Here are follow-up notes to the Saturday Breeders’ Cup races at Del Mar.

Breeders’ Cup Classic

Sierra Leone: The winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Saturday afternoon, exited his effort in good order, per his conditioner. The $2.3 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale graduate ran the best race of his career thus far when taking North America’s richest race by 1 1/2 lengths and firmly putting him in championship talks.

“Everything’s all good,” said Baldo Hernandez, assistant trainer, on Sunday morning after showing the horse to the media. “He will ship tomorrow to Kentucky and maybe Florida after that. I don’t know for sure, it’s up to the boss.”

Physically, it appears that the son of 2017 Classic winner Gun Runner has taken his race very well. Brown and connections are expected to announce future plans soon for the earner of $6,008,000.

Meanwhile, Sean Flanagan of Flanagan Racing confirmed that his Brown-trained Chancer McPatrick will head to Florida this winter and point toward the Kentucky Derby: “We’ll bring him down to Payson Park and sometime in January get him back going on the Derby trail.”

The dual Grade 1-winning 2-year-old son of McKinzie finished sixth in the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as the 2-1 second choice in the wagering.

Fierceness, Tapit Trice: Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher was impressed with Fierceness’ performance while finishing second in the Classic Saturday and expects that he will continue his career in 2025.

Fierceness attended the early pace, had the lead at the quarter pole, but was passed in the stretch by his fellow 3-year-old Sierra Leone, who had a strong finish.

“He came out of the race very well,” Pletcher said. “Looks good this morning. He’s going to go to Kentucky tomorrow and is going to get a complete physical. Currently, the plan would be for him to go on to Palm Beach Downs from there and prepare for a 4-year-old campaign.”

Fierceness was always close to Derma Sotogake who set opening fractions of 22.43, 44.96 and 1:09.44 before tiring and finishing 13th, beaten 24 1/2 lengths. Fierceness persevered.

“The pace scenario didn’t work out the way we had hoped,” Pletcher said. “The way the race shaped up all the speed kind of landed toward the outside, which created a little bit of a stronger pace opening quarter. The Japanese horse (Derma Sotogake) had blinkers on and, obviously, they were riding him for speed. It kind of created a setup to favor some closers. I thought he was valiant in defeat and to set fractions faster than they had in the Dirt Mile shows you how quick they were going. But for him to keep fighting till the end, I think he showed how great of a horse he is.”

Pletcher said that could not point to a specific next start for Fierceness, but he said the big-money early season tests for older horses, starting with the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park will be considered.

“It’s a little premature to say exactly what we’re going to point for,” he said. “We’ll see how the physical goes. Then the Pegasus is in play, the Saudi Cup is in play, the Dubai World Cup is in play. A lot of options. And he’s had a pretty steady campaign. Hasn’t been out of training. Ran in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year and Breeders’ Cup this year. It’s premature to firm up an exact race schedule, but lot of possibilities.”

Fierceness provided a challenge for Pletcher and owner Mike Repole with some up and down results. The Classic was another top effort after winning the Jim Dandy (G2) and the Travers (G1) at Saratoga.

“I think everyone can kind of put that to rest, that he needs things his own way, and that he’s inconsistent,” Pletcher said. “I think he proved in his last three races that all coming back 110-plus Beyer Figures, doing all the dirty work yesterday and still fighting on. I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me saying they think that’s the best race they’ve seen a horse run and not win. A lot of people saying it was maybe his best effort, too. We’re disappointed in the outcome, but not disappointed in his performance at all.”

Tapit Trice was in good shape Sunday morning, Pletcher said, after finishing a rallying sixth in the Classic.

“He got a little too far back,” Pletcher said. “Watching the replay, he actually did kind of kick in, but just way too late. He’s closing some ground the last sixteenth but just had way too much to do. From the three-eighths pole to the wire he still had a lot of ground to make up. Solid effort. The plan is for him to go to Kentucky, and I think the ownership will sit down and make a decision if he’s going to retire to stud or come back next year.”

