DEL MAR, Calif., Nov. 2 (UPI) — Sierra Leone wasn’t quite good enough to beat the best of his fellow 3-year-olds in this year’s Triple Crown races, but he found his top form Saturday just in time to defeat a sterling lineup from around the world in the $7 million Grade I Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.
The Kentucky-bred son of Gun Runner came from well behind in a very fast early pace in the 1 1/4-mile Classic, surged to the lead at mid-stretch and got there first by 1 1/2 lengths over Florida Derby and Travers Stakes winner Fierceness.
Forever Young, the highest-rated of three Japanese runners, finished third, with locally based Newgate fourth and Senor Buscador fifth. Ireland’s hope, Epsom Derby winner City of Troy, missed the break, never was in the mix and got home eighth in his first race on dirt.
Sierra Leone won the Grade I Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April, but then finished second in the Kentucky Derby after bumping through the stretch with Forever Young, who was third that day, too.
Sierra Leone passed up the Preakness, middle jewel of the Triple Crown, and then finished third in the Belmont Stakes. He was second to Fierceness in the Grade I Travers at Saratoga in August. Trainer Chad Brown said the Classic compensated for the dashed hopes.
“To get over all the frustrations of the year, this really makes up for it all,” he said.
Horse of the Year?
The outcome leaves the American 3-year-old championship up in the air, where it has been all year. It could hand Thorpedo Anna the Horse of the Year title.
Thorpedo Anna, whose only defeat this year was a head second to Fierceness in the Grade I Travers Stakes, took no prisoners in the $2 million Longines Distaff.
The Fast Anna filly, with Brian Hernandez Jr. up, went right to the lead, dictated a sensible pace and cruised home first by 2 1/2 lengths over Raging Sea. Candied was third as Thorpedo Anna finished 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.10.
Thorpedo Anna already was a lock as champion 3-year-old filly with four previous Grade I wins, including the Kentucky Oaks. The Distaff victory put her squarely into the Horse of the Year discussion.
Trainer Kenny McPeek said there is “every intention of racing her next year. I think next year could be a lot of fun.”
He said that all being well, Thorpedo Anna could take on the early-year challenges in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia and Dubai.
“At this stage, she could surely compete against any of them, McPeek said.
Wins by a neck
Rebel’s Romance looked like the easiest of winners halfway down the stretch in the $5 million Longines Turf, but then was all out in the final strides to win by a neck over Japanese long shot Rousham Park. The better-fancied Japanese entry, Shahryar, finished third, another 1 1/2 lengths back.
Jockey William Buick said he felt on the first turn that the pace was too slow and gave Rebel’s Romance the go sign.
“He got into a lovely rhythm and he was within himself,” Buick said. “From there, it was a straightforward race. He always seems to find a way.”
Rebel’s Romance, a globetrotting star for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby, won the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland, but did not contest last year’s edition. He had won four of his five previous starts this year in Qatar, Hong Kong, Dubai and Germany.
Appleby said the gelding might be back seeking a three-peat in 2025. “You never know with this old boy,” he said.
Third time the charm
The third time was the charm for Moira in the $2 million Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf. The Canadian star seized the lead turning for home in the 1 3/8-mile race and held off a late charge from Godolphin’s 3-year-old filly Cinderella’s Dream by 1/2 length. Argentine-bred Didia was third.
Moira is a 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper, who won the Breeders’ Cup Classic 20 years earlier at Lone Star Park in Texas. She won the 2022 Queen’s Plate, Canada’s iconic race, and then was fifth in that year’s Breeders’ Cup.
A long run of placings in graded stakes from then on included a third in the same race last year. For all of that, the Filly & Mare Turf was her first Grade I win.
Battle in the stretch
Straight No Chaser and Bentornato duked it out down the stretch in the $2 million Cygames Sprint with Straight No Chaser prevailing by 1/2 length under jockey John Velazquez.
Straight No Chaser, a 5-year old son of Speightster, ran 6 furlongs in 1:08.62. He came to the Sprint from a victory in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship and now has won four of his last five races. He is trained by Dan Blacker for the microshare partnership My Racehorse.
Rush down the middle
Soul of an Angel came with a rush down the middle of the track to post a huge upset win in the $1 million PNC Bank Filly & Mare Sprint.
The 5-year-old mare, trained in Florida by Saffie Joseph Jr., beat Society by a head with Pleasant third. The favorite, Ways and Means, finished fifth.
The win was just her sixth in her 41st lifetime start, but came on the heels of a victory in the Grade III Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 21.
Wins from dead last
Starlust, a 30-1 long shot, rallied up the rail from dead last to win the $1 Million Prevagen Turf Sprint by a neck over fellow outsider Motorious. The favorite, Cogburn, led by a daylight margin most of the way before weakening to finish fifth. The winner is trained in England by Ralph Beckett.
Another from last to first
Kentucky-based More Than Looks saw off another strong international field in the $2 million FanDuel Mile on the turf. The 4-year-old More Than Ready colt, trained by Cherie DeVaux for Victory Racing Partners, came from last to beat California-trained Johannes by 3/4 length.
Notable Speech, Godolphin-owned winner of the English 2,000 Guineas and Group 1 Sussex Stakes, finished third, a head farther back, with Japan’s Grade 1 Victoria Mile winner Ten Happy Rose fourth.
More Than Looks was sixth in the 2023 Mile and finished second in two earlier starts this year. Victory Partners’ Anthony Bartolo said More Than Looks was injured early in the year, setting him back.
“We always felt he was the best turf miler in the country,” he said, adding the partnership intends to keep him in training in 2025.
Pace-stalking win
Full Serrano wound up the two days of world-class racing with a pace-stalking win in the $1 million Big Ass Fans Dirt Mile.
The Argentine-bred 5-year-old, trained in California since mid-year by John Sadler, got by the early leaders easily when asked by jockey Joel Rosario and won by 1 1/4 lengths from Post Time. Domestic Product was third.
Full Serrano won his first start for Sadler Aug. 3 and followed with a second-place finish behind long shot Mixto in the Grade I Pacific Classic.
