York Ebor festival opening day features 2 Breeders’ Cup qualifiers

City of Troy will face 12 quality rivals as he bids for additional top-level glory in the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes at York on Wednesday, with the field vying for a free berth in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic through the Breeders’ Cup challenge series.

In addition to the 1 1/4-mile Juddmonte International Stakes for 3-year-olds and up, the opening-day program of the Ebor Festival also includes the Acomb Stakes (G3) for 2-year-olds, which is an automatic qualifier for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Stakes (G1).

There will be two additional Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series races at York this week. Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1) provides a berth in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and Friday’s Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) awards an automatic starting position into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

City of Troy faces toughest test yet

City of Troy has silenced the doubters since his flop in the 2000 Guineas Stakes (G1) in May with a spectacular Derby (G1) success and a workmanlike victory in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown last month. The son of Justify never has faced a field with this much depth, and there is no doubt it would be a career-best effort if he could add a fourth Group 1 to his resume on Wednesday.

Aidan O’Brien, who also runs likely pace-setter Hans Andersen, is just one win away from being the most successful trainer in the history of this famous contest. He has won the Juddmonte International six times, and a win on Wednesday would take him past Sir Michael Stoute.

“We’ve been happy with City of Troy since the Eclipse," O'Brien said. "He’s a horse who has always captured everybody’s imagination, and he’s in very good order at the moment. Things didn’t work in his favor at Sandown for him to show off his strengths, but we were happy with what he did and delighted with him in the Derby before that and have been looking forward to York for a long time.”

Calandagan blew away his rivals by six lengths in the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot. The 3-year-old Gleneagles gelding will experience his first taste of top-level action as he goes in search of a fourth consecutive victory. His trainer Francis-Henri Graffard already has tasted Group 1 success on these shores last month courtesy of Goliath in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1). The Jerome Reynier-trained Zarakem also is making the trip across the English Channel from France.

Juddmonte has chosen to run its star filly Bluestocking against the colts rather than wait for Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1). The Ralph Beckett-trained 4-year-old won the Middleton Fillies' Stakes (G2) on her seasonal comeback over course and distance and was last seen finishing second to Goliath in the King George at Ascot. She is the only filly in the lineup.

Ambiente Friendly comes into this race after finishing second behind City of Troy in the Derby at Epsom and third in the Irish Derby (G1). Meanwhile, Jeff Smith’s Ghostwriter also will renew his rivalry with City of Troy after being beaten only two lengths by O'Brien's charge at Sandown in the Eclipse.

Alflaila holds an incredible record at York winning four times from five starts, which includes defeating a competitive field over this distance last time in the York Stakes (G2).

Two horses stepping up in distance from one mile are Docklands, who last was seen finishing second to Charyn in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), and the William Haggas-trained Maljoom, who was runner-up to Notable Speech (GB) in the Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood last month.

Kikuka Sho (G1) winner Durezza will make his UK debut, and Israr and Royal Rhyme complete the lineup.

Ruling Court leads field of 11 in Acomb Stakes

Godolphin’s purchase of Ruling Court for about US$2.5 million makes him the headline name in the Acomb Stakes. The son of Justify was sent off at odds of 4-9 at Sandown last month and despite signs of immaturity in the early stages of the race, he ultimately drew clear of his rivals in taking style to score by 5 1/2 lengths.

His trainer Charlie Appleby, who has never won the Acomb Stakes, said, “I was very pleased with what he did on debut, and it is always a bit different when you have an expensive breeze-up horse compared to an expensive sales horse. The pencil plan was always to go to Sandown, we always hoped he would do what he did, and then go on to the Acomb.”

Aidan O’Brien will be strongly represented at York this week. He has chosen to run The Lion in Winter, a maiden winner on debut at The Curragh. Ryan Moore will take the ride on the son of Sea The Stars.