Sierra Leone wins $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic after suffering close loss in Kentucky Derby

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — Sierra Leone won the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic by 1 1/2 lengths Saturday at Del Mar, ending a frustrating run of recent losses, including the Kentucky Derby.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Sierra Leone ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.78. Sent off as the 6-1 fourth choice, the 3-year-old colt paid $15.80, $5.60 and $3.60 in his first race after a two-month layoff.

“I’m so happy for the horse because he’s come up short a few times,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I thought he had some excuses, but he’s been so consistent and he’s such an honest horse, one of the best that I’ve ever had.”

Sierra Leone lost by a nose to Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby and then finished third in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. That's where he was second in the Jim Dandy and third in the Travers.

“He took a tough beat in the Derby, but we did it with class and respect, and we just went back to the drawing board and worked on getting him straight,” Brown said. “He's a great horse, he took to this track and it was his day today.”

Brown has 19 Cup wins, leaving him one short of career leading trainers Aidan O'Brien, who won two races Friday, and D. Wayne Lukas.

It was Brown's first win in the Classic on his fourth try. His mentor, the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, won the Classic in 2004 with Ghostzapper.

“At moments like this, I always think about him,” Brown said.

Fierceness, the 5-2 favorite, returned $4.40 and $3.20. Forever Young of Japan was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third and paid $3.60 to show. Newgate, trained by Bob Baffert, was fourth in the full field of 14.

Ireland-based City of Troy, the 4-1 third choice with six wins in seven career starts on grass, finished eighth in his first start on dirt for O'Brien.

“He lost it at the start and obviously I didn’t have him prepared to come out quick enough. We thought we did but we didn’t," O'Brien said. “He missed it and left Ryan (Moore) with no chance really, the race was over at the start.”

Prat made back-to-back trips to the winner's circle, taking the $2 million Filly & Mare Turf aboard Moira for his 50th graded stakes win of the year.

In the $2 million Distaff, Thorpedo Anna won by 2 1/2 lengths, helping trainer Ken McPeek snap an 0-for-37 skid in the Breeders’ Cup.

She ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.10 under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. Sent off as the 2-5 favorite, she paid $2.80 — the second-shortest win payout in Breeders’ Cup history.

“The expectation with her is so high,” McPeek said. “I love the fact that Brian took the initiative and just got it done. For me, it was workmanlike and that's what you need.”

Hernandez and McPeek teamed to win the Kentucky Derby by a nose in May.

The victory on a sunny and cool day at the oceanside track north of San Diego capped a sensational season for Thorpedo Anna. She also won the Kentucky Oaks and finished a close second to Fierceness in the Travers. She's in the conversation for Horse of the Year honors.

In the $5 million Turf, 9-5 favorite Rebel's Romance held off late-closing 22-1 shot Rousham Park to win by a neck, the ninth European horse to do so in the last 10 runnings.

Rebel's Romance ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:26.07 under jockey William Buick and paid $5.80 to win. The 6-year-old gelding has been a globetrotter, winning in Qatar, Dubai, Hong Kong, Britain, Germany and the U.S. for trainer Charlie Appleby.

Another horse, 3-year-old France-bred Jayarebe, collapsed on the track after finishing seventh in the Turf and died.

“It was suspected to be a cardiac event,” said Dr. Al Ruggles, the on-call veterinarian.

In other races:

— U.S.-based More Than Looks rallied to beat the mostly European field by three-quarters of a length in the $2 million Mile. He ran the distance on grass in 1:32.65 under jockey Jose Ortiz. The 6-1 shot paid $15.80. Cherie Devaux became the seventh woman trainer to win a Cup race. Notable Speech, the 2-1 favorite, finished third.

— Straight No Chaser rallied to win the $2 million Sprint by a half-length . John Velazquez, the 53-year-old Hall of Fame jockey, won his 21st Cup race; trainer Dan Blacker won his first. The 6-1 shot paid $14.20 to win. Straight No Chase ran six furlongs in 1:08.62. Mullikan, the 3-1 favorite, was third.

— Argentina-bred Full Serrano scored a 13-1 upset in the $1 million Dirt Mile. Ridden by Joel Rosario, he ran the distance in 1:35.48 and paid $28.80 to win. Domestic Product, the 3-1 favorite, was third.

— Moira is headed to the sales ring next week after her half-length victory in the Filly & Mare Turf. It was the Canada-bred's third appearance in the Breeders' Cup and first win. She paid $13.60 to win at 5-1 odds. Trainer Kevin Attard earned his first Cup win, too. Cinderella's Dream, the 5-2 favorite, was second.

— Soul of an Angel spotted the field 12 lengths before rallying on the far outside to win the $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint by a half-length. The 19-1 shot paid $41.60 to win. She ran seven furlongs in 1:21.59 under jockey Drayden Van Dyke. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. earned his first Cup victory.

