breednet.com.au

Sierra Leone Leads Home a 3yo Trifecta in Breeders' Cup Classic

Mark Smith - Sunday November 3

After finishing behind Fierceness in the Travers Stakes and Jim Dandy Stakes, Sierra Leone gained revenge in the battle of the 3-year-olds in the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

Sierra Leone (Getty Images)

The son of Gun Runner endured a frustrating run of four placings, including a nose second in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Belmont, since winning the Blue Grass Stakes in April.

Ridden by Flavien Prat for Chad Brown, Sierra Leone finished powerfully from near the tail of the field to defeat the favourite Fierceness (City Of Light) by one and a half lengths with Japan’s Forever Young (Real Steel) one and a quarter lengths back in third.

Coolmore’s City Of Troy did not enjoy his first try on dirt. After breaking slowly, the son of Justify finished a disinterested eighth.

Advertisement

It was not all gloom for Coolmore as the winner is owned by Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor et. al.

“I am so proud and happy for the horse,” 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. I thought we took a tough beat in the Derby, but we did it with class and respect and went back to the drawing board and worked on getting him straight. My team deserves a lot of credit along the way for working with this horse.”

A $2.3million Saratoga Select yearling, Sierra Leone advances his record to four wins, three seconds, and two thirds from nine starts with earnings of $6,008,000.

Bred in Kentucky by Debby Oxley, Sierra Leone is the lone winner from two to race for the Gr1 Alcibiades Stakes winner Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon) whose GrII winning half-sister Forever Darling (Congrats) is the dam of third placed Forever Young.

Heavenly Love has an unraced Nyquist 2-year-old colt named Domestic Policy and foaled a Gun Runner filly of this year before being bred back to Nyquist.

The Horse of the Year in the USA in 2017, Gun Runner stands at Three Chimneys Farm, where his fee is listed on application.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sunlight’s Sister Clean Energy Retired
The most expensive yearling filly sold in Australia in 2023 when fetching $2.6million for Widden Stud at Inglis Easter, Clean Energy has been retired to stud.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday September 3
Here is the full list of 41 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
NZB Filly of the Year Series Springs to Life with Gold Trail Stakes
One of the traditional signs that spring racing has arrived in New Zealand is the running of the first leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series, the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m). The $150,000 race looks a little different this year in a temporary new home, but it will still give us that same first look at the latest crop of fillies vying for the coveted title.
G3 Tibbie Next for Tuileries
Lightly raced So You Think mare Tuileries has long promised to measure up to stakes class and will be given that opportunity next start after returning to top form to win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Melbourne Cup Ciaron Maher Stable Also in the Hunt
Earlier this week we ran a story on the Chris Waller trained entries for this year’s Melbourne Cup and today we’re taking a look at the trainer with the next biggest number of contenders and that is Ciaron Maher with 13.
Consecutive Wins As Cantiamo Defeats The Boys
With 60kgs on her back against the boys, it’s clearly evident there are bigger and better things ahead for the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo as the 3yo daughter of Too Darn Hot went back-to-back, winning the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Sun City Filly to Target Karaka Million
The Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) has been the goal for Sierra Leone from the moment she was purchased at the Yearling Sales, and she took an important step towards the $1 million feature with a game second in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m).
Engine of War Wins for MyRacehorse at Sandown
VRC Derby aspirant Engine Of War made a winning Australian debut from the quarters of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr when saluting at Sandown on Wednesday over 1500m.
Alabama Lass Primed for G1 Moir
Tackling Group Ones on either side of the Tasman is nothing new for Ken and Bev Kelso, and they will do exactly that this weekend.
Winning Debut for Blueblood Cox Plate Dreamer
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate’ dreamers and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who made a winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.