The Whitney Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday revolved around the return to form of last year’s Breeders Cup hero Sierra Leone and as we can see from the data above, he certainly didn’t disappoint. If Chad Brown had been able to write the script for this race, it would almost certainly have followed this exact pattern to give his 4-year-old the best opportunity to win the race. A strong early pace set by Mama’s Gold and Contrary Thinking helped to ensure that this race was run to suit and as a result, it became a stiff test in the Saratoga straight. However, having been last with 4-furlongs to run, Sierra Leone had to do this the hard way, making his ground through the field before coming wide into the straight to come with a sustained charge down the centre of the course to win by a length from Highland Falls. There’s no real excuses to be made for those in behind. White Abarrio has been on the go since January and he is beginning to look like he needs a break, but the same cannot be said for the beaten favourite Fierceness, who had the first run into the straight and simply had nothing left in the final furlong. Perhaps we can forgive him slightly given that he did most of the chasing to narrow the gap to the leaders in the back straight, but having gained an advantage of around 4-lengths on Sierra Leone by the time they reached the crown of the bend, his finishing effort was tame and a run-out speed of 29.55 mph ranked only 6th. 

We could over analyse the performances of the beaten horses, but the data would suggest that the Whitney Stakes has been won by a horse that is simply a class apart. Despite having to come from the rear of the field, Sierra Leone has managed to make his way through some narrow gaps on the inside of the bend before running the fastest final 2-furlongs in the race and recorded the best run-out speed figure in the field at 33.9 mph. Sierra Leone had run reasonably well on his seasonal return when 2nd to Mindframe in the Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs in June, but he shaped like a horse that needed his first run for 98-days as he was initially outpaced before staying on with the fastest final furlong in the 4-runner field. That race wasn’t run to suit and as we saw in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a strong pace is the key to Sierra Leone, whose long stride is seen to best effect when the race is run at a fast pace in the back straight. At an average of 25.10 ft, Sierra Leone had the longest stride in the field on Saturday evening and it’s no coincidence that his best form has come in races where he has been able to use that stride to best effect. At this time last year, Fierceness appeared to have the better of Sierra Leone, but this was a dominant performance from Chad Brown’s charge and there is no obvious reason to think that the form would be reversed next time. The 3-year-olds do look to be exceptional this year, but at this stage, Sierra Leone has now proven himself to be capable of running to his 2024 levels and this victory can only add to the excitement for what has the potential to be a Breeders’ Cup Classic for the ages in November.