Kentucky Derby pedigree: Is Sierra Leone a 4-star diamond?

Sierra Leone punched his ticket to Kentucky Derby 2024 with a half-length victory in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in his first start as a 3-year-old. He emulated his sire Gun Runner, who also captured the Risen Star in his 3-year-old debut.

Last year, Sierra Leone battled the more experienced Dornoch down the muddy Aqueduct lane, missing the Remsen Stakes (G2) finish line by a nose. Dornoch, a full brother to last year’s Kentucky Derby hero Mage, followed up this year with a 1 3/4-length decision in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).

Bred by Debby Oxley out of her Grade 1-winning homebred Heavenly Love, Sierra Leone  (Gun Runner - Heavenly Love, by Malibu Moon) was a $2.3 million purchase by White Birch Farm and M. V. Magnier at the Fasig-Tipton August yearling sale, and he was the second-highest-priced American yearling in 2022.

He’s campaigned by the Coolmore partnership of  Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith, plus Westerberg Racing, Brook T. Smith and Peter M. Brant.

So far, Sierra Leone is living up to his lofty purchase price, having earned $336,750, a career record of 3: 2-1-1-0 and 55 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, good enough for fourth place on the leaderboard. 

Sire

Sierra Leone is a son of 2017 horse of the year Gun Runner (Candy Ride - Quiet Giant, by Giant's Causeway). The stallion has been phenomenal in his few short years at stud, passing class to his offspring. The leading first-, second- and third-crop sire is currently no. 6 on the national sire list with 20 graded winners.

Gun Runner scored big with his first crop, getting the undefeated champion 2-year-old filly Echo Zulu, Best Pal (G2) hero and Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Pappacap and four other black-type winners.

Six of his progeny have placed in dirt stakes or allowance contests from 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 miles. Sierra Leone has similar breeding to three of Gun Runner’s offspring who have won or placed at classic distances and are out of mares from the A.P. Indy sire line.

Female family

Dating back eight generations straight, the dams in Sierra Leone’s classy family have produced black-type earners in every generation, and his first three dams are either Grade 1 winners or Grade 1 placed.

Sierra Leone’s first two dams were precocious. Heavenly Love was a runaway 5 1/2-length winner of the 2017 Darley Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland in her second start, and her dam Darling My Darling (Deputy Minister - Roamin Rachel, by Mining) placed in a pair of Grade 1 juvenile stakes, the Matron and Frizette.

While neither mare won beyond 1 1/6 miles, Heavenly Love was third over the lawn, bested 1 1/2 lengths in the Regret Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles.

Besides Heavenly Love, Darling My Darling produced Santa Ynez (G2) heroine Forever Darling (Congrats). That one bore the Japanese-bred Forever Young, the undefeated winner of this year’s Saudi Derby and a leading contender on Japan road to the Kentucky Derby.

A seven-furlong specialist, Sierra Leone’s third dam Roamin Rachel (Mining - One Smart Lady, by Clever Trick) captured the Ballerina Handicap (G1), Beaumont Stakes (G2) and Brown & Williamson Handicap (G3) as well as four listed events. Roamin Rachel also produced Japan’s 2004 horse of the year and successful stallion Zeno Rob Roy (Sunday Silence). 

Sierra Leone is the second foal out of Heavenly Love. His half-brother Monegasque (Uncle Mo) was unplaced in two starts and hasn’t breezed since last March. Sierra Leone has a 2-year-old unnamed half-brother by Nyquist who was a $250,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase, plus a brand new full little sister born this year.

Malibu Moon (A.P. Indy - Macoumba, by Mr. Prospector) is an example of what might have been. Malibu Moon, a son of A.P. Indy out of the French Group 1 winner Macoumba, was a very precocious youngster, which is rare for offspring of A.P. Indy.  The dark bay colt raced only twice. He placed second in his debut in late April of his 2-year-old season. A month later he beat maidens going five furlongs on the dirt at Hollywood Park. Unfortunately, Malibu Moon’s promising career was cut short because of a slab fracture of his right knee.

Malibu Moon sired a champion and 38 stakes winners, including 2013 Kentucky Derby hero Orb, before passing in 2021.

Ranked no. 17 on the national broodmare sire list by earnings, Malibu Moon’s daughters have produced 82 stakes winners, including champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind, Louisiana Derby (G2) and Haskell (G1) victor Girvin, plus By the Moon, and My Conquestadory, both Grade 1 winners. His daughters' offspring have won up to 1 1/8 miles, but, given the proper breeding, it is only a matter of time until their babies win at classic distances

The Gun Runner-Malibu Moon cross has produced Breeders’ Futurity winner Locked, sprinter-miler Shotgun Hottie, who won the Molly Pitcher (G3), and Bold Ruler (G3) winning sprinter Runninsonofagun.

Kentucky Derby contender or pretender?

So far, no Risen Star Stakes winner has crossed the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby, although a few have come close. 2021 Risen Star hero Mandaloun was second bested by 1/2 length and was declared the Kentucky Derby winner after Medina Sprit was disqualified.

A year later, Epicenter captured the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby and was second in the Kentucky Derby, beaten by 3/4 lengths, and last year, Angel of Empire checked in third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths in the Derby.

Of course, we can’t forget Gun Runner, who was third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby, and Mucho Macho Man also was third in 2011.

Sierra Leone has a classic pedigree and conformation. He’s comparable to his sire, from the little white star on his forehead to the way he stretches out his body when running.

Sierra Leone was impressive in his trio of career starts. His final furlongs for each race were 12.77 seconds going a mile and 12.88 and 12.73 at 1 1/8 miles over sloppy tracks in the Remsen and Risen Star, respectively. The final fractions show that he’s not a one-paced grinder and has gears.

To help boost his chances, Sierra Leone may carry the X-Factor “large heart” gene from his damsire Malibu Moon, and his third dam also is a carrier. Additionally, there are three instances of noted X-Factor stallion Princequillo in his pedigree.

X-Factor stallions pass the gene to their daughters, thus becoming good broodmare sires. Secretariat, perhaps one of the most famous stallions noted for his large heart, was considered one of the greatest broodmare sires in modern history.

X-Factor carriers aren’t always superstars, but if they have the talent and mentality of a winner, they will be very competitive and possibly champions. Besides Secretariat, X-Factor carriers include Zenyatta, California Chrome, American Pharoah and Justify. Also, many Kentucky Derby winners are X-Factor carriers.

Sierra Leone’s next goal is the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 16. Chad Brown has an excellent record in the 1 1/8-mile contest, winning twice, finishing second three times and placing third in six starts. 

Sierra Leone is proven at 1 1/8 miles on dirt and mud. He has a classic conformation and pedigree, and his quick final fractions indicate he’ll be effective at 1 1/4 miles and beyond.