Sierra Leone works at Belmont as Breeders' Cup preparations ramp up
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sierra Leone on Saturday continued his preparations for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic to be run Nov. 2 at Del Mar by working a half-mile in 48.86 seconds over the Belmont Park training track, his first work at this facility in 11 months.
Working just after the 9:30 a.m. renovation break, Sierra Leone went in splits of 13.25 seconds, 24.06, got his last quarter in 23.80 seconds, and continued out five furlongs in 1:01.89 and six in 1:14.25.
“Breezed super, galloped out strong,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I love the way he’s moving. He transitioned down here well.”
Sierra Leone hasn’t worked at Belmont since Nov. 25, 2023 when he was preparing for the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes where he finished second. Sierra Leone has been based in Saratoga since shortly after the Kentucky Derby where he finished second in May. Sierra Leone raced three times at Saratoga, finishing third in the Belmont Stakes, second in the Jim Dandy and third in the Travers.
“After three races at Saratoga its clear it’s not his favorite track,” Brown said. “’I’m not making excuses because everyone has to race on the same track – don’t get me wrong – but for my horse, looking at his form, he hasn’t kicked quite the same three times in a row on that track. He’s training quite well in the mornings and he looks good so that has to contribute to it.”
Saturday was Sierra Leone’s fourth work since the Travers, where he did earn a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind Fierceness and Thorpedo Anna. Sierra Leone has done most of his recent workouts by himself though Brown said on Sept. 28. Sierra Leone worked five furlongs over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track in 1:01.80 in company with the Grade 1 winner Domestic Product, who is pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
“I put him in company last week because I thought he was getting a little bored maybe, that worked really well,” Brown said. “I didn’t feel the need to do it again his first work on this racetrack. I’m always open, I observe the horses, we’ll make adjustments if needed.”
Brown said he is moving his potential New York-based Breeders’ Cup horses from Saratoga to Belmont “to have an easier flight out.”
“I don’t want them vanning from Saratoga to the [downstate] airport. And, the weather is going to turn up there shortly.”
Domestic Product, who was scheduled to work Saturday at Saratoga, was due to ship to Belmont on Sunday and will continue his preparations at Belmont. The last flight for New York-based Breeders’ Cup horses to California is on Oct. 28.
Meanwhile, potential Classic favorite, Fierceness, the Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes winner, on Thursday worked five furlongs in 1:02.56 over the Saratoga Oklahoma track. He worked in company with Breeders’ Cup Turf hopeful Grand Sonata, finishing two lengths clear of that one at the wire and then continuing to gallop-out through six furlongs in 1:16.08 and seven furlongs in 1:30.73.
“He had a pretty good gallop-out on Thursday, but we’ll pick it up a notch the next couple of times,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Pletcher said Fierceness is likely to have one more work at Saratoga before moving to Keeneland for his final two workouts before the Classic. Last year, following a disappointing effort in the Grade 1 Champagne at Aqueduct, Fierceness trained at Keeneland before shipping to California where he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita to earn the Eclipse Award as champion 2-year-old male.
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