DEL MAR, California. – Sierra Leone won the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by 1 1/2 lengths at Del Mar on Saturday, ending a frustrating recent streak that included the Kentucky Derby.

Sierra Leone, ridden by Flavien Prat, ran the 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.78. Sent 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 came up short a few times,” trainer Chad Brown said. “I thought he had some excuses but he was so consistent and such an honest horse he is one of the best horses I have ever had.”

Sierra Leone lost by one to Mystik Dan in the Kentucky Derby and then finished third in the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga. Jim finished second in the Dandy and third in the Travers.

“It was a tough defeat in the derby, but we did it with class and respect and went back to the drawing board and tried to fix it,” Brown said. “He’s a great horse, he came out on this track and today was his day.”

Brown has 19 Cup wins, one shy of career standout trainers Aidan O’Brien and D. Wayne Lukas, who won two races Friday.

This was Brown’s first win in his fourth attempt at the Classic. His mentor, the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, won the Classic aboard Ghostzapper in 2004.

“I always think of him in moments like this,” Brown said.

Fierceness, the 5-2 favorite, returned $4.40 and $3.20. Japan’s Forever Young finished third, 2 3/4 lengths back, and paid $3.60 for the showing. Newgate, trained by Bob Baffert, finished fourth in the entire field with 14 points.

The Ireland-based City of Troy, 4-1 third choice with six wins in seven career starts on grass, finished eighth in O’Brien’s first start on clay.

“He lost it at the start and obviously I didn’t prepare him to come out fast enough. “We thought we did it but we didn’t,” said O’Brien. “He missed it and left Ryan (Moore) really with no chance, 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 victory of the year.

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

He ran the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:49.10 under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. He was eliminated as the 2-5 favorite and paid $2.80 – the second-shortest win payout in Breeders’ Cup history.

“The expectations for him are very high,” McPeek said. “I liked how Brian took the initiative and got the job done. “It was a masterstroke for me, and that’s what you need.”

Hernandez and McPeek teamed up to win Kentucky Derby By a cape in May.

The victory on a sunny, cool day at the oceanside track north of San Diego capped a sensational season for Thorpedo Anna. Room won the Kentucky Oaks And finished a close second To the Violence in Travers. He is in talks for Horse of the Year awards.

In the $5 million Turf, 9-5 favorite Rebel’s Romance took the victory with a 22-1 shot in the late close over Rousham Park, 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 horse has traveled the world with winners in Qatar, Dubai, Hong Kong, England, Germany and the USA, with the support of trainer Charlie Appleby.

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

The veterinarian on duty is Dr. “A cardiac event was suspected,” Al Ruggles said.

In other races:

— U.S.-based More Than Likes rallied to beat the mostly European field by three quarters of a margin in the $2 million Mile. He ran this distance on grass with a time of 1:32.65 under the management of jockey Jose Ortiz. The 6-1 shot earned $15.80. Cherie Devaux became the seventh female coach to win the Cup race. Important Speech, the 2-1 favorite, finished third.

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

— Argentina-born Full Serrano suffered a 13-1 upset in the $1 million Dirt Mile. He ran the same distance as Joel Rosario in 1:35.48 and paid $28.80 to win. Local Made 3-1 favorite finished third.

— Moira heads to the sales ring next week following her half-length victory in the Filly & Mare Turf. This was the Canadian-born’s third appearance in the Breeders’ Cup and his first win. He paid $13.60 to win at 5-1 odds. Coach Kevin Attard also earned his first Cup win. Cinderella’s Dream, the 5-2 favorite, finished second.

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

— Starlust pulled off a major upset in the $1 million Turf Sprint after a long initial delay and alleged foul play. The 30-1 Starlust, ridden by Rossa Ryan, ran five furlongs in 55.92 seconds and paid $69.20. Starlust won by a neck over Motorius. Believe crashed into the gate, leaving jockey Ryan Moore to walk away unharmed. He was scratched from the race but appeared unharmed. Jockey Manny Franco, aboard Isivunguvungu, claimed he had fouled Ryan and Starlust, but following the stewards’ review there was no change in the finish.

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