Champion Sierra Leone will miss both the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup

An abscess was detected in Sierra Leone's coronet, forcing him to skip a workout, meaning he will not be in optimal condition for the first of those races. His trip to Meydan has also been canceled. Additionally, White Abarrio will not be traveling to Riyadh either

Sierra Leone will now target the Oaklawn Handicap as his return race / B'CUP / ECLIPSE SPORTSWIRE / TERE POPLIN

INDIANTOWN, Florida (Special for Turf Diario) – Sierra Leone, recently crowned 2024 Champion 3-Year-Old Male in the United States and the most recent winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), will not participate in either the Saudi Cup (G1) or the Dubai World Cup (G1), trainer Chad Brown confirmed this Wednesday.

The son of Gun Runner suffered an abscess in his coronet, which forced him to miss a workout, meaning he won’t be in optimal condition to earn the necessary 10 points for the Saudi Cup in two weeks at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s not a big deal, and I was reassured that the abscess cleared up cleanly. It didn’t grow, and his foot will be fine, but he wasn’t at 100% for a move, and we don’t want to push him. Without a workout, I want to keep him healthy, and this situation forces us to miss the race,” Brown told Thoroughbred Daily News.

The horse, who was purchased for $2.3 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in 2023, was sent to Ashford Stud after his Breeders' Cup Classic win at Del Mar, where he rested for several weeks before resuming training. He had been working normally on a weekly basis but now faces this setback.

With the withdrawal from the Saudi Cup, Sierra Leone will also miss the Dubai World Cup. Brown mentioned that he doesn’t want the horse to make his comeback in a 2000-meter race, the distance of the event set for early April at Meydan, UAE. Instead, his return to competition is now being considered for the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on April 19 at Oaklawn Park.

“The horse has matured in every way, both physically and mentally, and now I want to maintain that. Despite what happened, he’s still moving as well as he did last year, and I see him looking just as good as he did last year,” added Brown.

White Abarrio Will Also Skip Saudi

Though it had been somewhat expected, the owners of White Abarrio (Race Day), fresh off his Pegasus World Cup (G1) victory at Gulfstream Park, confirmed this Wednesday that the gray will also skip the Saudi Cup. Last year, he finished tenth in the race.

The plan is to target the major races of the season in the United States and aim for another victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic, which he won in 2023.