Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone to race on at four for Coolmore and co

Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone will continue his racing career next year at the age of four.

The Chad Brown-trained colt, who is owned by Coolmore, Peter Brant and Brook Smith, defeated favourite Fierceness by a length and a half under Flavien Prat in the feature race at Del Mar last week.

Sierra Leone is a son of Gun Runner and cost $2.3 million (£1.77m/€2.13m) as a yearling in 2022 but connections have resisted the temptation to send him to stud at the end of his three-year-old career.

Coolmore America posted on X: "The owners of Sierra Leone are thrilled to announce that he will be racing as a four-year-old. 

"After a remarkable three-year-old campaign, Sierra Leone arrived in Kentucky on Monday and is now enjoying some time off at Ashford Stud, where he will rest and recharge before returning to the track.

"We would like to thank Chad Brown and his entire team for all of their hard work and unwavering belief in Sierra Leone, particularly his work rider Kriss Bon, his groom Edgar Orantes Payeras, and Chad’s assistant trainer Baldo Hernandez. 

"While no definitive race plans have been made yet, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented and promising colt."

Fierceness had beaten Sierra Leone in his previous two starts in the Jim Dandy Stakes and Travers Stakes at Saratoga and is also set to race on next year. Coolmore's Derby, Eclipse and Juddmonte International winner City Of Troy was a well-beaten eighth in the Classic and will begin life as a stallion in 2025.

Tiznow is the only horse to have won back-to-back runnings of the Classic when successful in 2000 and 2001. He remains the sole dual winner since the race was first run in 1984.

Read more . . .

Coolmore and co debating whether to roll the dice again with Sierra Leone or retire the Breeders’ Cup Classic hero 

'Ryan had no chance' - City Of Troy fails to fire but owners Coolmore still come up trumps as Sierra Leone wins the Breeders' Cup Classic 

'By far the best of his generation' - Coolmore unveil fees for City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin plus a big rise for Wootton Bassett 

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