SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Sierra Leone finally conquered Saratoga, unleashing a powerful last-to-first rally to win Saturday’s $1 million Whitney (G1) by one length over Highland Falls. Favored Fierceness, who set the pace, faded to fifth.
The 98th Whitney headlined a blockbuster 13-race program that produced a record wagering handle of $49,651,341, a 22.7% jump over the previous mark set in 2022. Paid attendance was 42,316, with $8,551,067 bet on-track, underscoring the significance of a day that also featured five graded stakes worth $3.2 million. The Whitney served as a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
“Growing up around here, the Whitney and the Travers is what the whole race meet has been built around since its early days, so for me to finally get one of them with my mom and dad here, my brother, both of my daughters, made memories to last forever,” he added. “This is a really hard race to win and you got to have the right horse.”
Sierra Leone, owned by Peter Brant, Coolmore partners, Westerberg, and Brook Smith, broke last under Flavien Prat and trailed early as longshots Contrary Thinking and Mama’s Gold set the pace. Fierceness sat third, with Highland Falls and White Abarrio tracking behind. As the field tightened, Prat angled Sierra Leone outside, unleashed his trademark sweeping run, and surged clear late to finish the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.92.
“Even if I’m in the back, at least he broke running. I was traveling well all the way around. I didn’t know when I hit the three-eighths pole if I had a ton of horse. When I asked him, I cut the corner, he came underneath me nicely and when I tipped him out, he made a very good run,” Prat said. “I think he has improved. I think he has improved from last year. I do think last race was basically his first race of the season, we ran into a slow pace on a fast track, so I had expectations of improvement.”
Disarm closed for third, followed by White Abarrio. Fierceness, winner of last year’s Travers, weakened late. Skippylongstocking, Post Time, Mama’s Gold, and Contrary Thinking completed the order of finish.
Brown hinted he may bring Sierra Leone back in the 10-furlong Jockey Club Gold Cup, also a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with an eye on a repeat in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“I would [consider the Jockey Club Gold Cup] because he hasn’t run that much this year” he said. “Last year, I had handicapped the Travers until the Classic barely as the absolute maximum layoff for me and he was able to pull it off. This is a little further away now, so I’m not sure I want that many weeks between races with a horse who has only run three times. I’m not afraid to run this horse. I’m not afraid of running again, because if he comes out of it sound, I have a lot of time from the Jockey Club Gold Cup.”
Bred in Kentucky by Debby Oxley, Sierra Leone fetched $2.3 million at Fasig-Tipton’s 2022 Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. He raced twice at two, winning his debut and running second to subsequent Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets and NYRABets Haskell winner Dornoch in the Grade 2 Remsen.
“It’s incredible what he did last year in the Breeders’ Cup Classic – it was an astonishing run, really,” said MV Magnier of co-owner Coolmore. “He’s a very good racehorse and to do it again here today being in Saratoga – we thought he didn’t handle the track here last year, and he’s matured. He’s a very good horse. We’re blessed to be here and it’s exciting. We just look forward to the Breeders’ Cup.”
