Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook T. Smith's Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), who finished second in a problematic edition of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, will train up to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar, according to trainer Chad Brown.
The GI Whiney winner, who tried to avoid fallen Irad Ortiz Jr. just steps out of the gate, traveled in last–18 lengths off the pace–before making a wide run down the lane to finish 1 1/2-lengths behind winner Antiquarian.
“Thankfully, Irad looks like he escaped anything serious, and our horses came back OK,” Brown confirmed on Sunday morning. “Sierra Leone went quite wide in the stretch. It was a very challenging trip, but I'm very proud of the horse that he persevered, stayed with it and still ran a pretty remarkable race.”
He added, “He got his final prep in for the Breeders' Cup Classic and hopefully he has an uninterrupted, healthy couple months leading up.”
Last season's champion sophomore colt, who will try to defend his title in the Classic, is expected to remain in Saratoga for the upcoming month. The colt will stand at Coolmore's Ashford Stud at the conclusion of his racing career.
“He'll stay here for the month of September and then by October I expect him to move down to Belmont and follow the plan I used last year,” Brown said. “He's been ultra consistent his entire career and I'm hopeful he goes out in his last race as he has in all his races–consistent. He shows up every time. He's never been off the board.”
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