Forever Young: “All good and we would like to come back next year,” a stable representative said of the third-place finisher

Arthur’s Ride: In all three of his wins this year, including the Whitney Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, Arthur’s Ride had won while running on the lead. That didn’t happen in the Classic.

The striking nearly all-white 4-year-old was in contention early but faded as the Classic unfolded and finished 12th in the field of 14. A blistering early pace set by Derma Sotogake didn’t help. He ran the first quarter in 22.43 and the half in 44.96 and six furlongs in 1:09.44.

“It wasn’t the scenario we visualized,” Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “He (jockey Junior Alvarado) was forced to make a decision by the time he got down to the wire the first time. He either had to follow, track (Derma Sotoigake) around the turn or gun him and try to go by. And, as you know, they went pretty fast.”

Next: Trainer Doug Cowans was disappointed in the last-place performance by Next in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic, but not in the 6-year-old gelding.

“We took a chance,” Cowans said.

Next already has proven himself as a long-distance dirt specialist. He had ripped off four wins in as many starts prior to the Classic by a combined 52 3/4 lengths. All of them were at distances of 1 3/8 miles or longer.

Cowans and owner Michael Foster decided to jump into the deep end of the pool by trying the 1 1/4-mile Classic. He was never a factor, never able to get into his familiar high cruising speed. Jockey Luan Machado eased the son of Not This Time in the stretch.

“When they went a quick quarter and a quick half in 44 and change, I saw him working hard the first part of it trying to keep up,” Cowans said. “That is really not his game. He needs to get back to a little slower pace and a little longer distance.

“We tried to treat the race like it was a mile and a half race and get him into his rhythm like he normally does,” he said. “That was hard to do as quick as they were going.”

Cowans said Next will head back to Kentucky where he will be eyeing a 2025 campaign.

“He’ll be back next year,” Cowans said. “We’ll see him in the Issac Murphy at Churchill Downs during Derby week.”

Next won the 1 1/2-mile Issac Murphy Marathon by 11 1/4 lengths this year.

Breeders’ Cup Distaff

Thorpedo Anna: It was an early wake-up call for Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Thorpedo Anna on Sunday.

The 3-year-old filly was wide awake in her stall on the Del Mar backstretch and ready to roll at 4 a.m. She was shipping to trainer Kenny McPeek’s Magdalena Farm in Lexington, Ky., where she will get an extended period of R&R.

Thorpedo Anna and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. capped a championship season with a solid 2 1/2-length win the Distaff.

The victory was not unexpected to McPeek, who has been confident in the filly he nicknamed “the grizzly” this season. But there was one little surprise while Thorpedo Anna was romping to the gate-to-wire victory in the 1 1/8-mile race.

“I was surprised they conceded her the early lead like they did,” McPeek said Sunday morning before he flew home to Kentucky. “I thought somebody would go up and challenge her. It was a relief to see her cruising like that. Then it was just a matter of if she was good enough and of course she was.”

The only thing left for her this year are the awards and how many she will win.

It’s a given that she will be awarded the Eclipse Award as the champion 3-year-old filly. She will also get heavy consideration for Horse of the Year.

“I would be very surprised if she didn’t win it,” McPeek said. “She ran nose-to-nose with Fierceness and she beat Sierra Leone. We’ll see. It’s up to the voters.”

Fierceness, the runner-up in the Classic, would have been the likely favorite to win horse of the year had he won that race. Sierra Leone, the Classic winner, also has wins in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and the Risen Star (G2).

Thorpedo Anna’s resume includes Grade 1 wins in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn, Coaching Club American Oaks and Cotillion in addition to the Distaff. And there is the game second in the Travers when she ran against males.

“I can’t see how you could not give her serious consideration,” McPeek said. “Especially now that she beat Sierra Leone (who was third) in the Travers.”

McPeek said Thorpedo Anna came out of the Distaff in great shape.

Once back at the farm, McPeek said Thorpedo Anna will have a “huge” stall to rest in and he will most likely pull her hind shoes off for a bit. Thorpedo Anna will have access to round pens and paddocks for her vacation.

