Brant makes statement with Del Mar Futurity triumph
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DEL MAR, Calif. - The big-ticket colt is a Grade 1 winner and a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile next month.
Brant, purchased for $3 million at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in March, a record for the prestigious sale company, remained unbeaten after two starts with a front-running victory in Sunday’s $300,500 Del Mar Futurity, the closing-day featured race of Del Mar’s summer meeting.
Brant gave Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert a record 19th win in the track’s leading annual race for 2-year-olds. Baffert did not attend the Del Mar Futurity, having traveled to Kentucky over the weekend for the Keeneland September yearling sale that begins on Monday.
Brant was so strongly expected to win the Del Mar Futurity that Del Mar did not offer place or show wagering in the six-horse field. Brant paid a mere $2.20.
With the win, Brant confirmed his status as the leading West Coast chance for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Oct. 31.
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Brant bumped with 64-1 Brigante at the start of Sunday’s race, and recovered quickly to lead by 1 1/2 lengths after a quarter-mile in 21.88 seconds. The lead was a length after a half-mile in 44.53. The margin remained the same to the finish.
“He was quick and was very comfortable,” Prat said. “He took a nice breather on the turn.”
Brant ran seven furlongs in 1:21.92 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91. Desert Gate, the easy winner of the Grade 3 Best Pal Stakes at six furlongs by 8 3/4 lengths as the 1-5 favorite on Aug. 9, closed from fifth to finish second. Desert Gate was the 6-1 second choice in the Del Mar Futurity.
Prat, who has won four of the six runnings of the Del Mar Futurity this decade, said Brant felt the presence of Desert Gate in the stretch and responded when urged.
“I was hand-riding him and I gave him two taps,” Prat said. “He went on with it.”
Desert Gate, ridden by Juan Hernandez for Baffert, had an eventful trip. After stumbling at the start, Desert Gate bumped with 28-1 Balboa with more than a quarter-mile remaining, but recovered to offer a challenge to Brant.
“He stumbled at the gate,” Hernandez said. “When he got up, the other horses had a couple of lengths on me.”
Despite the loss, Hernandez said that Desert Gate “moved forward.”
“I was happy with his effort,” he said. “When I asked him to pick it up, he gave me a good move.”
Civil Liberty, second to Brant in a maiden race on July 26 in their first starts, finished third, 3 1/4 lengths behind Desert Gate. Litmus Test finished fourth, followed by Balboa and Brigante.
Litmus Test and Balboa are recent maiden-race winners trained by Baffert. Civil Liberty and Brigante are maidens trained by Doug O’Neill.
Brant, who is by Gun Runner, races for Amr Zedan and has earned $228,000.
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