Trainer Chad Brown is typically very busy, but he has chosen to remain at Keeneland.
"I won't stray too far from this individual," Brown commented on Sunday morning about Sierra Leone, who emerged as a top contender for the 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) following a 1½-length triumph at Keeneland on Saturday.
Sierra Leone, owned by a group of individuals including Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg Limited, and Brook Smith, secured Brown's third victory in the Blue Grass race. His victories in the Blue Grass Stakes came in 2018 and 2022, with Good Magic and Zandon emerging as the triumphant horses.
Good Magic came in second in the Kentucky Derby, while Zandon finished third four years later.
Brown commented, "Both of those performed admirably in the Derby." They performed admirably but unfortunately came up short.
Brown will follow a similar path in Sierra Leone, starting at Keeneland, transitioning to Churchill Downs, and repeating the process before the Derby.
It appears that Brown might have another horse competing in the Derby. Domestic Product, owned by Klaravich Stables and trained at Payson Park in South Florida, triumphed in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G3) on March 9.