Irish Derby winner Los Angeles has put himself in contention for some of the most prestigious middle-distance races on the international calendar this year with his victory in the Irish Classic at the Curragh.
Aidan O’Brien’s runner proved too strong for his rivals in the 1m4f contest to pick up the fourth victory of his career. His only defeat so far came in the Derby at Epsom where he had to settle for fifth place in the race won by his stablemate City Of Troy.
The Irish Champion Trainer has lots of options for his talented colt this season, but his next appearance is likely to come in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes. He is +700 in the racing odds for the Group One contest at Ascot.
Los Angeles looks set to be one of the popular horse racing tips for the open-age contest at Ascot as he will receive 3lb from the older runners in the race. His trainer has won the event four times, including with Galileo in 2001, who prevailed after landing the Irish Derby earlier that season.
The Curragh hero could take on some of his leading stablemates at Ascot, as Auguste Rodin, Luxembourg, and City Of Troy all have entries. The son of Camelot is in contention to end the year as the best three-year-old in training. Victory at Ascot in a strong field will help him secure that tag.
Los Angeles’ victory in the Irish Derby puts him in contention for a shot at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October. The race at Longchamp is the premier middle-distance contest in Europe and is one of the most prestigious races in the world.
French Derby winner Ace Impact took advantage of the weight allocation three-year-olds receive in the Arc when he won the last renewal in 2023. If Los Angeles can replicate that triumph, it will be a huge boost to his breeding value once he retires from racing.
The Breeders’ Cup Championship may be an important meeting for O’Brien this year. He has already revealed that he is planning on running City Of Troy in the feature race of the meeting, the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The Derby winner City Of Troy set to tackle the dirt at Del Mar is California, which could leave a space free for Los Angeles to run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Auguste Rodin was victorious in the leading turf contest at the world championship meeting in 2023. The recent Irish Derby winner looks the perfect horse to tackle the best turf horses in the world over 1m4f.
O’Brien is bidding to become Champion Flat Trainer in the UK and Ireland this season and Los Angeles can play a big role in helping him secure the titles on both sides of the Irish Sea.
