Belmont Stakes 2024: Sierra Leone’s Former Jockey Tyler Gaffalione to Compete Against Him in Final Jewel of Triple Crown

If you thought the Kentucky Derby was a visual vista, boy are you wrong. Saddle up for an epic showdown in the final jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday, 8th June. The Belmont Stakes, held at the historic Saratoga Race Course, will feature an eclectic variety of contenders. As the thoroughbreds prepare to grace the race track, everyone will be watching Sierra Leone, who is a sight for sore eyes. The three-year-old colt galloped his way to being the favorite for the Triple Crown after a stellar race at the Kentucky Derby. 

He crossed the finish line with Tyler Gaffalione, who had previously ridden him to victories in the Blue Grass and Risen Star. Despite a few interferences, the both of them made it look easy. Despite a good race, a recent turn of events shows there is trouble in the stables. Sierr Leone’s staple rider Tyler Gaffalione was replaced by Flavien Prat for myriad reasons and Gaffalione, as per circumstance, will not be riding Sierra Leone at the Belmont Stakes. What happened at the Kentucky Derby and if he won’t be riding Leone, why is Flavien Prat the new heir to Leone?

Tyler Gaffalione will face a ghost of his past at the Belmont Stakes

Sierra Leone missed out on a long-awaited Kentucky Derby win by a nose. Throughout the 1.25 mile-long track, Sierra Leone kept bumping into Japanese runner, Forever Young. Post the race, Gaffalione shed some light on this, “He wanted to lean in today and made it a little difficult,” stating this could be why they lost.  

He continues to explain, “I had a hard time keeping him straight, and that definitely cost us. He gives you everything, very responsive, but he loses concentration.” The last stretch of the race was an intense battle between the two to catch Mystik Dan. Even though the stewards didn’t call foul after the race, a review was later conducted resulting in a $2500 fine to Gaffalione. 

Amidst raucous loud cheers and waiting for the dust left behind by Gaffalione to settle, Sierra Leone and his new rider, Flavien Prat, will face 9 other thoroughbreds on the track at the Belmont Stakes. Trainer of Sierra Leone, Chad Brown, decided to amend the jockey for the foreseeable future and saw a valiant match in Prat. The Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and Preakness Stakes victor Seize The Grey will prevail to spoil Sierra Leone’s triple crown dream. 

Adding a splash of drama to this intense race, Sierra Leone’s former Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be riding three-year-old colt Protective, directly competing against the horse he once partnered with. Will he be able to ride Protective to a Belmont Stakes victory?

Can Gaffalione ride Protective to a photo finish?

Protective, Gaffalione’s new mount, has never won a race in three lifetime starts. He might not have the same success as his other contenders, but he has never finished under third place. Protective clinched a close second in his last race, showcasing that he has what it takes to compete at a high level. 

But, the Belmont Stakes track is an astounding 1.5-miles, something the colt has never taken on before. The distance along with the pressure a major race environment brings on could hinder Protective’s chances on the track. While this makes Protective a long shot, Gaffalione often gets the most out of his mounts. Even though he’s not a favorite, Gaffalione might want to turn things into his favor after the Kentucky Derby’s sour incident.

The Belmont Stakes promises a thrilling spectacle with so much to unfold. Will Sierra Leone conquer the arduous track despite the jockey change and claim his Triple Crown title? Would Seize the Day or Mystik Dan throw a wrench into his plans? Will Protective, with a determined Gaffalione, surprise everyone with a major upset? Only time will tell when the thoroughbreds battle it out at Saratoga on Saturday.