Prat replaces Gaffalione to ride Sierra Leone in Belmont Stakes

Flavien Prat will replace Tyler Gaffalione to ride Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone on June 8 in the $2 million Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown revealed the jockey change after the colt owned by Peter Brant, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith breezed Saturday morning at Saratoga’s Oklahoma dirt training track.

“Tyler, from where he was, worked out a very good trip (in the Derby),” Brown said in comments reported by the New York Racing Association. “He paused a few times. In the first turn he paused behind some horses who were in his way, and around the five-sixteenths pole there were some tired horses who came up on him, and he had to get around them. It cost him a little bit, but I thought those decisions were good. I’m moving forward with the change (to Prat), and we’ll see how it goes.”

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Gaffalione was fined $2,500 by Kentucky stewards for making left-handed contact with third-place Forever Young just as the two colts crossed the finish line in the Derby, a nose behind the winner Mystik Dan.

A dual graded-stakes winner sired by Gun Runner, Sierra Leone breezed in his typical blinkers to the inside of his workmate, Grade 3 winner Domestic Product. NYRA clockers caught the pair through splits of 13.28, 25.87, 37.95 and through five furlongs in 1:02.64 before galloping out in 1:15.78 and 1:28.64 over the fast footing.

Brown said he was pleased with the work from both horses.

“It was just what I wanted, a steady five-eighths and let them gallop out,” Brown said. “I want to maintain where I’m at with (Sierra Leone), and I’m thrilled with how he’s moving.”

Sierra Leone sported a new type of equipment, a cage bit, for his work Saturday in hopes of a more controlled ride.

“We’re experimenting a little bit,” Brown said. “I tried it a little bit in the winter, and I wasn’t sold on it, so we went with just some blinkers in the Risen Star (a Grade 2 win), and he responded well. But I’m thinking about tweaking a little bit, not positive yet, to give the rider some more control. It could potentially help a little bit.

“He’s never done much in the mornings, and sometimes it’s hard to recreate (afternoon issues) in the mornings. The horse had never had us worried about steering issues in the mornings. All we try to do is, as they show us more in the afternoons, is to be prepared.”

While Domestic Product will skip the Belmont Stakes, Brown could have one other contender in William Lawrence, Walmac Farm and Stonestreet Stables’ Tuscan Gold, who finished fourth in the Preakness last Saturday.

“I’m going to work the horse next weekend and then decide,” Brown said. “The work and how he’s bounced out of the race will let me know.”

The Medaglia d’Oro bay graduated at second asking in January at Gulfstream Park and finished third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) in March ahead of his Preakness effort, where he made a mild bid from sixth of eight to land 8 1/4 lengths back of the victorious pacesetter Seize the Grey.

As for Klaravich Stables’ Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Domestic Product, Brown said a cutback is likely for the son of Practical Joke after finishing a troubled 13th in the Kentucky Derby.

Brown, who won the H. Allen Jerkens (G1) with Practical Joke on a cutback three starts after a fifth in the Derby in 2017, said Domestic Product could be following the same trajectory as his sire. His next target could be the seven-furlong Woody Stephens (G1) on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

“I’m not sure, but I’m probably going to cut the horse back in distance,” Brown said. “He’s possible for the Woody Stephens. Obviously, Practical Joke was cut back late in the year and did good. We’re thinking about that.”

Also on Saturday’s work tab at Saratoga for Brown was dual graded-stakes placed Ways and Means, who covered a half-mile in company with Nikitis in 49.49 seconds with a gallop-out in 1:02.4. Just after them followed a solo work from multiple graded-stakes winner Carl Spackler, who covered a half-mile in 50.0 seconds and galloped out in 1:03.58.