— Starlust scored a huge upset in the $1 million Turf Sprint after a long delay at the start and a claim of foul. Ridden by Rossa Ryan, 30-1 shot Starlust ran five furlongs in 55.92 seconds and paid $69.20. Starlust won by a neck over Motorius. Believing flipped in the gate and dumped jockey Ryan Moore, who walked away unharmed. She was scratched from the race, but appeared unharmed. Jockey Manny Franco aboard Isivunguvungu claimed foul against Ryan and Starlust, but after a stewards' review there was no change to the order of finish.

AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing

John Velazquez, top, celebrates with Dan Blacker after riding Straight No Chaser to victory in the Breeders' Cup Sprint horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Jose Ortiz reacts after riding More Than Looks to victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Jose Ortiz (8) rides More Than Looks to victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Jose Ortiz celebrates after riding More Than Looks to victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Flavien Prat reacts after riding Moira to victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Flavien Prat rides Moira to victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

John Velazquez rides Straight No Chaser, left, to victory past Luis Saez, riding Bentornato, in the Breeders' Cup Sprint horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

John Velazquez rides Straight No Chaser, left, to victory past Luis Saez, riding Bentornato, in the Breeders' Cup Sprint horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Jose Ortiz rides More Than Looks, right, to victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

John Velazquez, top, celebrates after riding Straight No Chaser to victory in the Breeders' Cup Sprint horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Riders compete in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Flavien Prat celebrates after riding Sierra Leone to victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Flavien Prat rides Moira, left, to victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Flavien Prat rides Sierra Leone to victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Flavien Prat celebrates after riding Sierra Leone to victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Flavien Prat rides Sierra Leone, right, to victory past John Velazquez, riding Fierceness, in the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Rossa Ryan rides Starlust, right, to victory past Manuel Franco riding Isivunguvungu, from left, Antonio Fesu riding Motorious and Umberto Rispoli riding AG Bullet in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Brian Hernandez Jr. reacts as he rides Thorpedo Anna to victory in the Breeders' Cup Distaff horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Brian Hernandez Jr. celebrates after riding Thorpedo Anna to victory in the Breeders' Cup Distaff horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Drayden Van Dyke reacts after riding Soul Of An Angel to victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Drayden Van Dyke rides Soul Of An Angel (8) to victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint horse race in Del Mar, Calif., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (AP) — A probe into the military's role in the disappearance of four children in Ecuador this month was delayed for almost two weeks, even though police had access to surveillance videos showing soldiers taking two of the children, The Associated Press has learned.

The case of the children, aged 11 to 15, who went missing on Dec. 8 in the coastal city of Guayaquil after playing a soccer, has struck a nerve in Ecuador, with rights groups and the public demanding information about their whereabouts and asking that the case be investigated as a forced disappearance.

The surveillance video was handed in to authorities a day after the children went missing, two persons familiar with the investigation told the AP. But an investigation of the military’s role in the disappearance was not announced until 15 days later.

The two spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the case. The probe only started after the children's families went on local news channels and social media to demand more action from authorities.

The security footage, showing men in military uniform grabbing two boys and driving off with them in a pickup truck, became public earlier this week. The two children in the video are believed to be among the four who disappeared that night.

On Tuesday, four badly charred bodies were found near an air force base in the city of Taura, officials said, and they were looking into whether the bodies could be of the missing children.

Later that day, 16 soldiers from the base were arrested. Investigators said it could take up to a month to confirm if the bodies are of the children because their fingerprints had been burnt off and forensic workers will have to extract DNA fragments from bones or teeth for identification purposes.

The soldiers are due to appear at a hearing next Tuesday, where they are expected to be charged with the forced disappearance of the children, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Ecuador’s Defense Minister, Gian Carlo Lofffredo said Thursday that the 16 soldiers will also be questioned by a military tribunal and that the patrol linked to the disappeared children had not been authorized by officers at the Taura base.

Ecuador’s police deferred questions from the AP about the videos to the national prosecutor’s office, which declined to respond. The Ministry of Defense and the Ecuadorean army also did not respond to questions about the footage.

Violence in Ecuador intensified in January after a gang leader escaped from prison amid deadly riots. Two days later, members of another drug gang attacked a television channel and interrupted a live broadcast to make demands to the government.

President Daniel Noboa's government has leaned on the military to curb gang violence . However, the military has now been implicated in several abuses, including the disappearance of two children in August in the central province of Los Rios, and the case of a 19-year-old who was fatally shot by the military at a checkpoint on a road in Guayaquil.

Noboa has promised to reduce violence as he prepares to run for reelection in February.

But many Ecuadorians have expressed their discontent as the homicide rate has tripled in the South American country since 2021, and extortion by drug gangs has forced thousands of people to migrate to the United States.

People protest outside the prosecutor's office against the disappearance of four children who were last seen on Dec. 8 running away from a military convoy in Guayaquil, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. The sign reads in Spanish "Where are our children? The four from Guayaquil, Ecuador." (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)

People protest outside the prosecutor's office against the disappearance of four children who were last seen on Dec. 8 running away from a military convoy in Guayaquil, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)

A mural of a child and the Spanish message "Where are they?" cover a wall in protest of the disappearance of four children who were last seen on Dec. 8 running away from a military convoy in Guayaquil, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Cesar Munoz)