Bran leads all the way in Daytona Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Bran ended his spring campaign with his second stakes win of the year in Sunday’s Grade 3 Daytona Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

The next objective will be stakes at the Del Mar summer meeting, which runs from July 22 to Sept. 11.

In the $100,000 Daytona Stakes, Bran led throughout under jockey Juan Hernandez, winning by a length over 8-1 Majestic Eagle, who closed from fourth in a field of five to be closest to the front at the finish.

Sent off favored, Bran ($4) set early fractions of 21.96 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.78 for a half-mile. He finished about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:06.42 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94, which equals his career-best.

“Now, he’ll get time into Del Mar,” trainer John Sadler said.

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Burning Turf (7-5) finished third after racing within a half-length of Bran in the opening furlongs. Homer Screen and Kanderel completed the order of finish. Nero was withdrawn during warm-ups by track stewards on veterinary advice.

The Daytona was Hernandez’s fifth stakes win of the weekend. He won four stakes on Saturday.

Bran, a 4-year-old French-bred gelding by the Oasis Dream stallion Muhaarar, won the Siren Lure Stakes for turf sprinters on April 10 and was second by 1 3/4 lengths to Arrest Me Red in the Grade 2 Twin Spires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on May 6.

“He’s one of those hickory geldings,” Sadler said.

Bran, owned by Hronis Racing, has won 6 of 19 starts and earned $346,392. Bran was imported from France in late 2021. The Daytona was his first graded stakes win.

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