Sierra Leone, Fierceness Breeze Ahead of Jim Dandy

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Sierra Leone, Fierceness Breeze Ahead of Jim Dandy
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Sierra Leone cools down in the barn area of Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training track

Sierra Leone  breezed a half-mile solo in :49.73 July 21 over Saratoga Race Course's Oklahoma training track in his final preparation for the July 27 nine-furlong, $500,000 Jim Dandy (G2) at The Spa.

New York Racing Association clockers caught the Gun Runner   colt in an opening quarter-mile of :25.25 before galloping out in 1:02.68, 1:14.93, and 1:28.92.

"He did super. He's in a nice rhythm," trainer Chad Brown said. "He's been working solo on the training track—I'm liking it. He galloped out with good energy. That's just what I'm looking for six days out."

Campaigned by Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook Smith, Sierra Leone had worked in company training up to his third-place finish last out in the June 8 Belmont Stakes (G1) but has worked solo leading into the Jim Dandy.

"He's at a stage of his development where it was something to transition into," Brown explained. "I'm very flexible in training them and observing where they are in their development. For right now, at this point of his campaign, it's working for him taking him out of company for a little bit. He's very fit and I'm just looking to bring him to the race healthy and focused."

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Sierra Leone captured the Risen Star (G2) in February at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and followed in April with a victory in Keeneland's Blue Grass Stakes (G1). He was a close runner-up to Mystik Dan  in the Kentucky Derby (G1) ahead of his Belmont Stakes effort.

Saturday's Jim Dandy will serve as the local major prep for the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 24.

Fierceness Preps for Jim Dandy

Repole Stable's Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Fierceness  breezed a half-mile in :49.61 Sunday, according to NYRA clockers, to complete his preparations for the Jim Dandy.

Fierceness stands quietly awaiting his bath after his final tune-up work this morning Sunday July, 21, 2024 in preparation for the Jim Dandy Stakes which runs next Saturday at the Saratoga Race Course  in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.  Photo by Skip Dickstein
Photo: Skip Dickstein
Fierceness outside his stall at Saratoga Race Course

The City of Light   bay worked in company to the outside of sophomore colt Marche  at approximately 7 a.m. over the Spa main track. 

"Excellent. It went very well," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "A nice easy half-mile in 49 and change, he looked good."

Fierceness, a dominant winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) in November at Santa Anita Park and Florida Derby (G1) in March at Gulfstream Park, hasn't run since a distant fifteenth as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. 

He was entered for the Haskell Saturday at Monmouth Park but scratched in favor of the Jim Dandy. 

Out of the winning Stay Thirsty   mare Nonna Bella , Fierceness, a Kentucky homebred for Repole Stable, won his debut by 11 1/4 lengths in August in his lone effort at the Spa.