Sierra Leone registers top Brisnet Speed rating of 2024

The top Brisnet Speed rating of 2024 came in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), as Sierra Leone registered a career-best 114.

Contested at Del Mar on Nov. 2, the 1 1/4-mile Classic featured a hot pace in fractions of :22.43, :44.96, and 1:09.44. The race set up well for Sierra Leone’s patented late kick, and the Chad Brown trainee rallied to a 1 1/2-length decision in a final time of 2:00.78. Runner-up Fierceness, who had been involved in the pace, earned a 112 Speed figure for his commendable effort in defeat. Both three-year-old colts rank as leading contenders for Eclipse Awards.

According to Brisnet.com, Warrior Johny posted the year’s second-fastest winning Speed rating, a 111, at Saratoga July 11. The Phil Bauer charge rolled by four lengths in the 1 1/8-mile allowance while clocking 1:47.87. 

Full Count Felicia recorded the fastest Speed figure on turf (110), and third-best in a winning effort overall in 2024, in her daring wire-to-wire victory in the Sept. 14 E.P. Taylor (G1) at Woodbine. Opening up by as many as 19 lengths in the middle stages of the 1 1/4-mile affair, the Kevin Attard mare ultimately held on by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:59.29. 

Three stakes winners tied with 109 Speed ratings achieved in different conditions – Rebel’s Romance, Straight No Chaser, and Rated by Merit.  

Rebel’s Romance notched his 109 by finishing the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) in 2:26.07 at Del Mar. Fast-closing near-misser Rousham Park also merited a 109, but he didn’t make the Brisnet year-end rankings because he was second.

Straight No Chaser’s 109 came in the Sept. 29 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2). By speeding six furlongs in 1:08.54, he ran faster than he did to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) (1:08.62, Speed rating of 106) next time out. 

Undefeated Rated by Merit is the highest-ranking two-year-old, courtesy of his 109 in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality division of the Florida Sire S. at Gulfstream Park Nov. 30. The next-best winning Speed figure by a two-year-old was Citizen Bull’s 107 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). 

A 108 Speed rating was shared by dirt marathon specialist Next in the July 5 Brooklyn (G2) at Aqueduct, Mixto in the 1 1/4-mile Pacific Classic (G1) at Del Mar Aug. 31, and Highway Robber in his course-record Sycamore (G3) over 1 1/2 miles on the Keeneland turf Oct. 11. 

Fourteen winners delivered 107 Speed figures, including Fierceness in his Travers (G1) verdict over Thorpedo Anna, who duplicated her 107 in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1); the aforementioned juvenile Citizen Bull; and Raging Torrent, who has the distinction of appearing twice in this bracket, through his May 4 allowance romp at Churchill Downs matched by the Aug. 24 Pat O’Brien (G2) at Del Mar.

Here’s the list of the top two dozen winning Speed ratings of 2024, thanks to the compilation by Brisnet marketer extraordinaire Nazrana Dixon: