TDN RISING STARS

August 8, 2015 - Del Mar, Race 3, Msw, USD $70,000, 6 1/2F

Young Brian, c, 2, 2013 by Hard Spun

1st Dam: Glacier Peak, by Pulpit
2nd Dam: Glacier Lily, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: , by

Owner: John Liviakis
Breeder: John Liviakis
Trainer: Philip D'Amato

Young Brian overcame a bobble at the break, rushed up into the teeth of the pace, switched off in the middle and ran away and hid from his rivals to become the newest ‘TDN Rising Star’. Bet down to 6-5 favoritism, though owner and breeder John Liviakis is known to put it through the windows, Young Brian did not have the cleanest of breaks and looked to steady gently off heels out of the chute, then tugged Rafael Bejarano into a three-wide third while just outside dueling pacesetters into the turn. Given a bit of a breather from there, Bejarano hit the gas in upper stretch and the response was immediate, as Young Brian kicked it into another gear and reported home a 10 1/4-length winner. Letithappen (Mizzen Mast) was a longshot second, while second favorite Toews on Ice (Archarcharch) checked in third. Young Brian RNA’d for $30,000 as a Keeneland November weanling and $37,000 as a KEESEP yearling, and for significantly more–what would have been a sale-topping $500,000–after a :21 1/5 breeze at Barretts March. He hails from the extended female family of Grade I-winning juveniles Outstandingly and Sky Mesa.