Sierra Leone earns first Saratoga win in Whitney; Kilwin rallies in Test

Saratoga is known as the "Graveyard of Favorites," a moniker it lived up to last season when Sierra Leone fell short as the public choice in the Belmont (G1), Jim Dandy (G2), and Travers (G1). With the pressure slightly off in Saturday's $1 million Whitney (G1), last year's three-year-old champion ended his hoodoo at the Spa with a convincing last-to-first rally under Flavien Prat.

A dull third in the New Orleans Classic (G2) to start the season, Sierra Leone entered the Whitney off a mild second-place run in the Stephen Foster (G1). Neither race had a pace as fast as what Sierra Leone exploited to win the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), thus co-owner Peter Brant and trainer Chad Brown entered longshot Contrary Thinking in the Whitney to ensure a proper setup.

Contrary Thinking never made the lead in the Whitney, but he did force the issue with pacesetter Mama's Gold. The fractions weren't especially fast, :23.82 and 47:07, but probably were sufficient over a fast track, producing modest times throughout the day.

In the catbird seat chasing the top pair was 6-5 favorite Fierceness, who eventually followed an early bid by Skippylongstocking into contention on the far turn. Fierceness grabbed the lead from that rival approaching the turn for home and looked a serious danger to go on for a short while, but quickly ran out of gas as Sierra Leone and Highland Falls made outside progress.

Fierceness was completely swallowed up by the eighth pole by Sierra Leone and Highland Falls, with the former moving best of all and ultimately winning by one length. Highland Falls finished two lengths ahead of 46-1 outsider Disarm, who was followed by 2023 Whitney winner White Abarrio, Fierceness, Post Time, Skippylongstocking, Mama's Gold, and Contrary Thinking.

Co-owned by Brant and the Coolmore principals, Sierra Leone covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.92 and paid $5.90 as the second choice.

"The more I looked at his numbers, I wasn't sold that he doesn't really like the track, I just think he hadn't won and some of his fastest numbers as a three-year-old were actually at Saratoga—he just didn't get it done," Brown said.

By virtue of winning the Whitney, Sierra Leone earned an expenses-paid berth back to Del Mar to defend his Breeders' Cup Classic title in November. The Classic was one of his three stakes wins in his championship campaign last term, along with the Blue Grass (G1) and Risen Star (G2). He placed in all three of his defeats at Saratoga, and was also a nose behind Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Brown said the timing of the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) puts that race into play as a potential final prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

"I would [consider the Gold Cup] because he hasn't run that much this year," Brown said. "I'm not afraid of running again, because if he comes out of it sound, I have a lot of time from the Jockey Club Gold Cup."

Sierra Leone is a son of Gun Runner and the Grade 1-winning Heavenly Love, a daughter of Malibu Moon.

Jockey Jose Ortiz registered two graded dirt sprint wins on Saturday with horses who broke tardily from the gate. In contrast to Ewing, who quickly overcame his slow start to lead nearly all the way in the Saratoga Special (G2), the three-year-old filly Kilwin had to pass all seven of her rivals while making up nearly a dozen lengths to win the $500,000 Test (G1).

Kilwin stumbled badly at the start of the Test, but was at least aided by a contested pace involving Me and Molly McGee and Echo Sound, Kilwin's stablemate in the Rusty Arnold stable and the approximate 3-2 favorite. Echo Sound entered the stretch as a brief leader, but the Test turned out to benefit those with the best closing kick. Kilwin followed stakes newcomer Ragtime into contention inside the final quarter mile and eventually nailed that rival in the final strides to win by a neck.

"She was moving very well, and I thought I had a shot turning for home," Ortiz said. "Honestly, I was following the right horse, and I knew Junior [Alvarado, on Ragtime] was traveling really nicely. I cut the corner and I was following him, then I came out and she gave me that extra kick that I needed inside the eighth pole."

Owned by BBN Racing, Kilwin covered seven furlongs in 1:23.10 and paid $14.40. Ragtime finished 3 3/4 lengths ahead of Beauty Reigns, who was followed by Look Forward, Cash Call, Echo Sound, Artisma, and Me and Molly McGee.

The Test was the second consecutive stakes win for Kilwin, a daughter of Twirling Candy who landed the Leslie's Lady S. at Churchill Downs on June 8 in her dirt debut. She had previously won two of five starts on grass, including the Untapable S. at Kentucky Downs last September. She finished second in the Mamzelle (G3) at Churchill two back.

Arnold indicated Kilwin would go back to Kentucky Downs next month for the $2 million Music City (G2) on Sept. 6.

A Kentucky-bred, Kilwin was produced by Spanish Star, a Blame half-sister to Belmont S. winner Sir Winston. Spanish Star has also produced One Timer, a Grade 2 winner at Kentucky Downs, and the Grade 1-placed stakes winner Just Basking.