He said there is no timetable for when she would go back into training and no schedule has been mapped out for her 2025 campaign.

For now, it’s all about basking in the glow of Thorpedo Anna’s body of work.

She started seven times this year and had six wins, and she was a Travers head shy of a perfect campaign.

“I am just really proud of her,” McPeek said. “There were certainly high expectations, and she came through. It has been a fantastic year, and we are just looking forward to getting home.”

Candied: Candied was in fine condition Sunday morning, Pletcher said after finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. She ended up 6 1/4 lengths behind the winner, Thorpedo Anna.

“I thought it was a good effort from her, just kind of a modest pace, too hard to close into,” Pletcher said. “But I thought she ran well, like she always does. She’s been very consistent, third in back-to-back Breeders’ Cups. I believe the plan is for her to continue on and race next year. She’ll probably get a little freshening first.”

Alice Verite: “She is good. We are tired in a good way!” — trainer Kazuya Nakatake

Breeders’ Cup Turf

Rebel’s Romance: Godolphin’s homebred globetrotting superstar Rebel’s Romance became the first horse in history to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf in non-consecutive years Saturday, landing the $5 million race in thrilling fashion in holding off Japan’s Rousham Park by a neck. William Buick was aboard for the win, and James Doyle, best man in Buick’s 2021 wedding, did the honors in 2022 at Keeneland.

“He pulled up well this morning, ate up and the whole team ships out this afternoon,” confirmed trainer Charlie Appleby’s head traveling assistant, Chris Connett.

Godolphin representatives also reported that the 6-year-old seven-time Grade 1 winner will point toward the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on April 5, a race he won earlier this year. A start in the Hong Kong Vase (G1) in the interim, Dec. 8, is undecided. Overall, the 15-time winner from 22 starts increased his earnings to $11,777,574.

Rebel’s Romance became Dubawi’s record-tying eighth Breeders’ Cup win as a sire. Curlin, More Than Ready (More Than Looks) and Into Mischief (Citizen Bull) also have an octet of World Championships wins after the weekend’s races.

Appleby won his 11th Breeders’ Cup (27 starters). He also finished second with Cinderella’s Dream (GB) (Filly & Mare Turf), third with Notable Speech (Mile) and Aomori City (Juvenile Turf), and fourth with Beautiful Love (IRE) (Filly & Mare Turf) and Star of Mystery (Turf Sprint). Al Qudra (eighth, Juvenile Turf) bumped, clipped heels and lost an iron when finishing the worst of the septet.

Rousham Park: “He has been disappointing, but he ran a great race yesterday (finishing second). He came out the race well,” said trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka

Shahryar: “He is fine after the race. It was unlucky at the final bends,” a stable representative said the third-place finisher

Breeders’ Cup Sprint

Straight No Chaser. MyRacehorse’s Straight No Chaser was heading back to Santa Anita Sunday after his victory in the Breeders’ Cup Sprin.

“I’m not sure what’s next for him but I am enjoying this one,” said trainer Dan Blacker, who won his first Breeders’ Cup race.

Straight No Chaser was ridden by John Velazquez to the half-length victory over Bentornato and the win marked the 21st for Velazquez in the World Championships, a figure that is second all-time behind only Mike Smith with 27.

The winner’s share of $1,040,000 boosted Velazquez’s total to $39,330,275 to surpass Smith’s total of $38,514,605 as the leading all-time earner at the Breeders’ Cup.

Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

Full Serrano: Full Serrano, emphatic winner of the Dirt Mile to close out the Breeders’ Cup, was scheduled to return to trainer John Sadler’s main base at Santa Anita Sunday morning.

“He ran really well yesterday,” said Sadler, who picked up his third Breeders’ Cup victory. “He ran a very good second in the Pacific Classic (G1) here in just his second start in the country but came down with a little fever and there was no way I could have him ready (for the California Crown at Santa Anita on Sept. 28).

“He’s a beautiful worker and he was working bullets leading up to this.”

