Sierra Leone, the current Breeders’ Cup Classic champion and one of the standout racehorses of his time, has built a legacy that goes all the way back to his early days at a training center in Florida. So, the dark bay colt was bred by Debby Oxley and sold for a whopping $2.3 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.
Since then, he’s really made a name for himself, racking up over $6.8 million in earnings and winning some big races like the Whitney Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes. His success really shows off not just his impressive background—being by Gun Runner and out of Heavenly Love—but also the solid training he got as a young horse from David Scanlon. So, the Ocala training center, where Sierra Leone kicked off his journey, has found some new individuals to take care of it.
Scanlon and his wife, Blair King, have bought the 240-acre facility that was previously owned by Eddie and Angela Woods, who are well-known names in the Thoroughbred industry. The timing of the sale is pretty significant, coming right when Sierra Leone is still shining on the track and during the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, where the colt once made headlines as a yearling.
According to Bloodhorse, after the property made this accusation, David Scanlon mentioned, “We’ve always admired Eddie and Angela and how they’ve done business, the lives they created, and how much success they’ve had. Both Blair and myself said we would love to follow in their footsteps. To fall into something that Eddie and Angela had, and become guardians of a farm like that … it’s a dream that has come true.”
The Woods’ old training center, now owned by Scanlon and King, has 196 stalls, a mile-long racetrack, a seven-furlong turf course, and even an equine swimming pool. These features are all set up to help develop top-notch prospects like Sierra Leone. For Scanlon, this purchase is a big step in a career focused on nurturing young talent. His link to Sierra Leone’s early development really highlights how crucial skilled horsemanship is in creating future stars.
Horse Racing: 150th Kentucky Derby May 4, 2024 Louisville, KY, USA Sierra Leone ridden by Tyler Gaffalione rushes through the final turn during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Louisville Churchill Downs Kentucky USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGracexHollarsx 20240504_gma_usa_0053
The colt’s journey from the Ocala grounds to the Saratoga sales ring, and then on to Grade 1 success, really shows how smoothly the path runs from training centers to the top levels of racing. After winning the Whitney Stakes, the colt is now looking ahead to tackle some more G1 challenges later this season.
Sierra Leone is set for big stages
Trainer Chad Brown’s star colt has a clear path ahead, with two major goals lined up for his colt for the second half of his 2025 season. First up is the thrilling Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Saratoga on August 31, a $1 million showdown that could feature some of Sierra Leone’s fiercest competitors. Even though his come-from-behind style really did wonders in the Whitney, Brown might like to see his horse a little closer to the pace in this 1 1/4-mile race.
If he puts in a solid performance here, it could really boost Sierra Leone’s spirits and spark some great ideas for how to go about defending his Breeders’ Cup Classic title.
This time around, the defending champion is likely to encounter a tougher and more varied bunch of competitors, with potential challengers ranging from European stars to eager three-year-olds ready to make their mark. The Classic isn’t just another race for Sierra Leone; it’s a real opportunity for him to solidify his legacy as one of the great closers we’ve seen in a long time.
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