“Sovereignty, he is a massive physical specimen,” said assistant trainer Neil Poznansky with the Kentucky Derby hero now a scratching from the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“He has nerves of steel – look at him – he is like the total package, and when I breezed him over 4 furlongs in 49 4/5sec he was very push button. He will do whatever you need him to do.”
And now with the Breeders’ Cup Classic down to 9 runners it was Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott saying “I am going to scratch” as it was Sovereignty with an elevated temperature and fever.
Coming off a 10 length victory in the Travers Stakes, and winning the ‘Summer Derby’ lead-up the Jim Dandy Stakes, previously he was 3 length winner over Journalism in the Belmont Stakes.
In defeating Journalism by 1½ lengths in the Kentucky Derby, Journalism next won the Preakness Stakes, and is at $7 for the Classic and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz for Michael McCarthy.
Today Sovereignty heads the Intermediate Dirt division of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings on 127, and is rated the world’s co-highest rated 3YO along with Field of Gold.
And with the withdrawal of the race favourite, its Sierra Leone who is now the $5 co-favourite to claiming his back-to-back victories in the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Flavien Prat.
He certainly surprised the Coolmore ownership, who with their eyes on the Epsom Derby winner City of Troy, who failed to handle the conditions, it was the first Classic for trainer Chad Brown.
In defeating Fierceness and Forever Young in last year’s Classic at Del Mar, who he again meets on Saturday, Sierra Leone clocked 2m:078s over 1m2f on a fast dirt track to win by 1½ lengths.
Now coming off a good second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup and earlier winning the Whitney Stakes of 1m1f at Saratoga, he was placed in both earlier starts including the Stephen Foster Stakes.
Having drawn Gate 6 for Saturday, it was Chad Brown stating “Everything went well today – he looks great” when Sierra Leone galloped 1m4f at his 8am work out, and with Flavien Prat.
“He’s certainly a very rare horse,” said Chad Brown with news that Sierra Leone will stand at Ashford Stud in 2026 “As you hate to retire a horse that’s the best you’ve ever trained, and leaves.”
Bred by Debby Oxley and sold to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale for $2.3m, he by the Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Gun Runner from Grade 1 Heavenly Love.
In fact, it was Ashford Stud’s Dermot Ryan saying “We are excited to get Sierra Leone, and you hear Chad Brown say that he is the best he has ever trained, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
Also at $5 is the last start Pacific Classic winner Fierceness who has drawn Gate 1 for John Velazquez, with trainer Todd Pletcher stating “I don’t anticipate it’s going to be an issue.”
“Made a mistake the last time and Johnny will be prepared for it, and we’re not going to overthink it,” and it was owner breeder Mike Repole “He’s undefeated from the one-hole at Del Mar.”
Also a winner of the Alysheba Stakes this season, he took out the Travers Stakes, Florida Derby, Jim Dandy Stakes, was second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, and won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
And with Fierceness also retiring to Ashford Stud following the Classic, he’s by the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner City of Light and is the immediate family of sires Outlook and Cairo Prince.
Again, its Dermot Ryan of Coolmore stating “Fierceness hails from a young and hugely exciting family of his owner-breeder, Mike Repole. His track record speaks for itself in being a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile-winning champion two-year-old who further enhanced his profile with Grade 1 victories.”
