After Breeders’ Cup, Sierra Leone will go to Ashford Stud

After he races Nov. 1 in defense of his Breeders’ Cup Classic victory from last year, Eclipse Award winner Sierra Leone will be retired to 2026 stallion duty at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

The announcement came in a news release Wednesday from Coolmore America, which did not declare a stud fee.

Sierra Leone works toward Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“I’ve trained a lot of great horses, and to me, I’d say unequivocally he’s the best horse I’ve had my hands on,” trainer Chad Brown said in the release. “He’s just in a different league.”

Sierra Leone was bought by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm with M.V. Magnier on behalf of Coolmore and Brook Smith for $2.3 million, the top price for the August 2022 Fasig-Tipton yearling sale at Saratoga.

The son of Gun Runner broke his maiden on his much-anticipated debut at Aqueduct in November 2023. Stepping straight into graded company in his second start, Sierra Leone lost by a nose to Dornoch in the Remsen Stakes (G2).

On his return to action at 3, Sierra Leone positioned himself as a leading contender for the title of division champion with dominant victories in the Risen Star (G2) and the Blue Grass (G2).

Sierra Leone ran seven times during his 3-year-old campaign. He was forced wide in the Kentucky Derby only to finish third by two noses to rail-running Mystik Dan. June, July and August last year saw Sierra Leone finish third in the Belmont Stakes, second in the Jim Dandy (G2) and third in the Travers (G1).

The crowning moment of the 3-year-old campaign for Sierra Leone was his domination of the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar, where he turned the tables on the Travers victor Fierceness. The victory clinched his 3-year-old male championship for 2024.

This year Sierra Leone won the Whitney Stakes (G1) and taking the runner-up spots in the Stephen Foster (G1) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Sierra Leone to Ashford for the coming season,” Ashford Stud’s Dermot Ryan said. “When you hear someone like Chad Brown say that he is the best he has ever trained, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

Sierra Leone never has been off the board in his 13 starts. Just like his sire Gun Runner, he won the Whitney and Breeders’ Cup Classic. Heavenly Love, his dam by Malibu Moon, won the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at 2. Sierra Leone’s first three first 3 dams in his bloodlines all were Grade 1 fillies.

Ryan also noted that Sierra Leone hails from a family that has also produced elite performers in Japan such as former horse of the year Zeno Rob Roy and current 3-year-old standout Forever Young, who will challenge Sierra Leone again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.