result of the Breeders’ Cup Traditional. Only a few Eclipse Award voters have already determined their decisions in contentious races for champion 3-year-old male, older dust male, and Horse of the Yr—essentially the most coveted award in North American Thoroughbred racing. The result of the Traditional, the richest and most prestigious race of the 14 Breeders’ Cup contests over the two-day occasion, often impacts these awards.
The three-year-olds are the anticipated favorites, with Metropolis of Troy, Fierceness, and Endlessly Younger the three shortest costs in abroad ante-post (future-book) wagering. Like others within the subject, they enter the Traditional with query marks.
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The Irish-based four-time group 1 winner Metropolis of Troy has raced completely on grass in compiling a 6-for-7 document in Europe and now makes an attempt dust racing for the primary time; reigning 2-year-old champion male Fierceness, sensible however inconsistent over a lot of his profession, now takes on his elders after successful the Travers Stakes (G1) towards 3-year-old competitors; and Japan’s Endlessly Younger continues to be in pursuit of a grade 1 victory after lacking by two noses in his solely such attempt in top-level firm when third within the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Uncertainties equally encompass the foremost older horses within the lineup. 4-year-old Highland Falls gained the Sept. 1 Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course in his final begin however was outrun in seemingly simpler spots earlier within the 12 months when second within the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in Arkansas and the Monmouth Cup Stakes (G2) in New Jersey; 4-year-old Arthur’s Trip shined within the Aug. 3 Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga earlier than weakening to fifth within the Jockey Membership Gold Cup; Subsequent is a standout dust marathoner however is an unknown at 1 1/4 miles towards top-flight firm; and veteran group 1 winners Ushba Tesoro, age 7, and Senor Buscador, age 6, have each misplaced three straight.
Fierceness, a homebred Metropolis of Gentle colt owned by Repole Steady and skilled by Corridor of Famer Todd Pletcher, has already loved Breeders’ Cup success, having gained the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) final fall at Santa Anita Park. That effort, approaching the heels of being outrun within the Champagne Stakes (G1) a race earlier, vaulted him to the highest of his class. Months later, he would earn an Eclipse Award.
After successful the Florida Derby (G1) within the spring, rebounding from a 3rd within the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, he got here into this 12 months’s Kentucky Derby as the favourite. However after breaking awkwardly and chasing the leaders at Churchill Downs, he retreated to complete fifteenth.
His Derby disappointment continued a pattern of him alternating high performances with lesser efforts. However he deviated from that sample in the end this summer season at Saratoga when he strung collectively two consecutive victories within the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) and Travers Stakes, defeating Sierra Leone and the elite 3-year-old filly and Horse of the Yr contender Thorpedo Anna , who’s favored in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).
Just like the Breeders’ Cup Traditional, the Travers was at 1 1/4 miles, a distance that examined Fierceness’ stamina. In entrance by two lengths in midstretch, he outlasted Thorpedo Anna for a head victory. Although his last time was fast—timed in 2:01.79 for the space, Equibase international positioning system clocked his last furlong in a sluggish :13.27.
Nonetheless, late-running Sierra Leone, who additionally races within the Traditional, couldn’t put a lot of a dent into his lead, settling for third, overwhelmed 1 3/4 lengths by the highest duo. He trailed by 3 1/2 lengths a furlong from the end.
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Corridor of Fame jockey John Velazquez, who gained the 2020 Traditional aboard Genuine for coach Bob Baffert, returns within the irons aboard Fierceness, who beaks from put up 9 and is the 3-1 second favourite.
Pletcher, who took the 2019 Traditional with the Irad Ortiz Jr.-ridden Vino Rosso for Repole Steady and St. Elias Stables, selected to deliver Fierceness into the Traditional after a layoff of a 10-week break, feeling that Fierceness fares finest with somewhat extra time between races. The three-year-old had 12 weeks off between the Derby and successful the Jim Dandy Stakes.
