Zipse: Sierra Leone proves a top 2024 Kentucky Derby contender

Sierra Leone might just be worth the price. The seven-figure yearling purchase stamped himself a serious Kentucky Derby contender Saturday with a strong late run to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

With Track Phantom, who already had two stakes wins at Fair Grounds, comfortable and setting an easy early pace, the odds seemed against the lightly raced son of Gun Runner for most of the running. A prolonged and powerful rally, however, carried Sierra Leone to an impressive victory.

Trained by Chad Brown, the dark bay colt had blinkers on for the first time Saturday in hopes to sharpen his focus. He was sent off a lukewarm 5-2 favorite in what was clearly the best Kentucky Derby prep race run so far in 2024.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for the first time, Sierra Leone relaxed early and waited for the far turn of the 1 1/8-mile race to start picking up horses. With many horses still in front of him, he needed to swing way wide coming out of the turn.

Running strongly down the middle of the sloppy and sealed racing surface, he made up ground the entire stretch to nail Track Phantom in the final strides and win by a half-length. The final time for the nine furlongs was 1:52.13 on a track not yielding fast times all afternoon.

Not only did Sierra Leone overcome the slow pace, but he lost serious ground going to the outside to find clear running room down the stretch. Even then, it looked like the early leader would be impossible to catch, but Sierra Leone's three-furlong rally never wavered, carrying him to a hard-earned victory.

Owned by the group of Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Brooke Smith and Peter Brant, Sierra Leone was purchased for $2.3 million at the Fasig-Tipton select yearling sale at Saratoga in August 2022.

Handsome and well sculpted from his early days, he made his career debut in a one-mile maiden race at Aqueduct in early November. After a bobble at the break, he settled down and rallied nicely to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Off only that experience Sierra Leone came back four weeks later to contest the nine-furlong Remsen Stakes (G2), also at Aqueduct. In a solid field of 10, he was last early before uncorking a sweeping move to take the lead in the stretch. The race favorite Dornoch came back at him on the rail, however, and the Brown trainee had to settle for second by a nose.

After his win in Saturday’s Risen Star, Sierra Leone raised his career record to two wins and a second from three starts, and now has $336,750 in the bank. He will have only one more start before the run for the roses at Churchill Downs on May 4.

The Blue Grass (G1) on April 6 at Keeneland will be next for Sierra Leone, who earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby with his victory in the Risen Star. He now stands as the co-leader, alongside Track Phantom with 55 points.

Given the quality and depth of the Risen Star field, as well as the track conditions, slow pace and wide trip, this was a huge performance for a colt making only his third lifetime start and his first as a 3-year-old.

In last fall's Remsen, he flashed his talent to make a big move and briefly get the lead. With blinkers added for the Risen Star, he continued his upward ascent by closing the deal and announced himself as one of the best of his generation.

As distances increase this spring, Sierra Leone, having already run twice well at nine furlongs, should be right at home. Out of the Malibu Moon mare Heavenly Love, he should run all day.

Yearlings who sell for the type of money that he did rarely have panned out to be worth the cost. Sierra Leone looks to be an exception to that rule. More important, he looks to be right on target as one of the horses to beat on the first Saturday in May.