Sierra Leone to Make Four-Year-Old Bow in Centennial New Orleans Classic

By Kevin Kilroy —-

2-17-2024 – Sierra Leone(left) passes Track Phantom(gold cap) in deep stretch to win the 52nd running of the Grade II $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. Hodges Photography / Amanda Hodges Weir

New Orleans, La (March 16, 2025) – Last year’s Champion 3-Year-Old Male Sierra Leone will return to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to make his 4-year-old bow, leading a loaded field of ten for the 100th running of the $500,000 New Orleans Classic presented by Relyne GI By Hagyard (G2). Going 1 1/8 miles across the main track, the New Orleans Classic is the fourth and final stake in the series written for older horses.

Scheduled for Saturday, March 22, the New Orleans Classic is one of eight added money events on the Louisiana Derby Day card, and it is the first leg of an All Graded Stakes Pick 4 which concludes with the $1 million TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). The last stop on the local Road to the Kentucky Derby will award 100-50-25-15-10 qualifying points to the top five finishers.

The average field size is 11 runners (not including also-eligibles) across the Louisiana Derby Day 12-race program. The centennial New Orleans Classic is slated as race 9 and first post is noon CT.

Tabbed as the 7-5 morning line favorite, Sierra Leone’s top accomplishment on his way to being named the Eclipse champion came when the Chad Brown trainee won the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar. His sophomore campaign began locally with a score in the Risen Star (G2). Owned by Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, and Brook Smith, the son of Gun Runner went on to score in the Blue Grass (G1) ahead of his second place run in Kentucky Derby 150. Never out of the money in eight graded stakes tries, Sierra Leone’s bankroll towers just above $6 million. The 3-year-old champ will be guided from post 7 by fellow 2024 Eclipse Award Champion Flavien Prat, who was named the 2024 Outstanding Jockey.

Beyond the deserving favorite, there’s no lack of New Orleans Classic title contenders. Top among them is the Mineshaft (G3) winner Hall of Fame. Like Sierra Leone, Hall of Fame is a 4-year-old colt by Gun Runner, and he has a similar group of owners in Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Gandharvi, and Brook Smith. Unlike Sierra Leone, the Steve Asmussen trainee has recency. Following his lackluster performances on the Derby trail, connections decided to regroup with the $1.4 million purchase and Hall of Fame has proven unbeatable in three starts since his Dec. 1 comeback. Meet-leading rider Jose Ortiz returns to the irons of the 4-1 morning line second choice who drew post 2.

Set-Hut’s Touchuponastar returns in the New Orleans Classic after setting a blistering pace and valiantly digging in to finish second in 2024 to Asmussen’s late-kicker Red Route One. Winning his third consecutive Premier Night Championship at Delta Downs last out, Touchuponastar has now earned more than $1.1 million. With multiple graded stakes placings, the Jeff Delhomme trainee has proven himself time and again against open company, and at age 6, he has not lost a step, having just paired up 101 Brisnet Speed figures in his last two stakes wins, just shy of his 104 career best earned when trouncing Tumbarumba in the 2023 Louisiana Champions Day Classic ahead of being named the 2023 Louisiana-bred Horse of The Year. With Tim Thornton in the saddle, Touchuponastar will break from post 5.

Brad Cox trained stablemates bookend the ten-horse field as the General MacArthur winner Kinetic drew the rail and the multiple graded stakes-placed Bishops Bay, post 10.

Beyond the New Orleans Classic and local derby, Saturday’s festivities will include the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks (G2), the first prep on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks to offer 200 qualifying points; the $300,000 Muniz Memorial presented by Horse Racing Nation (G2); the $150,000 Tom Benson Memorial, a 1 1/16 miles turf route for older fillies and mares, and a trio of $100,000 Louisiana-bred stakes.

Closing day at Fair Grounds is Sunday, March 23 The last day of the 153rd Thoroughbred meet will showcase top statebred talent with three stakes on the card.

Here is the complete field for the $500,000 New Orleans Classic (G2) from the rail out (with jockey, trainer, and morning line):

1. Kinetic (Luis Saez, Brad Cox, 10-1)

10. Bishops Bay (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Brad Cox, 10-1)

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.