Sierra Leone wins $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic after suffering close loss in Kentucky Derby

Updated Nov. 2, 2024 8:39 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Sierra Leone won the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic by 1 1/2 lengths Saturday at Del Mar, ending a frustrating run of recent losses, including the Kentucky Derby.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Sierra Leone ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.78. Sent off as the 6-1 fourth choice, the 3-year-old colt paid $15.80, $5.60 and $3.60 in his first race after a two-month layoff.

“I’m so happy for the horse because he’s come up short a few times,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I thought he had some excuses, but he’s been so consistent and he’s such an honest horse, one of the best that I’ve ever had.”

Sierra Leone lost by a nose to Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby and then finished third in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. That's where he was second in the Jim Dandy and third in the Travers.

“He took a tough beat in the Derby, but we did it with class and respect, and we just went back to the drawing board and worked on getting him straight,” Brown said. “He's a great horse, he took to this track and it was his day today.”

Brown has 19 Cup wins, leaving him one short of career leading trainers Aidan O'Brien, who won two races Friday, and D. Wayne Lukas.

It was Brown's first win in the Classic on his fourth try. His mentor, the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, won the Classic in 2004 with Ghostzapper.

“At moments like this, I always think about him,” Brown said.

Fierceness, the 5-2 favorite, returned $4.40 and $3.20. Forever Young of Japan was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $3.60 to show. Newgate, trained by Bob Baffert, was fourth in the full field of 14.

Ireland-based City of Troy, the 4-1 third choice with six wins in seven career starts on grass, finished eighth in his first start on dirt for O'Brien.

“He lost it at the start and obviously I didn’t have him prepared to come out quick enough. We thought we did but we didn’t," O'Brien said. “He missed it and left Ryan (Moore) with no chance really, the race was over at the start.”

Prat made back-to-back trips to the winner's circle, taking the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf aboard Moira for his 50th graded stakes win of the year.

In the $2 million Distaff, Thorpedo Anna won by 2 1/2 lengths, helping trainer Ken McPeek snap an 0-for-37 skid in the Breeders’ Cup.

She ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.10 under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. Sent off as the 2-5 favorite, she paid $2.80 — the second-shortest win payout in Breeders’ Cup history.

“The expectation with her is so high,” McPeek said. “I love the fact that Brian took the initiative and just got it done. For me, it was workmanlike and that's what you need.”

Hernandez and McPeek teamed to win the Kentucky Derby by a nose in May.

The victory on a sunny and cool day at the oceanside track north of San Diego capped a sensational season for Thorpedo Anna. She also won the Kentucky Oaks and finished a close second to Fierceness in the Travers. She's in the conversation for Horse of the Year honors.

In the $5 million Turf, 9-5 favorite Rebel's Romance held off late-closing 22-1 shot Rousham Park to win by a neck, the ninth European horse to do so in the last 10 runnings.

Rebel's Romance ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:26.07 under jockey William Buick and paid $5.80 to win. The 6-year-old gelding has been a globetrotter, winning in Qatar, Dubai, Hong Kong, Britain, Germany and the U.S. for trainer Charlie Appleby.

Another horse, 3-year-old France-bred Jayarebe, collapsed on the track after finishing seventh in the Turf and died.

“It was suspected to be a cardiac event,” said Dr. Al Ruggles, the on-call veterinarian.

In other races:

— U.S.-based More Than Looks rallied to beat the mostly European field by three-quarters of a length in the $2 million Mile. He ran the distance on grass in 1:32.65 under jockey Jose Ortiz. The 6-1 shot paid $15.80. Cherie Devaux became the seventh woman trainer to win a Cup race. Notable Speech, the 2-1 favorite, finished third.

— Straight No Chaser rallied to win the $2 million Sprint by a half-length . John Velazquez, the 53-year-old Hall of Fame jockey, won his 21st Cup race; trainer Dan Blacker won his first. The 6-1 shot paid $14.20 to win. Straight No Chase ran six furlongs in 1:08.62. Mullikan, the 3-1 favorite, was third.

— Argentina-bred Full Serrano scored a 13-1 upset in the $1 million Dirt Mile. Ridden by Joel Rosario, he ran the distance in 1:35.48 and paid $28.80 to win. Domestic Product, the 3-1 favorite, was third.

— Moira is headed to the sales ring next week after her half-length victory in the Filly & Mare Turf. It was the Canada-bred's third appearance in the Breeders' Cup and first win. She paid $13.60 to win at 5-1 odds. Trainer Kevin Attard earned his first Cup win, too. Cinderella's Dream, the 5-2 favorite, was second.

— Soul of an Angel spotted the field 12 lengths before rallying on the far outside to win the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint by a half-length. The 19-1 shot paid $41.60 to win. She ran seven furlongs in 1:21.59 under jockey Drayden Van Dyke. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. earned his first Cup victory.

— Starlust scored a huge upset in the $1 million Turf Sprint after a long delay at the start and a claim of foul. Ridden by Rossa Ryan, 30-1 shot Starlust ran five furlongs in 55.92 seconds and paid $69.20. Starlust won by a neck over Motorius. Believing flipped in the gate and dumped jockey Ryan Moore, who walked away unharmed. She was scratched from the race, but appeared unharmed. Jockey Manny Franco aboard Isivunguvungu claimed foul against Ryan and Starlust, but after a stewards' review there was no change to the order of finish.

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