It turns out Flightline (Tapit) isn't only fast horse Hronis Racing has in the John Sadler barn, as Bran (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}) set a new course record of 1:07.41 for the six furlongs of the GII FanDuel Turf Sprint S. at Kentucky Downs. A “Win and You're In” event for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, the $1 million race was being contested for the 24th time and was Sadler's first win at the Franklin, Ky. track after just a handful of starts.
At 11-1, Bran broke uneventfully and sat mid-pack between rivals in the 11-horse field as a first quarter unfurled in :21.51 with Artemus Citylimits (Temple City) steering the ship. Moving well off the turn after a half in :43.97, Bran split horses while wide with his sights on the leader as he drove to the wire. He swapped to his wrong lead down the impossibly long stretch, caught Artemus Citylimits late, and hit the wire a neck in front.
“My horse was beautiful before the race,” said winning rider Vincent Cheminaud. “I was a little bit relaxed from the start. I followed the horse that was in front of me, my horse was very good at the finish, and he finished strong.
“The trainer told me he was very good to win today, and now we won it. I'm very happy. This was only the second time that I've ridden for John Sadler, and the other time was on this horse. I won a very good race for him. This track is like Europe for me, it's not the same track, but to ride a good horse, it's more easy.”
Bran had a respectable career in France, getting four wins under the tutelage of M. Delcher-Sanchez before shipping stateside after bloodstock agent Shawn Dugan purchased him for €80,000 at the Arqana October sale last fall. He debuted for Sadler Jan. 1 of this year with a third in the GII Joe Hernandez S., then added wins in the GIII Daytona S. and the Siren Lure S., both at Santa Anita, as well as placings in the GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. at Churchill Downs and the Wickerr S. at Del Mar.
“I think people maybe underestimated him a little bit [in the Turf Sprint], but they forget how good his race was at Churchill,” said Sadler from Lexington, where he was preparing for the upcoming Keeneland September sale. “That was a really good second at Churchill. I thought he was a good fit for this. Remember, when we're talking about Santa Anita, he's run six on the flat and he's run 6 1/2 down the hill. So he's had good experience, then you throw in what they do in Europe, where the courses are different. So all those little things made a good vibe for the horse going there.”
Pedigree Notes:
English and French highweighted, as well as a winner of four Group 1 races, Muhaarar (GB) is the sire of 15 black-type winners from his four crops to date. Seven of those are group/graded winners for the son of Oasis Dream (GB), who stands at Shadwell's Nunnery Stud in England. Bran is out of the King's Best (70 stakes winners out of his daughters) mare Best Intent (GB), who has a 2-year-old filly named Atakama (Fr) and a yearling colt, both by Le Havre (Ire). Best Intent's dam, herself a GSW & G1SP in France, is a half to four Group winners, including French champions Coup de Genie (Mr. Prospector) and Machiavellian (Mr. Prospector), as well as additional French G1 winner Exit to Nowhere (Irish River {Fr}).
Saturday, Kentucky Downs
FANDUEL TURF SPRINT S.-GII, $648,640, Kentucky Downs, 9-10, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:07.41 (NCR), fm.
1–BRAN (FR), 125, g, 4, by Muhaarar (GB)
1st Dam: Best Intent (GB), by King's Best
2nd Dam: Hydro Calido, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Coup de Folie, by Halo
(€36,000 Ylg '19 AROYRG; €80,000 3yo '21 ARARC). O-Hronis
Racing LLC; B-Lordship Stud (FR); T-John W. Sadler; J-Vincent
Cheminaud. $320,540. Lifetime Record: 21-7-4-4, $678,932.
Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Artemus Citylimits, 121, g, 5, Temple City–Dene Court, by
City Zip. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($25,000 RNA Wlg '17
KEENOV; $34,000 Ylg '18 FTKFEB; $60,000 RNA 4yo '21
FTKHRA; $85,000 4yo '21 EASDEC). O-Paradise Farms Corp.,
David Staudacher & Michael Dubb; B-Gunpowder Farms LLC
(ON); T-Michael J. Maker. $103,400.
3–Arrest Me Red, 125, c, 4, Pioneerof the Nile–Maraschino
Red, by Medaglia d'Oro. O-Lael Stables; B-M. Roy Jackson (KY);
T-Wesley A. Ward. $94,000.
Margins: NK, 1, 1 3/4. Odds: 11.78, 10.56, 1.05.
Also Ran: Front Run the Fed, Charcoal, Arzak, Totally Boss, Chewing Gum, Chasing Artie, Johnny Unleashed, Bob's Edge. Scratched: A C Expressway, Gregorian Chant (GB), Necker Island, Torontotoro. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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