After missing the $20 million Saudi Cup due to a foot abscess, champion racehorse Sierra Leone is set to make his 4-year-old debut on March 22 in the $500,000 New Orleans Classic Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course.

Sierra Leone, a colt by Gun Runner, last competed in the Breeders' Cup Classic on November 2, securing a 1 1/2-length victory. His trainer, Chad Brown, decided against the Saudi Cup after revealing the abscess in early February. Since returning to training on February 15, the colt has completed five evenly spaced workouts, culminating in a strong breeze on March 15.

"We chose this race because the horse is ready now, and he already has experience on this track," Brown explained.

Flavien Prat will continue as Sierra Leone’s jockey, having taken over riding duties after the horse finished second in the Kentucky Derby. With a record of four wins and more than $6 million in earnings, Sierra Leone has never placed worse than third in nine career starts.

The New Orleans Classic features a competitive field of ten 4-year-olds and older contenders, with Sierra Leone carrying the highest assigned weight of 124 pounds. His biggest rival appears to be Hall of Fame, a Mineshaft Stakes winner also sired by Gun Runner.

Hall of Fame has a different racing style than Sierra Leone, favoring tactical speed rather than coming from behind. He struggled in last year’s Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby but has been undefeated since returning to racing in December.

Other notable entries include Komorebino Omoide, a close runner-up in the Mineshaft Stakes, and Maycocks Bay, who is cross-entered in multiple races. The field also includes the lightly raced Bishops Bay and Florida-based Uno Mas Bourbon.

The race promises a thrilling competition, but if Sierra Leone performs at his best, he remains the clear favorite.