Sierra Leone To Retire To Coolmore America For 2026

Coolmore America are delighted to announce that Sierra Leone will take up stud duties in 2026 at its base in Ashford Stud in Kentucky following his final start in the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Hailed by Chad Brown who said, “I’ve trained a lot of great horses, and to me, I’d say unequivocally he’s the best horse I’ve had my hands on … he’s just in a different league.”

Sierra Leone was purchased by Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm with MV Magnier on behalf of Coolmore and Brook Smith, for $2,300,000, the top price for the 2022 renewal of the Saratoga Yearling Sale.

He duly broke his maiden on his much-anticipated debut at Aqueduct with a TDN Rising Star performance.

Stepping straight into graded company on his second start, Sierra Leone lost little in defeat, going down by a nose to Dornoch following a luckless run in the Gr.2 Remsen Stakes.

On his return to action at 3 years, Sierra Leone quickly positioned himself as a leading contender for the title of Champion 3YO colt with dominant victories in the Gr.2 Risen Star Stakes and the Gr.1 Blue Grass Stakes.

Never ducking a fight, Sierra Leone ran 7 times during his 3YO campaign. A troubled passage in the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby, saw Sierra Leone forced widest of all round the home turn in the 20-runner field, suffering defeat by the narrowest of margins to the rail-running Mystik Dan.

June, July and August saw Sierra Leone demonstrate not just his great class but also his incredible toughness with huge runs in the Gr.1 Belmont Stakes, Gr.2 Jim Dandy Stakes and the Gr.1 Travers Stakes.

The crowning moment of his 3YO campaign came with a richly deserved domination in the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Classic where he turned the tables on the top-class Travers victor and 3-time G1W, Champion 2YO, Fierceness.

The exemplary class, soundness and determination that had marked Sierra Leone’s career at 2 and 3 years was clear for all to see again this year. Running out a ready winner of the Gr.1 Whitney Stakes and taking the runners-up spot in the Gr.1 Stephen Foster and Gr.1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Sierra Leone to Ashford for the coming season,” commented Ashford Stud’s Dermot Ryan. “When you hear someone like Chad Brown say that he is the best he has ever trained, it doesn’t get any better than that!

Like his sire Gun Runner, he won a Whitney and a Breeders’ Cup Classic, except he was able to take the Classic as a 3YO!

He has been a model of class and consistency; never running out of the first 3 in 13 starts. His dam won the Gr.1 Alcibiades Stakes at 2 and he is from an exceptional line of producers, with his first 3 dams all being Grade 1 fillies!

Our sport is becoming more and more global and we are continually looking to produce stallions that appeal to the international market. In Sierra Leone we have a stallion that hails from a family that has also produced elite performers like Japanese Horse Of The Year Zeno Rob Roy and Japanese superstar, Forever Young. When you have a champion off the track, with a pedigree like Sierra Leone’s and an exceptional physical, you can’t wait to see what happens next.”

Sierra Leone’s stud fee for 2026 will be announced in due course.