Travers is possible for Epsom Derby winner City Of Troy

City Of Troy, well beaten as the odds-on favorite in the 2,000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket on May 4, bounced back Saturday with a confident victory in the Group 1 Derby at Epsom.

Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien then declared the Travers (G1) this summer at Saratoga could be a target for the Kentucky-bred Justify colt who is owned by Coolmore.

“The lads have it in their minds that he could go to the 3-year-old race at Saratoga on the dirt,” O’Brien told reporters. “It is a possibility.”

The win by City Of Troy, the 9-5 betting favorite in the pari-mutuel pool, gives O’Brien a record-extending 10th victory in the Derby. His first came with Galileo, City Of Troy’s damsire, in 2001. He was ridden by jockey Ryan Moore, who won his fourth career Derby. It was the second year in a row that O’Brien and Moore united behind a Derby winner, after Auguste Rodin in 2023.

Euphoric, a stablemate of City Of Troy, set the early pace just ahead of another O’Brien runner, Los Angeles. Through much of the race the front ranks had to navigate racing near Voyage, who stumbled and unseated jockey Pat Dobbs in the first jumps of the race but finished the course riderless with the front of the pack.

City Of Troy settled toward the rear early, gradually inching toward midfield toward the inside. He angled off the inside around the turn for home, and responded sharply when asked past the quarter-mile mark.

Three furlongs out City Of Troy loomed a threat to the leading line, and he headed Euphoria approaching the furlong mark. Ambiente Friendly, who was never far from the front while tracking the early pacesetters, gave chase under a drive but proved second best.

City Of Troy, appearing unfazed by the riderless Voyage, ran on strongly to cross the wire 2 3/4 lengths clear of Ambiente Friendly, with Los Angeles holding third another 3 1/4 lengths back. City Of Troy crossed the wire in 2:38.34 seconds for the 1 1/2 miles on ground rated good to soft. A field of 16 ran.

City Of Troy is a 3-year-old out of the Group 1-winning Galileo mare Together Forever. He was perfect in three starts at age 2, including a 3 1/2-length victory in the Dewhurst (G1) in October. Though he came up empty when ninth in the 2,000 Guineas, 16 3/4 lengths adrift of Notable Speech, he rewarded the bettors who bet him down to favoritism again with a statement victory in the Derby.