DEL MAR — Thoroughbreds and jockeys from five different continents came to Del Mar this weekend for the 41st Breeders’ Cup World Championship, the world’s most prestigious thoroughbred racing event.
The two-day event returned to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s seaside oval for the third time after previously being hosted in 2017 and 2021.
This year’s total all-sources handle was over $179 million, the third highest handle in Breeders’ Cup history and a 1.7% from last year’s event, according to Breeders’ Cup. A total of 67,418 people attended the event over its two-day run.
Three-year-old Sierra Leone, trained by Chad Brown and jockeyed by Flavien Prat of France, won the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday afternoon. The colt finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of three-year-old Fierceness, followed by four-year-old Derma Sotogake of Japan.
Sierra Leone’s victory netted $3.64 million in earnings, bringing the colt’s overall earnings to just over $6 million with a record of 9-4 3-2.
“I am so proud and happy for the horse. He’s come up short a few times and had some excuses. He’s been so consistent and is such an honest horse. One of the best I’ve ever had,” said Brown.
Other exciting races included the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf, won by Irish-bred gelding Rebel’s Romance for the second time in three years. Thorpedo Anna won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff, completing the 1 1/8 race by 2 1/2 lengths over Raging Sea.
Tragedy also struck the event on Saturday when a horse died shortly after racing in the 1 1/2-mile Turf race.
Three-year-old Jayarebe of France suffered what appeared to be cardiac arrest and collapsed while galloping off the track after the race.
“He was immediately attended to by a team of veterinary experts led by Dr. Brent Cassady, but unfortunately passed away. His jockey, Sean Levey, was uninjured,” Del Mar Thoroughbred Club said in a statement. “Our thoughts and condolences go out to Jayarebe’s connections and the many fans whose lives he touched.”
Animal rights organization PETA released a statement calling for an investigation into the horse’s death.
“Another dead horse on the biggest racing day of the year, and it must not be buried as a footnote in the results. PETA urges a full investigation into the death of Thoroughbred Jayarebe in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf as well as the release of all veterinary records, treatments the horse had during international transport and quarantine, and the full necropsy report. He was just 3 years old—not even physically mature—and there should be no reason for a healthy young horse to drop dead,” PETA said.
This marks the fourth racehorse fatality at Del Mar and the 28th in California in 2024. Concerns about horse deaths increased again last year after 12 deaths at Churchill Downs, the site of the Kentucky Derby, in the spring.
Other winners during the Breeders’ Cup included:
– Soul of an Angel in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint;
– Starlust in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint;
– Moira in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf;
– Straight No Chaser in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint;
– More Than Looks in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile; and
– Full Serrano in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Breeders’ Cup organizers have announced that the event will return to Del Mar in 2025.
The Coast News wire service contributed to this report.
