Sierra Leone claims Breeders’ Cup glory as City of Troy flops – live reaction | Breeders’ Cup

So, Aidan O’Brien’s search for a Classic winner continues, he’s now 0-16 with runners in the race on dirt and some of the US racing writers in the press room here are after-timing like mad …

Here’s the closing stages of the Classic from the At The Races Twitter/X feed:

Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith are in the winner’s enclosure to greet Sierra Leone, and looking suitably delighted. That was his first win since April 2024, although he has been keeping very hot company in his four races since.

City Of Troy, sadly, was never a factor, he missed the kick and never threatened to get competitive. In a weird turn of events, though, his owners – the “lads” from the Coolmore Stud syndicate – are also the part-owners of Sierra Leone, the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby and now the winner of the Classic.

BREEDERS’ CUP CLASSIC RESULT:

Into the stretch, Fierceness leads but here’s Sierra Leone …

Fast fractions, perhaps they will come back to City Of Troy

Fierceness is second, then Forever Young, Newgate mid-division, City Of Troy third-last

City Of Troy slow to stride

Off and running in the Breeders’ Cup Classic!

Going behind, won’t be long ….

Approaching the gates for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Fierceness is now favourite at 3-1 with City Of Troy on 4-1

The betting is hotting up at the track and it feels as though plenty of money is finding its way into the market from Asia, because Forever Young is 3-1 favourite. Then it is: 7-2 City Of Troy, 4-1 Fierceness, 6-1 Sierra Leone, 11-1 Next, 15-1 bar.

The third member of the “Big Three”, meanwhile, is Forever Young, who might well have become Japan’s first ever Kentucky Derby winner but for the persistent interference of Sierra Leone in the stretch.

Fierceness, the shortest-priced local hope, was a convincing winner of the Travers and the form has already been franked here today by Thorpedo Anna:

Not the best of notes on which to move on to the Classic, but the time is now and City Of Troy will attempt to write his name into the history books in just under 20 minutes’ time.

Here’s his last run in the International Stakes, when he was quick from the stalls and set a strong pace before quickening again in the closing stages – the characteristics, it could be argued, of a really good dirt horse.

Sad news after the Turf: Jayarebe suffered a suspected “cardiac event” on the far side of the track while being pulled up. He was reportedly unconscious when vets arrived to attend to him seconds later and is thought to have died almost instantly.

Emily Upjohn, meanwhile, was held up well off the pace by Frankie Dettori, who then launched an audacious bid to find a path up the stands’ rail in the stretch. But the gaps did not appear, and she pretty much crossed the line without ever coming off the bridle.

A concerning postscript to the Turf: Brian Meehan’s Jayarebe collapsed on the track after crossing the line and is currently being assessed by the track vets.

That’s five-from-five for the Europeans on turf as William Buick seizes control of the race with a quarter of a mile to run. He fired Rebel’s Romance into the lead on the final turn and threw down a challenge to his rivals to chase him down in the short home stretch, and while Rousham Park was gaining rapidly in the final stages, Christophe Lemaire ran out of turf.

BREEDERS’ CUP TURF RESULT:

Rebel’s Romance goes on on the home turn … he’s got a big lead, here comes Rousham Park finishing really well, lead is shrinking but ….

Rebel’s Romance reclaims the Turf crown!

Far Bridge right there too, no move yet from Frankie on Emily Upjohn

Rebel’s Romance settled in third, Luxembourg close behind, Emily Upjohn one from last as they pass the post first time

Off and running in the Breeders’ Cup Turf!

A delighted Kenny McPeek is in the interview room after Thorpedo Anna’s win in the Distaff:

She’s so easy, she never misses a meal. A bit like me.

Post time for the Turf is in 12 minutes, and the latest betting show from the track is: 9/5 Rebel’s Romance, 5-1 Emily Upjohn, 6-1 Far Bridge, 7-1 Luxembourg, 9-1 Shahryar, 10-1 bar.

Far Bridge, the shortest-priced home-trained runner, took the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes at Aqueduct in September.

If the Europeans are going to lose their winning streak on the turf, Shahryar, from Japan, could be the one to do it. He was a close third in this race at Santa Anita last year, and runner-up – behind Rebel’s Romance – in the Sheema Classic at Meydan in March.

Emily Upjohn is without a win since the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June 2023, but she has been keeping very strong company and was a close third behind the subsequent 1-2 in the Arc, Bluestocking and Aventure, in the Prix Vermeille in September:

We move swiftly on to the Turf, where there is another strong team from Europe – perhaps the strongest for any of the turf races. Rebel’s Romance, the winner two years ago, is back for another crack, while Emily Upjohn, Luxembourg and Jayarebe – whose trainer, Brian Meehan, has won this twice already – provide strong backup.

Here’s Rebel’s Romance winning back in 2022:

That was also a hugely popular win for trainer Kenny McPeek, a multiple Grade One winner over the years who became the first trainer for 72 years to win both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks in the same season back in May. Coming into this year’s Breeders’ Cup, however, he was 0-37 at the meeting.