Sierra Leone Shows Championship Form in Blue Grass Stakes Victory at Keeneland

The Blue Grass Stakes provided an opportunity for a star to emerge. The winner of the Risen Star happily stepped into the spotlight.

Sierra Leone stormed down the straightaway at Keeneland Racecourse, passing Just a Touch to capture the 100th edition of the Blue Grass Stakes and punch a ticket to Kentucky Derby 150.

The three-year-old brought championship pedigree to the Blue Grass Stakes. Sired by Gun Runner and trained by Chad Brown, Sierra Leone was impressive during his first victory of the season in February. The Blue Grass Stakes provided a much more challenging task, filled with graded stakes winners and Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Halfway through the race, the colt appeared to be out of contention.

Sierra Leone trailed Brad Cox’s Just a Touch by eight lengths with a quarter of a mile remaining. On the outside of a host of horses, it looked like there was nowhere for Tyler Gafflione to go.

In the blink of an eye, Sierra Leone stormed ahead of six foes to cross the finish line first. It’s one of the more eye-opening closing performances you’ll see in horse racing.

🏆#10 SIERRA LEONE ($5.32) explodes down the stretch to win Keeneland's $1,000,000 Blue Grass Stakes (G1)!@Tyler_Gaff gave the son of @Three_Chimneys's Gun Runner a perfectly-timed ride for trainer Chad Brown. Congratulations to the connections! pic.twitter.com/giC8STcap4

— TVG (@TVG) April 6, 2024

“He’s so incredible,” Tyler Gafflione said shortly after crossing the finish line. “He’s got so much power, so much natural abilities. He keeps finding more. It’s incredible.”

The impressive performance at Keeneland will make Sierra Leone one of the top choices in next month’s Kentucky Derby, alongside Florida Derby and two-year-old champion, Fierceness.

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