Coolmore Australia has announced that 2024 Epsom Derby (G1) winner City of Troy will shuttle to their Jerrys Plains-based farm for the 2025 Southern Hemisphere breeding season, where he will stand for an opening fee of AU$49,500 (US$31,185).
The former Aidan O'Brien-trained 4-year-old will be available to breeders in the Southern Hemisphere off the back of the huge success of his American Triple Crown-winning sire Justify , who in four seasons shuttling (2019-21, 2023) to Australia has produced 83 winners from 129 starters, with eight of those at stakes level including quality juveniles Storm Boy and Learning To Fly.
Much like his father, City of Troy's time on the racetrack was limited but explosive, with the impeccably bred colt going three starts unbeaten as a juvenile capped by success in the 2023 Dewhurst Stakes (G1).
After disappointing in the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) on his first at 3, Kentucky-bred City of Troy bounced back to comfortably land the Epsom Derby, winning by 2 3/4 lengths. Two more group 1 wins followed in the Coral Eclipse (G1) and Juddmonte International Stakes (G1), while his final start saw him finish eighth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar in his first try on a dirt surface, with a slow start not helping his cause.
Despite having trained a record 10 Epsom Derby winners, including some of the greats such as Galileo, High Chaparral, Camelot, and Auguste Rodin, O'Brien rated City of Troy his best winner of the time-honored contest.
"I'd say no doubt, because he has the cruise, he has the balance, he quickens and he stays," O'Brien said. "I don't think there's any doubt about that."
Bred in Kentucky by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt and raced by Coolmore, City of Troy is a brother to the group 3-placed Bertinelli (who now races in Hong Kong under the name Unbelievable) and a half brother to group 3 scorer Military Style and the group 2-placed Absolute Ruler.
He is the fifth foal out of the Galileo mare Together Forever, winner of the 2014 Fillies Mile (G1) at Newmarket and a sister to 2018 Epsom Oaks (G1) heroine Forever Together.
"We're so excited to stand City of Troy and offer him to Australasian breeders," said Coolmore Australia's sales and nominations manager Colm Santry.
"Aidan O'Brien always considered him to be one of the best horses he's ever trained, while Ryan Moore also ranks him as the best he's ridden. He was an incredibly classy horse with a high cruising speed, as we saw so impressively in his three runs at 2, which he won by an aggregate margin of more than 12 lengths.
"He's by far the best son of Justify, with an impeccable Danehill-free pedigree that makes him suitable to all the dominant bloodlines in this part of the world.
"His unbelievable accomplishments on the track saw him become the only horse other than Frankel to receive the Cartier 2-year-old colt and Cartier Horse of the Year accolades in successive years.
"He's out of a group 1-winning 2-year-old by Galileo, and, given how well shuttle stallions are performing in Australia at present, he's a very exciting addition to our stallion ranks."
Santry told ANZ Bloodstock News: "Shuttle stallions in recent years have enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance and we expect City of Troy to be extremely well received by Australian breeders.
"The likes of Too Darn Hot, Harry Angel, Justify, and Wootton Bassett have highlighted how important these sorts of stallions are.
"St Mark's Basilica's yearlings have also sold very well, so on the back of all that we've seen an incredible response from breeders we've canvassed about City of Troy."
The cross of Galileo with Fastnet Rock mares is one well known to Australian breeders, bringing up top-level winners like Warm Heart (a daughter of three-time Australian group 1 winner Sea Siren) and Russian Emperor.
Justify's record with Fastnet Rock mares is also eye-catching—responsible for, among others, group 2 winners Storm Boy and Learning To Fly—and Santry is confident City of Troy is a perfect fit to add to this impressive record.
"Physically he combines the best of all of the elements of his pedigree," he told ANZ. "He has the power and strength of Justify, which allowed him to become champion 2-year-old, coupled with the quality and style of Galileo.
"If there was ever a horse tailor-made for Fastnet Rock mares, it's City of Troy. The Galileo-Fastnet Rock cross is well known and the Justify-Fastnet Rock cross has also proved to be extremely effective, as highlighted by Storm Boy, Learning To Fly, Star of Justice, and Lilac, among others.
"City of Troy is a generational-type horse who racing fans will be talking about for decades to come. In what was only a very short racing career that spanned eight starts, he won four group 1s.
"This is a horse of very rare ability, with one of the best pedigrees in the world, and we feel like he's perfectly suited to the Australian broodmare population."
He added: "Coolmore and the Magnier family are committed to offering Australian breeders the best possible options internationally and this has been on show for the past ten years with great success.
"We feel like City of Troy is right up there with the best horses who have ever been shuttled to Coolmore Australia."