“I feel bodily, he is performed very well,” Pletcher stated earlier this month. “He is gotten greater, stronger, and placed on weight. You may see him maturing right into a fall 3-year-old. I am more than happy together with his general situation.”
Aidan O’Brien, who trains Metropolis of Troy for Coolmore-affiliated possession, is making an attempt to win his first Breeders’ Cup Traditional, a uncommon prize to have eluded the legendary Irish coach, whose steady is crammed mainly with turf horses, typical for a European-based coach.
Metropolis of Troy after successful the Juddmonte Worldwide Stakes at York
An 18-time Breeders’ Cup winner, O’Brien is 0-for-17 within the Traditional, although he has come near victory. Big’s Causeway was second, overwhelmed a neck by Tiznow within the 2000 race; Henrythenavigator was additionally runner-up in 2008; and Declaration of Struggle ran third, overwhelmed a nostril and a head, within the 2013 Traditional. The 2000 and 2013 have been run on dust, and the 2008 race on an artificial floor.
As a son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify , Metropolis of Troy has a pedigree to take to dust, although unfamiliar racing situations concerned with dust racing, corresponding to kickback, put him liable to regression. O’Brien thought-about a visit to run within the Travers Stakes however opted to maintain him on turf in Europe over the summer season and pursue the Traditional. A race-like exercise Sept. 20 on the artificial Tapeta floor at Southwell Racecourse was designed to organize him for dust racing.
We gave him “as a lot time as we might to be as onerous and as mature—bodily and mentally—as he may very well be for this take a look at,” O’Brien stated throughout an Oct. 23 media teleconference.
Drawn in put up 3, 5-2 morning-line favourite Metropolis of Troy could have to take care of kickback, except Ryan Moore can negotiate a visit that will get him towards the skin.
Metropolis of Troy’s house owners Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor are also represented within the Traditional by the Chad Brown-trained American runner Sierra Leone. They co-own him with companions Westerberg, Rocket Ship Racing, and Peter Brant.
The late-running Gun Runner 3-year-old will search to reverse a four-race shedding skid after he captured the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and Blue Grass Stakes (G1) to start the 12 months. He was third most just lately within the Aug. 24 Travers.
Relating to the colt’s tendency to lug in, which contributed to second-place finishes in final fall’s Remsen Stakes (G2) and the Might 4 Kentucky Derby, “I do not suppose that is a difficulty anymore,” Brown stated in the course of the media teleconference. “The larger elements for this horse transferring ahead usually are not going to be gear or what path he retains within the stretch. It is this: is he going to get a tempo that may work for him and can he take to the monitor over there at Del Mar? And, in fact, most significantly, is he adequate to go forward and beat a really strong subject on this race?”
Sierra Leone (exterior, second place) and jockey Tyler Gaffalione make contact with Endlessly Younger (third place) down the stretch within the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
Japan’s Endlessly Younger, breaking from the within put up, is battle-tested on dust and on a global stage, as are his countrymates Ushba Tesoro and Derma Sotogake .
Endlessly Younger’s sole defeat in seven begins got here when he was third, overwhelmed two noses in a tough conclusion to the Kentucky Derby; Ushba Tesoro gained the Dubai World Cup (G1) on dust in 2023 and was second this 12 months; and Derma Sotogake is group 2 winner on dust as a 3-year-old in 2023 and was second to White Abarrio within the 2023 Traditional. Neither Ushba Tesoro nor Derma Sotogake have scored this 12 months.
Endlessly Younger’s coach, Yoshito Yahagi, captured two races the final time Del Mar hosted the Breeders’ Cup in 2021. That 12 months, Loves Solely You took the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), and Marche Lorraine upset the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).
Owing to nationwide tv protection on NBC and the community’s programming faculty soccer in the course of the night hours on the East Coast, the Traditional would be the center leg of 9 Breeders’ Cup races Saturday—and never the stakes finale. To benefit from the two 1/2-hour nationwide broadcast window on NBC, put up time for the Traditional will probably be 2:41 p.m. PT/5:41 p.m. ET.
