In one of the highest-quality runnings of the race El Gran Senor easily beat Chief Singer, Lear Fan and Rainbow Quest.
In the stretch, he engaged in a battle with another Irish-trained colt Secreto, who had finished third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas to Sadler's Wells in his previous race, but lost narrowly.
Many felt that Pat Eddery had ridden an ill-judged race, hitting the front too soon and not being able to use El Gran Senor's acceleration.
Eddery later acknowledged that El Gran Senor should have won the race but that when the pacemakers dropped away early in the straight he found himself in the lead much earlier than intended.
[4][5] Both colts, trained by father and son (Vincent and David O'Brien), were sired by the same stallion, were bred at the same stud farm and, it has been reported, had shared a paddock as yearlings.
His daughters have produced over 60 stakes winners, including Grade/Group 1 winners Chester House, Chiselling, Emin Baja (CHI), Empire Maker, Grand Arch, Grand Vitesse (ARG), Honest Lady, Ice Horse (ARG), Ramonti (FR), Redoute's Dancer (AUS), and Square Eddie.
Chiselling was initially going be sent to South Africa for stud,[10] however he was diagnosed with Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis and it is unclear what happened to him after he missed the 2004 breeding season.
Empire Maker stood at his owner-breeder Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farm in Kentucky until 2010, when he was sold to the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association to stand at Shizunai Stallion Station.
[12] Eleven days earlier, his two-year-old daughter, future champion Royal Delta, won her first start by 12 lengths.
[13] El Gran Senor was euthanized on 18 October 2006 at Ashford Stud in Kentucky due to the infirmities of old age.