DEL MAR — Sierra Leone had a reputation as a talented horse who never seemed to win. In his last four races he finished second twice and third twice. All that changed Saturday when he stormed to the lead down the stretch to win the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic at the Del Mar Turf Club.

The 3-year-old stallion beat the favored Fierceness, winner of the Travers Stakes, by 1½ lengths. The Japanese horse Forever Young was third and Newgate was fourth.

Sierra Leone finished 11th in the 14-strong field and stayed in the middle of the field until making his move in the second corner. He came third in the mile. At the start of the home straight he fought against Fierceness, but in the end his pace was too late for the competition.

“It's incredible that he's had this moment and overcome all the frustrations of the year,” coach Chad Brown said. (There were) races I entered and thought I was finally going to win the Derby or finally win the Travers with this horse, but then I went away and unsaddled him without getting the win. That really makes it worth it.

“This is an incredible horse. Anyone could have trained him and he would have had a great career because he is just an excellent looking horse. He is well behaved and makes your work easy.”

Sierra Leone paid US$15.80 to win as the fourth choice.

Jockey Flavien Prat rode the three-year-old stallion for the fourth time. The horse's last win was April 6 in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland with Tyler Gaffalione aboard.

Before the race it was all about City of Troy, the sixth of seven lifetime winners. The only problem is that he runs mainly in England and only on the grass. The question was how he would perform on the dirt in the 1 ¼ mile race. The answer was that he came eighth.

The Classic is the flagship event of the two-day Breeders' Cup and is also the highest-paying race in the United States. It aired in the middle of the card for the second year in a row so NBC could switch to a college football game. For the first 39 years, it was held as the last Breeders' Cup race.

The day took a tragic turn in the $5 million turf when Jayarebe collapsed while galloping after the race. According to a route veterinarian, the preliminary reason was sudden death, probably a heart attack. He finished seventh in the race at odds of about 9:1.

It was the 15th Breeders' Cup fatality in the event's 41-year history. The most recent death occurred in the Classic in 2021 when Mongolian Gloom collapsed at the end of the track.

Jayarebe is a 3-year-old colt who races primarily in Europe. It was his eighth race in his life.

Thorpedo Anna strengthened her case for the Horse of the Year title with an easy victory in the $2 million distaff, which features female horses that cover 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. She broke off in the lead and then secured a 2½ length victory. Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. took advantage of the slow pace to win in a session that was little more than a paid workout.

The Distaff lost much of its firepower when Idiomatic, last year's champion, dropped out of the race. Thorpedo Anna has won six of her seven races this year. Her only defeat came to Fierceness in the Travers Stakes, where she competed against all male horses.

“She’s really special, she makes it look so easy,” coach Kenny McPeek said. “She really made our work easier all year long.

McPeek said the current plan is to bring her back as a four-year-old.

“We’re going to come up with a plan for that,” McPeek said. “I think she was so much fun and healthy. We'll probably take her to Dr. (Larry) let Bramlage (from Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky) go and harass her a little. Make sure everything is in order before we make this final decision.”

One of the first surprises came in the $1 million Turf Sprint when heavy favorite Cogburn lost to Starlust ($69.20) in the five-eighths race. Cogburn had a lead of 2 ½ lengths at the start of the stretch and then he simply ran out of gas. He came sixth.

Starlust, running in England, has been largely overlooked having finished ninth, third and sixth in his last three races.

“I thought Cogburn slipped me at the end of the stretch,” said jockey Rossa Ryan. “They couldn’t stop the frantic gallop we were having.”

The first Breeders' Cup race of the day was the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint, a seven-eighths-mile race won by Soul of an Angel ($41.60). The 5-year-old mare has been racing extensively in her 41st year of life. It was her sixth lifetime victory.

He is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Drayden Van Dyke.

Van Dyke, a Southern California fixture, took time off from racing last year, so Saturday's win was a welcome gain.

“I personally felt like I needed it,” Van Dyke said. “I have been traveling non-stop since I was 18. I lost my father when I was 18. I just kept going. I never managed to really grieve and process everything. I took some time out for myself.”

Rebel's Romance ($5.80) won the $5 million turf for trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick.

After the Classic was held, there were four more Breeders' Cup races.