City of Troy - Gate 2 - The Superlative Stakes 1:26.03
Aiden O'Brien, one of the most respected turf trainers in the world, will have his sights set on Breeder's Cup weekend with his turf specialists in tow. This year though, the classy trainer may have his sights set on one dirt race in particular - The Juvenile.
CITY OF TROY
Before reading this, take the 2 minutes to watch this two year old run his race above. Pay particular attention to his speed quality. Be sure to listen to all of the commentary after the race as they go over his splits and Aiden O'Brien is interviewed.
This horse is magnificent - in every aspect.
Winning debut on July 1st at Curragh and then ran away with the Superlative Stakes just two weeks later. Both races on turf and both races left Aiden O'Brien announcing that City of Troy was an "incredibly special talent."
City of Troy, now the early favorite for the 2000 Guineas, will contest the National Stakes on Sunday (Scratched due to change in surface) and then a set up to run a prep for the Breeders Cup in the Dewhurst Stakes on October 14th. O'Brien is not thinking the Juvenile Turf, he's looking very closely at the Breeders Juvenile on dirt. He may just have extra special Triple Crown plans in mind.
This horse is a highly skilled monster who posted the highest Racing Post figure for the Superlative Stakes and his stock shot up to the sky after that performance. If Aiden O'Brien brings a two year old to America, consider him a beast automatically. He did the same with Mendelssohn, but this time he is pointing to the dirt race.
“To go to America, you need a good horse running at a very high level and
it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that City of Troy could go."
“It’s unnatural ability. He’s a very unusual horse. He’s unbelievable mentally.
Whatever speed you want to go, he can keep pushing and he can go up and sit with anything we have."
"He could be a Triple Crown type."
- Aiden O'Brien
Mendelssohn, Thunder Snow, Le Vent Se Leve.
Incredible breeding.
Japan's Le Vent Se Leve was plagued with minor injuries but still had an impeccable career as a 2 year old and all the way through to his win in the Champions Cup.
The talented Mendelssohn and Thunder Snow were both highly proficient on turf or dirt with ability to win major Stakes races both here and abroad. Superior credentials as they entered their Derby Editions but were chained by the weather. Thunder Snow being the most accomplished in his stellar turf and dirt career. He was class personified.
Recalling that feeling of pure excitement the first time seeing those three horses at two and seeing their charts and numbers for the first time. That same intense feeling and killer instinct comes rushing through with City of Troy.
Bred in Kentucky, City of Troy has the trainer, the talent, and he certainly has the breeding. Turf and Dirt.
This is one bad-ass horse.
CITY OF TROY Justify - Together Forever (Galileo)
Chefs: DP = 3-2-13-6-0 (24) DI = 0.92 CD = 0.08 ANZ = 1.08
Mares: DP = 5-8-3-10-8 Speed = 13 Stamina = 18 Index = 0.72 Triads = 16-21-21
St. Simon: 34.76%
Rating for "either" Derby: +++++
First Generation:
Justify - Triple Crown Winner. 7f to 12f
Second Generation:
Galileo - Classic/Solid Chef
Third Generation:
Sadler's Wells - Classic/Solid Chef
Fourth Generation:
Mr. Prospector - Brilliant/Classic Chef
Awesome Again- Intermediate/Classic Chef
Pulpit- Intermediate/Classic Chef
Northern Dancer - Brilliant/Classic Chef
Nureyev - Classic Chef
Blushing Groom - Brilliant/Classic Chef
Additions:
(Miswaki - Additional Balanced Speed and Stamina)
Hennessy - Additional Speed
Scat Daddy - Additional Stamina
Johannesburg - Additional Speed
Theatrical - Additional Stamina
In the first 4 generations, there are 15 sires within the chart. In City of Troy's chart, 12 of those 15 sires are either listed chefs or recognized prominent non-chefs. The last 3, Justify, Ghostzapper and especially Miswaki, have other attributes outside of any chef designation that are still note-worthy.
Justify has shown a propensity to impart extreme speed to his offspring in Japan.
Ghostzapper was the 2004 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male with nine wins in eleven starts from 6f all the way through to his win in the 10f Breeders Cup Classic. He was able to win on both coasts on dirt, sprinting and route distances.
Mizwaki has shown the ability to impart both sprinting speed and turf propensity, balanced and loaded and a perfect conduit of impressive genes.
Every single sire in City of Troy's first four generations bestow a mix of impressive speed, elite turf stamina quality and dirt propensity. That list is non-stop quality and overly heightened on both sides of the scale.
Chefs impart 10.8f capability.
Mares impart 11.9f capability
Combined = 11.75f potential
That distance does not take into account all of the outside additions under the chefs. 11.75f stands alone. All the rest is icing.
The layout of both sets of configurations are in perfect sync with extreme advantage for the Kentucky Derby. Evidence of pure displayed speed against the grain of his obvious dominance. Shades of Thunder Snow.
The display of raw speed that he showed on turf in the Superlative Stakes is a testament to the Brilliant and Intermediate designations found in his chefs within those 4 generations. The additional speed gained from his prominent non-chefs and his immediate sire all contribute to the same multi-track quality that both Mendelssohn and Thunder Snow had.
His distance ability is unquestionable based on both his ability to sprint on a turf surface along with the aristocratic attributes passed down from Galileo, Sadler's Wells and Nureyev. Additions to that burning stamina capability are evident through Theatrical and Awesome Again as well.
Top notch quality, masterful breeding, stamina through the roof and magnificent speed on the lead. Moore couldn't stop him on the gallop out. This horse has the build, style and grit of a Champion. It is so easy to see when holding a chart as packed as his.
Based on the layout of these sires, City of Troy has the ingredients to mimic or even surpass horses built like Animal Kingdom, Two Phil's, Mendelssohn and Thunder Snow. This is a serious horse. These types do not come along too often.
Whichever Juvenile Breeder's race that Aiden O'Brien ultimately chooses to unleash his superstar here in America, that will be the race that I will single City of Troy. Turf or Dirt, it makes no difference.
As confident as I was with a young Epicenter for the 2022 Kentucky Derby, triple it with City of Troy.
Now, let's see who steals from this article without attribution.
Here is City of Troy's Maiden race. Gate #4.
UPDATE: Video of his 3rd Winning Race - The Dewhurst Stakes - Oct 14, 2023 - Post #3:
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