$3M Brant Spectacular in Del Mar Debut

This column highlights the performances of 2-year-old maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are graded/group winners, or have dams that are graded/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners.

Del Mar

Compared to a Rolls-Royce by consignor Eddie Woods at this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, Brant ran more like a Ferrari in his career debut, stopping the clock in near track record time in a July 26 Del Mar maiden special weight.

Brant's first outing was one of the most highly anticipated debuts of the Del Mar summer meet, courtesy of the proverbial splash the colt created when dropping the hammer for $3 million in the sales ring. Although he inherited none of his sire's crimson chestnut coat, Brant bore Gun Runner 's sloping shoulders and strong hindquarters, all of which propelled the gray to a :9 3/5 eighth-mile during the OBS March under tack show. The time was the co-fastest furlong of the sale.

This year's March Sale was to be the last year Woods would bring a consignment to OBS, as the respected Irish horseman had announced his retirement. Woods, a longtime fixture in the sales ring and a respected horseman across the globe, had told Zedan's trainer, Bob Baffert, before the sale that Brant was a special horse and would bring "at least $2 million."

As fate would have it, Brant would top the March Sale and put the cherry on top of a 30+ year storied career for Woods. 

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on behalf of Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stables, simply stating that Brant was "what (Zedan) wanted...We're excited about him. He's a nice horse and we're here to find nice horses."

READ: Gun Runner Colt Tops Strong OBS Sale at $3 Million

Zedan named the handsome gray Brant, after his friend, fellow horse owner, and world-renowned art collector Peter Brant. The equine Brant took a step toward becoming as valuable as any Rembrandt original with his 5 1/4-length romp at sunny Del Mar. 

Flashing maturity from the get-go, Brant took back into a stalking third position as his stablemate, the $875,000 purchase Balboa, locked horns with another rival through a swift opening quarter-mile in :21.56. The blistering pace ensued around the turn for home, and it was only a matter of time before jockey Flavien Prat cued his engine with the shake of the reins. 

Brant responded willingly, leveling down and striding clear with authority down the lane. His final time of 1:02.63 was only three ticks off the Del Mar track record for 5 1/2 furlongs. The performance netted a 102 Equibase Speed Figure.

The first foal out of the Liam's Map  mare Tynan, Brant hails from a family that includes multiple graded stakes winners Pappacap  and Boppy O. Pappacap, a precocious 2-year-old who captured Del Mar's Best Pal Stakes (G2) in 2022 and was runner-up in that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), was also sired by Gun Runner.