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)

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel unleashed its largest wave of airstrikes across Lebanon since agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last week, killing at least 11 people on Monday after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles as a warning over what it said were Israeli truce violations.

The projectiles were apparently the first time that Hezbollah took aim at Israeli forces after the 60-day ceasefire went into effect last Wednesday. The increasingly fragile truce aimed to end more than a year of war between Hezbollah and Israel — part of a wider regional conflict sparked by the devastating Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

In the United States, President-elect Donald Trump demanded the immediate release of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant Hamas group in Gaza, saying on social media that if they are not freed before he takes office in January there would be “HELL TO PAY.”

It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. The U.S. has given Israel crucial military and diplomatic support throughout the nearly 15-month conflict.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike on the southern village of Haris killed five people and wounded two while another airstrike on the village of Tallousa killed four and also wounded two.

Israel's military carried out a string of airstrikes late Monday against what it said were Hezbollah fighters, infrastructure and rocket launchers across Lebanon, in response to Hezbollah firing two projectiles toward Mount Dov — a disputed Israeli-held territory known as Shebaa Farms in Lebanon where the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel meet. Israel said the projectiles fell in open areas and no injuries were reported.

Hezbollah said in a statement that it fired on an Israeli military position in the area as a “defensive and warning response” after what it called “repeated violations” of the ceasefire deal by Israel. It said complaints to mediators tasked with monitoring the ceasefire “were futile in stopping these violations.”

Before the Hezbollah projectiles, Israeli carried out at least four airstrikes and an artillery barrage in southern Lebanon, including a drone strike that killed a person on a motorcycle, according to Lebanese state media. Another strike killed a corporal in the Lebanese security services.

Israel has said its strikes are in response to unspecified Hezbollah violations, and that under the ceasefire deal it reserves the right to retaliate.

Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon's airspace.

Officials in the U.S. — which along with France helped broker the truce and heads a commission meant to monitor adherence to the deal — played down the significance of Israeli strikes. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, “Largely speaking, the ceasefire is holding.”

“We’ve gone from dozens of strikes down to one a day maybe two a day,” Kirby told reporters, referring to Israeli strikes. “We’re going to keep trying and see what we can do to get it down to zero.”

Under the deal, Iran-backed Hezbollah has 60 days to withdraw its fighters and infrastructure from southern Lebanon. During that time, Israeli troops are also to withdraw to their side of the border.

In a post on his Truth Social site, Trump called for Palestinian militants to free all of the roughly 100 Israeli hostages still held inside Gaza, around two-thirds of whom are believed to be alive.

If not, Trump said, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”

Hours earlier, the Israeli government confirmed the death of Omer Neutra, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, whose body is still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza, according to the Israeli government. The Biden administration is mounting a last-ditch effort to try to restart talks between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on Trump's post though President Isaac Herzog welcomed it.

In Gaza, meanwhile, alarm is mounting over increasing hunger. The amount of food allowed in by Israel has plunged over the past two months, compounded by a decision Sunday by the United Nations to halt aid deliveries from the main crossing into the territory because of the threat of armed gangs looting convoys.

Experts have already warned of famine in the northernmost part of Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October, saying they're fighting regrouped Hamas militants there.

Displaced families have set up tents surrounded by piles of garbage on the streets of Gaza City. Bilal Marouf, 55, said he and 11 family members fled the Israeli offensive “barefoot and naked.”

“We had nothing. Hunger and thirst killed us, and we did not have a single shekel, nor clothes, nor a mattress, nor a blanket,” he said, speaking near his tent.

Israel’s campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, has driven almost the entire population of the territory from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians now live in squalid tent camps, relying on international aid.

The Israeli military said it allowed 40 trucks carrying 600 tons of flour for the World Food Program to enter the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday night, as well as 16 other food trucks.

Israel has said it is working to increase the flow of aid. November saw an increase in the average number of humanitarian trucks it let into Gaza, up to 77 daily from 57 the month before, according to official Israeli figures.

But the levels are still nearly the lowest of the entire 15-month war. And the U.N. says less than half of that actually reaches Palestinians because Israeli military restrictions, fighting and robberies make it too dangerous to deliver the aid.

The World Food Program was able to only deliver aid to some 300,000 Palestinians in November across the Gaza Strip due to ongoing Israeli military offensives and the looting of convoys, Carl Skau, WFP’s deputy executive director, said Monday.

In a tent camp in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah, Palestinians lined up at makeshift mud ovens trying to buy a few loaves of flatbread for their families.

With the price of flour mounting because of scarcity, the bakers — women displaced from further north — said they could bake less bread, and families could afford far less.

“They divide them to their children, one loaf every day,” said one woman baker, Wafaa al-Attar.

Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Fatma Khalid in Cairo contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/mideast-wars

A view of a damaged car in the Kibbutz Manara, which is located near to the border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, Monday Dec, 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A damaged room of a house in the Kibbutz Manara, which is located near to the border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Israeli soldiers patrol the perimeter of the agricultural settlement of Avivim, next to the Lebanese border, in upper Galilee, Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A stairwell in Kibbutz Manara, a community badly damaged by Hezbollah is lined with a barbed-wire fence in northern Israel, Monday Dec, 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Inbal Limor, an Israeli displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, returns to her home in Kibbutz Manara to clean and organize after the ceasefire, in northern Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Burned-out cars and buildings from Hezbollah rockets are seen in the agricultural settlement of Avivim, near the Lebanese border in the Upper Galilee, Israel, on Monday Dec. 2, 2024. Despite the ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israelis remain wary of returning to the north. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A view of Lebanese village through a window of a damaged house that was hit by a rocket fired from Lebanon, in the Kibbutz Manara, located in the upper Galilee, northern Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A Palestinian woman sorts through fresh bread amid dire food shortages in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A Palestinian boy carries a tray of baked goods from a clay oven amid dire food shortages in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A Palestinian woman bakes bread in a clay oven amid dire food shortages in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Destroyed buildings in an area of the village of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, located next to the Israeli-Lebanese border, as seen from northern Israel, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A wall marks the Israeli-Lebanese border near the village of Odaisseh in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Israeli soldiers patrol the perimeter of the agricultural settlement of Avivim, next to the Lebanese border in upper Galilee, Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)