No bumping, no jostling, no issues, no problem for Sierra Leone.
Seizing the lead from a game Highland Falls in the stretch with his patented closing style, Sierra Leone won the $1 million Whitney Stakes (G1) in front of packed house at Saratoga Race Course on Saturday, with favorite Fierceness fading and finishing fifth.
After so many runner-up finishes and issues with running a straight path, Sierra Leone ($5.90 on a $2 win bet) was a picture of perfection in the Whitney, stamping himself as the early favorite for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
The victory, his first as a 4-year-old after running third in the New Orleans Classic (G2) and second in the Stephen Foster (G1), clinched an all-fees paid berth into the Classic and a chance to become just the second horse to win two Classics (Tiznow won in 2000 and 2001).
The 1 1/8-mile Whitney unfolded as expected with two longshots, Mama’s Gold (53-1) and Contrary Thinking (70-1) leading before the field of nine moved into the far turn. And Sierra Leone, a deep closer, was last of nine after three-quarters of a mile but in a clear position.
Then it was Fierceness, who defeated Sierra Leone in the 2024 Jim Dandy (G2) and the Travers (G1) at the Spa but finished second to him in the Classic, who took the lead at the quarter-pole. It was short-lived, though, as Highland Falls and Sierra Leone moved up in tandem in the middle of the track. Fierceness began to drop back, 2023 BC Classic winner White Abarrio moved up, but Sierra Leone prevailed by one length.
Highland Falls was second, followed by Disarm, White Abarrio, Fierceness, Post Time, Skippylongstocking, Mama’s Gold and Contrary Thinking. Mindframe was scratched.
Winning jockey Flavien Prat said: “He broke forwardly which was good. I was able to stay in contact with the field. I was traveling good down the backside. I didn’t know if I had enough horse around the far turn but as soon as I asked him to get going, he really responded well.”
SIERRA LEONE wins the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes!
Last year’s @BreedersCup Classic champ books his return with a “Win and You’re In” score under Flavien Prat for trainer Chad Brown! pic.twitter.com/Rh8BnPLdD7
— NYRA (🎪) (@TheNYRA) August 2, 2025
Yes, he did. Even though he was the 3-year-old champion, Sierra Leone had a tough time running straight. He ran second in the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) after a bit of jostling in the stretch with Forever Young and has four runner-up finishes. Winning the Whitney, though, puts him at the top of the heap and it sure looks like he’s “bigger, stronger, and more mentally focused,’’ as NYRA analyst Richard Migliore said on the FOX telecast of the race.
Sierra Leone, a son of Gun Runner, improved to 12-5-4-3 with earnings of more than $6.8 million. He’s run well at the Spa – third in the Belmont Stakes (G1), second in the Jim Dandy and third in the Travers.
“He’s always been running in the highest level of races at Saratoga. He ran in the Travers, Belmont Stakes and such. The more I looked at his numbers, I wasn’t sold that he doesn’t really like the track, I just think he hadn’t won and some of his fastest numbers as a 3-year-old were actually at Saratoga—he just didn’t get it done,’’ winning trainer Chad Brown said. “As you saw in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and today, he’s a full-rounded, fully polished, fine-tuned, high-level racehorse right now.”
A next start for Sierra Leone could come in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at the Spa on Aug. 31.
Winning time for was 1:48.92.
In other graded stakes races on the Whitney undercard: Deterministic ($11.20) won the Fourstardave Stakes (G1), World Beater ($24.40) won the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1), Kilwin ($14.40) won the Test Stakes (G1), and Ewing ($5.40) won the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2).
Rounding the far turn, Deterministic ($11.20) kicked into gear under Kendrick Carmouche and cruised to a 1 ¼-length victory over Intellect in the $750,000 Fourstardave Stakes.
Sitting comfortably behind the pacesetter My Boy Prince until asked to turn up the speed, the 4-year-old Liam’s Map colt made it two Grade 1 wins in a row for trainer Miguel Clement. Deterministic won the 1 1/8-mile Manhattan Stakes by a head at Saratoga on June 8.
The victory in the 1-mile Fourstardave on the turf earned Deterministic an all-fees paid entry to the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
When the field of 10 left the gate, 1.80-1 favorite Johannes was bumped by My Boy Prince and fell back in the pack. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Johannes got caught up between horses and had to check (pull back) several times before the first turn. He was never a factor in his first start since last December.
