Sierra Leone has won the 2024 Breeders' Cup Classic with a time of 2:00.78. After narrowly missing the winner's circle at the Kentucky Derby earlier this year, Sierra Leone got the job done at Del Mar in San Diego, California.
Fierceness had a lead going into the final stretch, but Sierra Leone closed well and pushed ahead to win. Fierceness finished in second place, and Forever Young wound up in third. Newgate was right behind the top three in fourth.
In a photo finish at Churchill downs just months earlier, Sierra Leone suffering a gut-wrenching second-place finish to Mystik Dan. Trainer Chad Brown, who just notched his 19th overall Breeders' Cup win, told NBC that the way the Kentucky Derby ended made this win even more special for Sierra Leone and the entire team behind the horse.
"It means so much to have this box checked, if you will, in a huge dirt race," Brown said. "Particularly for this horse because of the Kentucky Derby. That was a tough one for everyone because you never know when you're going to get there again. It's such a tough race, and for him to redeem himself and close out the year as the best three-year-old in a deep division, I couldn't be more proud. He really deserves it."
Jockey Flavien Prat claimed his sixth Breeders' Cup win, and he said he loved the pace that Sierra Leone had throughout the race.
"It felt like we were going fast up front," Prat said. "Obviously, it's hard for me to tell how fast we are going. ... It felt like there was no slowing down, so I was very pleased with that."
2024 Breeders' Cup Classic payouts
11- Sierra Leone WIN $15.80 PLACE $5.60 SHOW $3.60
9 - Fierceness PLACE $4.40 SHOW $3.20
1 - Forever Young SHOW $3.60
$2.00 Exacta (11-9) - $59.60
$1.00 Trifecta (11-9-1) - $131.20
$1.00 Superfecta (11-9-1-13) - $2,025.80
2024 Breeders' Cup Classic results
1. Sierra Leone
2. Fierceness
3. Forever Young
4. Newgate
5. Senor Buscador
6. Tapit Trice
7. Pyrenees
8. City of Troy
9. Highland Falls
10. Ushba Tesoro
11. Mixto
12. Arthur's Ride
13. Derma Sotogake
14. Next