Ashford Stud confirmed Oct. 27 it had purchased Fierceness, the 2023 champion 2-year-old and a leading Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) contender. The three-time grade 1-winning son of City of Light , by Quality Road , will enter stud at Ashford at the end of his racing career.
Fierceness enhanced his championship title that followed a 6 1/4-length win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) with a victory at 3 in the Florida Derby (G1), by 13 1/2 lengths, and further proved to be one of the country's best sophomores by winning the Travers Stakes (G1). In the Travers, he showed both class and determination in defeating multiple four-time grade 1 winner Thorpedo Anna, Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Dornoch , and grade 1 winner and Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Sierra Leone. Fierceness has been campaigning as a homebred for Mike Repole and is trained by Todd Pletcher.
Fierceness is out of the winning Stay Thirsty mare Nonna Bella, a Repole Stable homebred daughter of grade 1-placed winner Nonna Mia, who is a half sister to prominent sire Cairo Prince (Pioneerof the Nile). Nonna Bella is a half sister to Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) and successful sire Outwork (Uncle Mo ).
"Fierceness hails from a young and hugely exciting family of his owner/breeder Mike Repole. He is an outstanding physical and has proven himself to be a champion on the dirt at both 2 and 3 years," said Ashford's manager Dermot Ryan. "We're tremendously excited to welcome Fierceness to Ashford, be it this year or next. We will discuss his future with Mike, Todd and the team following what looks to be the race of the year in the Breeders' Cup Classic."
With the acquisition of Fierceness, Coolmore's international racing operation will have three contenders starting in the Breeders' Cup Classic. They include early favorite and four-time group 1 winner City of Troy, whose top performances to date include the Epsom Derby (G1). City of Troy is a son of Ashford's Justify , the leading North American third-crop sire by progeny earnings ($13,640,303) and number of black-type stakes winners (15). The colt is trained by top international conditioner Aidan O'Brien for Coolmore associates and longtime partners Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor.
City of Light, Fierceness, and Sierra Leone are among the top four betting interests in the Classic as of Oct. 27. Bet365 has City of Troy's money line set at +175, followed by Fierceness (+450), Japanese challenger Forever Young (+550), and Sierra Leone (+1,000).
