Even for Aidan O'Brien beating the Americans on dirt remains an achievement

City of Troy will try to beat the best Americans in the Breeders' Cup Classic

Horse racing in its modern form developed, structured in England at the end of the 18^e century before subsequently becoming a global phenomenon. If, in most major racing countries, grass is the main surface, in the United States it is dirt which is the dominant surface. Unlike the countries of the Old Continent, America has decided to direct almost its entire industry towards this surface. The main reason for this choice is purely economic. In fact, sand requires much less maintenance than grass. From then on we can race there more often and fewer human resources are needed to have a track in good condition. Furthermore, in the land of performance and speed, dirt being a more regular surface, performances and times are just as regular. Whereas in Europe, between good ground in spring and a heavy and choppy track in October, the performances achieved by the horses differ greatly.

Anyone who has ever watched American races will be able to see in a few seconds the difference between dirt and grass races. In the US the dirt horses are at full strength during the first part of the race, and then it is the one who is able to push the effort as far as possible who wins, while on the grass and particularly in Europe, the races end in a sprint. Therefore, different skills are required for horses. Thus, since the mid-1800s, US breeding has shaped its breeding in order to produce individuals with a lot of power, capable of having an enormous cruising speed, and of sustaining the effort.

The average morphotype of European dirt and turf horses is different. Sand competitors are more massive and powerful than their grass counterparts, who are more capable of devastating changes in speed and acceleration. The boundaries between the two surfaces are quite tight, and examples of horses having performed at a very high level on both surfaces are rare. Americans, except Wesley Ward, very rarely come to Europe, and Europeans mainly come to the USA for turf races.

However, some European coaches, eager for challenges, are trying to beat the Americans in their own backyard. Among them, the one who is most customary is obviously called Aidan O'Brien. The man of all records, for whom nothing seems impossible, nevertheless often breaks his teeth. Since the 1990s, in around thirty attempts, the Irishman has only won two stages of the Breeders' Cup run on sand. Cracks like Galileo or Giant’s Causeway failed in this quest. This year, O'Brien decided to present the horse he believes is the best he has ever trained: City of Troy. As a worthy son of the American Justifythe 3-year-old seems to be the ideal candidate to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. Tireless and capable of following all the trains, City of Troy will attempt on Saturday to imitate the Gosden Raven’s Pass and the Fabre Arcanguesthe only two Europeans on the list of winners in one of the premier dirt events.