Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), who rallied from last to finish second behind Fierceness (City of Light) in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes Saturday, will continue on to the Aug. 24 GI DraftKings Travers Stakes, trainer Chad Brown confirmed Sunday.
“I thought he ran great. He put in a really good performance,” Brown said of his charge's Jim Dandy effort. “He's come out of it well, so we'll move forward and point to the Travers. We're looking forward to getting back out to a mile and a quarter.”
Sierra Leone won the GII Risen Star Stakes and GI Toyota Blue Grass Stakes earlier in the year. He was a nose from winning the GI Kentucky Derby and was third in this year's 1 1/4-mile GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
Also Saturday, Brown sent Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) out to a 'TDN Rising Star' debut win. The juvenile, purchased by Flanagan Racing for $725,000 at this year's OBS Spring Sale, rallied from last of 10 under Flavien Prat with a seven-wide stretch run to score by one length in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight.
“I was a bit uneasy down the backside when he got shuffled back and he was way out of position,” Brown said. “He's faster than that and I didn't think he had much of a chance from there, but he showed his ability to get up in time. He ended up on a good part of the track out in the center. He was probably helped by being on a better part of the track, but he showed a lot of ability. I was really pleased with him.”
Chancer McPatrick is now likely to target the seven-furlong GI Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Sept. 2.
“I think stretching him out to seven is a minimum of what he really wants and down the road longer than that,” Brown said.
Chancer McPatrick was Brown's third 2-year-old debut winner of the Saratoga meet and his second to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status. Resolute Racing's Virgin Colada (More Than Ready), who was tabbed a 'Rising Star' following her win last Sunday, is now aiming for the Aug. 28 P.G. Johnson Stakes, while Klaravich Stables' Incentive Pay (Volatile), who won last Saturday, is also under consideration for the Hopeful.
Trainer Bill Mott confirmed Sunday that Juddmonte homebred Batten Down (Tapit), third in the Jim Dandy, would also be heading to the Travers.
“Absolutely,” Mott said of a potential next start in the Travers. “I'll put it this way, we are surely going to nominate him.”
Second in the stretch, Batten Down was on the chase of an outwardly-drifting Fierceness, forcing him to dive inside where he was passed by Sierra Leone for place-honors.
Mott said Fierceness' wide stretch run might have intimidated Batten Down, but it was still a strong showing.
“It didn't help us. It maybe intimidated our horse a little bit,” said Mott. “Got beat by two awfully good horses. It was a good effort. It was a pretty good effort.”
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