City Of Troy and work rider Rachel Richardson © Photo Healy Racing
Saeed bin Suroor knows just how hard it is to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic and says City Of Troy will be a “real champion” if he can succeed in his quest to conquer the dirt at Del Mar.
Just like Aidan O’Brien, Bin Suroor has tried many times to get his hands on the showpiece event and similarly to the master of Ballydoyle, the Godolphin handler has come up short with some of the best he has ever trained.
Both have come closest to landing the prize in editions won by Tiznow, with O’Brien seeing Giant’s Causeway thwarted by a neck at Churchill Downs in 2000 and a year later it was Sakhee’s turn to fall agonisingly short as the Classic’s only dual winner held off Bin Suroor’s Arc hero by a nose.
Bin Suroor has also seen the top-class pair of Swain and Thunder Snow hit the frame in the 10-furlong event and feels those defeats prove not only how difficult the Classic is to win, but also how good City Of Troy will need to be to triumph in California.
He said: “City Of Troy is a star and what he has done in Europe is amazing. I think everyone is looking forward to seeing him run in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“The quality of racing at the Breeders’ Cup is different class, the cream rises to the top and the quality of horses that head there from Europe and America to run in those races is amazing – if City Of Troy wins he will be a real champion.
“Sakhee, Swain and Thunder Snow all ran there and got beat and it shows you how tough this race is to win.”
Bin Suroor has won countless races on the dirt over the years and, although Sakhee was testing his credentials on dirt for the first time in his own Classic bid, the majority of his string would be proven on the surface before heading into uncharted territory.
However, the four-time champion trainer has been impressed by what he has seen from the exceptional turf performer of his generation and is keen to see how City Of Troy will fare when the son of Justify tackles dirt for the very first time in his Stateside swansong.
“I’ve won the Dubai World Cup nine times and the majority of times these are turf horses, but you have to give them a chance,” explained Bin Suroor.
“Myself, I would run them in Group races on dirt before running in the big races and then you would know if they handle the dirt or not, but looking at City Of Troy’s pedigree he will be fine.
“His breeding is like a dirt horse, but his runs on turf have been brilliant. He is class on turf, but his breeding shows he could handle the dirt.
“For most horses you have to try them on dirt and see how they handle it, but for the majority of class horses they will handle it – if they are good enough, they can also do it in the dirt.”
If City Of Troy was to prosper in the Classic, then he will not only join an elite band of horses able to showcase their best on a variety of surfaces, but also cement his legacy as one of racing’s very best.
“Not always do you get horses who can run so well on both surfaces, maybe only a few like Thunder Snow who won the Dubai World Cup on the dirt and two Group Ones on turf in France,” explained Bin Suroor.
“Thunder Snow finished third at the Breeders’ Cup and it is always very tough racing, especially the Classic. People are looking forward to seeing how City Of Troy will do and it will be great if he could win.”
