Classic disappointment for City Of Troy at Del Mar
BLUE SKY THINKING: Flavien Prat celebrates after winning the Breeders Cup Classic with Sierra Leone. Pic: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Coolmore got their hands on the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, but it was Sierra Leone and not City Of Troy who landed the spoils, as Aidan O'Brien's quest for a fairytale success in Del Mar ended in disappointment.
Most of the pre-race build-up had centred on whether O'Brien's all-conquering son of Triple Crown hero Justify could transfer his exceptional turf form to dirt and end O'Brien's quest for an elusive win in the $7million showpiece.
However, Ryan Moore knew his fate very early as the Derby winner was slowly away and almost immediately had plenty of work to do.
While City Of Troy was floundering it appeared chief US hope Fierceness had the race at his mercy as he swung the turn for home with Bob Baffert's Newgate for company, but Chad Brown's Kentucky Derby runner-up was eating up the dirt with every stride and edged his way to an unassailable lead as the wire came into range.
Japanese contender Forever Young ran on for third, with the Frankie Dettori-ridden Newgate fourth.
