The colt that fell a flaring nostril short on the first Saturday in May, that continued to be an exercise in frustration throughout the long, hot summer, uttered the last word on a perplexing season by rallying to overtake fellow 3-year-old Fierceness by 1 ½ lengths in the $7 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic Saturday at Del Mar.
With Sierra Leone’s easy way of going in the early stages of his races, trainer Chad Brown and jockey Flavien Prat always knew the dark bay son of Gun Runner needed the right pace if he was to break through. He got exactly what he needed in the 1 ¼-mile Classic to assert himself in the race for the Eclipse Award as leading 3-year-old male.
Japan’s Derma Sotogake, with Christophe Lemaire aboard, took the full field of 14 through sizzling early fractions, blazing the opening quarter of a mile in 22.43 seconds, the half-mile in a smoking 44.96 seconds and three-quarters of a mile in a crisp 1:09.44. Fierceness and John Velazquez, meanwhile, were in hot pursuit.
Prat knew he was sitting pretty before he asked his mount to kick into gear around the final turn.
“Obviously, the pace was good and we found ourselves in a good spot,” he said. “I was able to stay outside and the whole way around I felt I was gaining ground on the leaders.
When Prat asked Sierra Leone for his all, the sophomore unleashed an overpowering move to surge past Fierceness. Forever Young, two noses in back of Derby victor Mystik Dan, could do no better than third again on Saturday.
Despite his flaws, Brown praised Sierra Leone for his consistency, his ability to keep on ticking while a rival such as Mystik Dan was sent to the farm for much-needed rest and relaxation.
“For him to be on the Derby trail since January and be in the winner’s circle today against some of the top horses in the world, really all of the credit goes to the horse,” Brown said. “He’s a remarkable horse.”
For a number of races, including the heart-breaking Derby, this was a $2.3 million yearling purchase that could not run straight. In a testament to Brown and his staff, he does now.
“That’s two races in a row now that you’ve seen he runs nice and straight,” Brown said after his 19th Breeders’ Cup win. “That’s just from patience, horsemanship, a good horse that’s cooperative, great ownership group. This is an unbelievable horse. Anyone could have trained him and he’d have a fine career.
“For him to have this moment and get over all the frustrations during the year, races that I went into thinking, ‘I’m going to finally win the Derby. I’m going to finally win the Travers,’ and to walk away unsaddling him without the win, this really makes up for it.”
A jubilant Prat celebrates. (Eclipse Sportswire)
Two-year-old champion Fierceness acquitted himself well in defeat, so well that he very much remains in the conversation for the Eclipse as leading 3-year-old male. His cause will be hurt by a 15th-place clunker in the Derby, but he rebounded from that debacle to sweep the Jim Dandy and Travers, and his Classic was commendable.
“Fierceness ran great. The fractions were very fast,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains Fierceness, the 2.80-1 post-time favorite in the Classic. “I thought he was very courageous to keep fighting for second.” Sierra Leone covered the mile and a quarter in 2:00.78 as the 6.90-1 fourth betting choice.
The Classic featured several noteworthy failures. Turf giant City of Troy, considered trainer Aidan O’Brien’s best hope to end almost two-and-a-half decades of futility in the centerpiece of the Breeders’ Cup, failed to secure his usual forward position. He crossed the wire a non-threatening eighth.
“They went so hard and he just couldn’t get going,” jockey Ryan Moore said of City of Troy.
The Japanese contingent of Forever Young, Ushba Tesoro (10th) and exhausted Derma Sotogake (13th), thought to have an excellent chance of giving that nation a breakthrough score, did not come close to accomplishing that.
Next, known as racing’s marathon man for his success at longer distances against lesser company, could see them all as he finished last of 14 runners.
Sierra Leone improved his record to 7: 3-2-2 during his 3-year-old campaign, picking up his second top-level win after the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes back in April. His career earnings soared to $6,008,000.
“For him to redeem himself and close out the year as probably the best 3-year-old in a very deep division, I would not be more happy for this horse. He deserves it,” said Brown, campaigning for all he is worth.
2024 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic November 2nd, 2024
