Sierra Leone came rolling through the Del Mar stretch, passing Fierceness turning for home, to win the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday afternoon.
Remarkably, Gun Runner won the 2017 Classic over the same surface, securing his Horse of the Year honors. Three-year-old Sierra Leone potentially sowed up divisional honors with the victory and is a possible Horse of the Year candidate as well.
Sierra Leone is Gun Runner’s second Breeders’ Cup winner, following Echo Zulu in the 2021 Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Most of the pre-race focus was on European superstar City of Troy, as well as Travers S. (G1) winner Fierceness. Sierra Leone, in his usual style, dropped well off the pace and was 10th, some 15 lengths from the front after a half-mile in a very quick :44.96.
Sierra Leone cut his deficit in half by the time he entered the far turn. Going four-wide on that bend, Sierra Leone rolled past horses and took command at the top of the lane. Fierceness battled back, but could not match strides with the winner, who stopped the timer in 2:00.78 on a fast track.
His 112 Beyer Speed Figure is a career-best and third straight three-digit figure.
“I am so proud and happy for the horse,” trainer Chad Brown said. “He’s come up short a few times and had some excuses. He’s been so consistent and is such an honest horse. One of the best I’ve ever had. It’s such a great ownership group. Everyone is just so patient.”
Sierra Leone is owned by Peter M. Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook T. Smith. That group purchased him as a yearling for a record $2.3 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select sale.
“Yeah, this is a great day, a great day,” said Brant. “Of course, Chad always loved this horse. He always had faith in him. He’s a horse that I hope we see him run as a 4-year-old because he’s the kind of horse we want to look at racing in these big races.”
Bred by Debbie Oxley, Sierra Leone is out of Alcibiades S. (G1) winner Heavenly Love. Sierra Leone is now 4-3-2 in nine starts and has earned $6,008,000. His prior stakes wins came this year in the Blue Grass S. (G1) and Risen Star S. (G2); he was also second by a nose in this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1).
Sierra Leone’s big payday put Gun Runner over the $20 million mark in progeny earnings this year, securing the second spot on the General Sire list, with only four crops of racing age, behind Into Mischief, who has 13 crops.