Sadler said Ful Serrano is done for 2024 with the next stop possibly being the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream in January, the stakes schedule at Santa Anita or maybe even a venture to the Middle East.

Joel Rosario rode Full Serrano to victory Saturday for the rider’s 16th Breeders’ Cup victory and second for Sadler. The two teamed up to win the 2018 Classic at Churchill Downs with Accelerate.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Soul of an Angel: Soul of an Angel will head back to Florida Tuesday after winning Saturday’s Filly & Mare Sprint.

“She will probably run once there,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.

Joseph, who won his first Breeders’ Cup event, has big plans for the daughter of Atreides, who has shown versatility with graded wins at both seven furlongs and one mile, as well as a Grade 1 placing going a two-turn 1 1/8 miles.

“I think all being well, she’ll probably try and go to the Saudi Cup,” Joseph said. “There’s no two ways about it – she’s a one-turn horse. At two turns, her stamina is tested, whereas one turn she has plenty of stamina.”

Soul of an Angel, who notched the win with a last-to-first rush under Drayden Van Dyke, provided a meaningful win for Joseph, who moved to the U.S. from Barbados and began his stateside operation in 2011.

“I think the Breeders’ Cup is the best racing worldwide,” Joseph said. “You’ve got the best horses at the distance on the day, and to compete at this level and to win is a special moment.”

Breeders’ Cup Mile

More Than Looks: More Than Looks will return to Kentucky on Monday after winning Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Mile for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

“He came back really well,” assistant trainer Enrique Miranda said. “He doesn’t even look very tired. Everyone is really excited and everything is in good order.”

More Than Looks posted the three-quarters of a length score under Jose Ortiz to make DeVaux the ninth female trainer to win a Breeders’ Cup event. The win also marked the son of More Than Ready’s first Grade 1 victory.

Miranda added that the team will bring the 4-year-old back to Kentucky to evaluate further plans.

Johannes: Breeders’ Cup Mile runner-up Johannes is expected to continue his career next year, trainer Tim Yakteen said Sunday morning. Johannes looked to be in a winning position in deep stretch after a battle with Notable Speech, but More Than Looks swept to the front with an outside rally to win by three-quarters of a length.

“He came out of his race in excellent shape,” Yakteen said. “Our thoughts on our next race, and how we move forward off this race is that we still haven’t completely digested everything, and we’ll take a week or so and figure it out. I guess the bottom line is we’re undecided exactly at this point on how we’re moving forward. The main thing is, is that he’s coming out of the race in excellent shape, and that gives us all the options of how we want to proceed.”

Johannes’ connections gave their colt an extended layoff from spring 2023 after detecting some bone bruising. He resumed his career in April with the Mile as the season’s goal. He won all four of his starts, all in graded stakes, and delivered a big performance at Del Mar.

“He ran absolutely super. We’re very, very proud of our horse,” Yakteen said. “More Than Looks, kudos goes to him and Cherie DeVaux’s team. Their horse ran a phenomenal race, and we were just unlucky to run into him on that day.”

Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Moira: Moira got on a plane Sunday headed for Lexington, Ky., after winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Moira, along with her pacesetting stablemate Full Count Felicia (seventh), are slated to go through the auction ring at Fasig-Tipton’s night of the stars on Monday.

“They both came out really well and ate up the feed tub last night,” trainer Kevin Attard said. “They both look well. Chances are they’re moving on to their next career, or maybe they’ll head to a different stable.”

Moira, who contested her third Breeders’ Cup, notched an elusive Grade 1 victory to provide Attard with his first win at the World Championships. The daughter of Ghostzapper scored with a smart off-the-pace trip engineered by the weekend’s Bill Shoemaker Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat.

“It was her third time, but she hinted it was in the realm of possibility after she ran really well last year,” Attard said. “We’re happy we got a great trip and everything came together for her.”

While bittersweet to say goodbye to his star mare, Attard said he couldn’t be happier to send her off on the biggest win of both of their careers.

“It was so nice to see, especially it probably being her last race, for her to culminate it all at the world championship race like that,” Attard said. “It just doesn’t get any better.”