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Sierra Leone uses last-to-first move to land Whitney

Sierra Leone picked up another Grade 1 victory with a closing kick to win Saturday's $1 million Whitney at Saratoga.
Mike Smith|
Jun 6, 2024; Saratoga Springs, NY, USA; Belmont stakes contender Sierra Leone trains Thursday morning at the Oklahoma Training Track. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Jun 6, 2024; Saratoga Springs, NY, USA; Belmont stakes contender Sierra Leone trains Thursday morning at the Oklahoma Training Track. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Just how trainer Chad Brown drew it up. With Sierra Leone, a talented but pace-dependent 4-year-old, Brown knew he needed to inject some speed into Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Whitney at Saratoga. Sierra Leone, with Flavien Prat aboard, got that pace and stormed down the center of the stretch to land another Grade 1 win. 

Brown entered Contrary Thinking in Saturday’s field, who was just purchased by Peter Brant, co-owner of Sierra Leone, after an allowance win at Aqueduct. Contrary Thinking was off a step slow but challenged Mama’s Gold through a quarter mile in 23.82 seconds and a half mile in 47.07. Both of those horses gave way before the far turn, as Fierceness took the lead into the stretch.

Highland Falls was next to challenge for the lead, grabbing it briefly from Fierceness, before Sierra Leone came flying on his outside. Sierra Leone completed the 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:48.92 and paid $5.90 for the one-victory as the second choice. The victory was Brown’s first in the Whitney in his fifth try.

Disarm came late to finish third, followed by White Abarrio, 2023 Whitney winner, Fierceness, Post Time, Skippylongstocking, Mama’s Gold, and Contrary Thinking. 

Fierceness was sent off the even-money favorite despite losing to Sierra Leone in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November. Fierceness has two wins at Saratoga, both over Sierra Leone in the Jim Dandy and Travers last year. It was questionable if Sierra Leone just didn’t care for the surface at Saratoga. 

Sierra Leone now holds three Grade 1 victories, in last year’s Blue Grass, BC Classic, and the Whitney. Sierra Leone was winless this year, after two solid, though slightly disappointing, efforts in the New Orleans Classic and Stephen Foster. 

While the win was impressive by Sierra Leone, the older dirt division may still go through Mindframe, winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster. There won’t be a long wait to see Sierra Leone face off against Mindframe, as after the Whitney, Brown said Sierra Leone would likely start next in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga on Aug. 1. Mindframe was scratched from the Whitney for that race. Those two will likely face Highland Falls again in the Jockey Club, as he won the race last year.

Mindframe, like Fierceness, is trained by Todd Pletcher and co-owned by Mike Repole, who had said before Saturday that Fierceness would go from the Whitney to the Lukas Classic at Churchill, and then the BC Classic. After Saturday’s performance, that route became a little more uncertain, as Fierceness seemed to lose interest late, something he hasn’t done as an older horse. 

Even after the race, Brown acknowledged that it will be tough for Sierra Leone to defend his BC Classic title with the presence of Mindframe, and even top 3-year-olds Sovereignty and Journalism. 

Sierra Leone will all but certainly head back to Del Mar for a repeat try in the BC Classic, as the Whitney is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, meaning the winner of the “Win and You’re In” race earns a fees-paid berth into the BC Classic, held this year again at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

  • One race earlier, Kilwin blew the break but recovered with a late run to win the Grade 1 Test at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies. Rusty Arnold trained the winner, while Jose Ortiz was aboard.
  • World Beater avenged a loss to Test Score in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby, at 1 3/16 miles for 3-year-olds. World Beater got up over European shipper Juwelier, who held on over Test Score for third. Junior Alvarado was aboard World Beater for trainer Riley Mott.
  • Deterministic added another Grade 1 victory in the Fourstardave. Cutting back to one mile after a victory in the Manhattan, Deterministic got a great ride by Kendrick Carmouche to take the Fourstardave for trainer Miguel Clement.
  • In the day’s first stakes race, Ewing missed the break but it didn’t matter, as he held off Obliteration to take the Grade 2 Saratoga Special for 2-year-old colts.

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In is an international series of 93 stakes races in15 countries whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, held this year at Del Mar on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

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Mike Smith
MIKE SMITH

An avid horse racing fan and bettor, Michael Smith has developed a career in horse racing media as an editor and writer. A regular at Saratoga Race Course, Michael mainly covers New York racing but follows various other racing across the country and world.

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