Following the recent death of his father Christophe Clement, Miguel took over as the stable’s full-time trainer.
“He looked great. He has tactical speed so you can use it. He was moving very well. I think Kendrick was just waiting to make his move,’’ Clement said. “When he went for it, he went big. The horse delivered. He is a top-class horse. He's won on multiple surfaces over a wide range of distances. He makes us look good because he is top-class.”
Intellect, the runner-up in the Poker Stakes (G3) and the Kelso Stakes (G3) in his previous two starts, was second once again, followed by Win for the Money, My Boy Prince, Think Big, Cugino, Lagynos, Spirit of St Louis, Johannes and Neat.
Deterministic has now earned nearly $2 million and improved his record to 13-7-3-1 for owners St. Elias Stable, Ken Langone, Steve Duncker and Vicarage Stable.
It may not rank as a top upset in Saratoga lore, but World Beater pulled off an 11-1 surprise in the $750,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1), topping 28-1 Juwelier with 5-2 second betting choice Test Score third, and 2-1 favorite Hotazhell fourth.
With jockey Junior Alvarado a last-minute replacement for Jaime Torres (who had flight issues in Atlanta and couldn’t make the race), World Beater ran down pacesetter Juwelier in the stretch and won by a half-length.
The victory was the first Grade 1 for trainer Riley Mott, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
“This is Saratoga. No other explanation needs to be said. A big day, most of the big players are here,’’ Riley Mott said of the milestone win. “The Bernhards, Pin Oak Stud, they've supported me from day one. I'm really happy to be here.”
Winning time for the 1 3/16 miles on the turf was 1:52.82. With Juwelier returning $28 to place, the $2 exacta of 9-2 returned a nifty $505.
“Beautiful trip from the nine (post). I got to save some ground coming into the first turn and completely cut the corner in the second turn. When I asked my horse for his best, he split horses, and he was unbelievable today,’’ Alvarado said.
Final Gambit was fifth, followed by New Century, Capitol Hill, Tiberius Thunder and Tiztastic.
Trainer Rusty Arnold is on a Saratoga roll as Kilwin ($14.40), his second-stringer behind stablemate and favorite Echo Sound, recovered from a stumble at the start and won the $500,000 Test Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies.
“She was moving very well, and I thought I had a shot turning for home,’’ winning rider Jose Ortiz said. “Honestly, I was following the right horse, and I knew Junior [Alvarado, on Ragtime] was traveling really nicely.
“I cut the corner, and I was following him, then I came out and she gave me that extra kick that I needed inside the eighth pole.”
Winning time for the 7 furlongs was 1:23.10. Kilwin won by a neck over Ragtime, followed by Beauty Reigns, Look Forward, Cash Call, Echo Sound, Artisma and Me and Molly McGee.
Arnold, who has a small stable at the Spa, but his horses are faring well, wasn’t so sure of things.
“Well, I thought this filly was out of the race when she stumbled at the gate,’’ Arnold said. “Even Jose said, ‘I kind of picked her up, and she was running well enough, maybe I can get her Grade 1 placed and get third because she stumbled so badly.’ It wasn't like the way you drew it up, but it went well.”
What started out earlier in the week as a six-horse field for the $200,000 Saratoga Special (G2), wound up as a match race between Ewing and Obliteration, with Ewing holding off the 2-5 favorite by a length.
Ewing, ridden by Jose Ortiz, got off to a slow start but rushed up to take the lead from Obliteration after a quarter mile. A gray son of Knicks Go, Ewing ($5.40) for a $ win bet) led the rest of the way in the field of four to move to 2-0.
Camigol was third, 12 lengths behind the runner-up, and Thunder Chuck was another three lengths back in fourth.
Comport was scratched and Dazzle d’Oro was injured during training earlier in the week and was humanely euthanized.
Winning time for the 6 ½ furlongs over a fast track was 1:18.03.
Ewing won by 12 lengths in his career debut at the Spa on July 5 for trainer Mark Casse.
As for the race, Ortiz said: “He [Obliteration’s rider Flavien Prat] rode his plan -- probably his plan was to have me inside of him in plain sight every step of the way. “I felt like I broke a step slow and my horse took the lead by himself, so I was happy with that. From the three-eighths pole to the wire I knew it was a match race, so I let my horse go, I didn’t wait for him.”
