First issues first, proprietor Peter Brant is dreaming of including one other massive Breeders’ Cup victory this weekend at Del Mar the place he has entered an completed group of older runners and a juvenile colt that has turned heads together with his skills.
However, as common, racing is not the one factor on the thoughts of the distinguished owner-breeder. After the World Championships Brant plans to retire to the paddocks the three completed mares he has entered within the Nov. 6 races: My Sister Nat in the $2 million Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), Blowout in the $2 million FanDuel Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T), and Dunbar Road in the $2 million Longines Distaff (G1).
My Sister Nat gallops Nov. 1 at Del Mar
Brant also is a part owner of Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Jack Christopher , the morning-line favorite for the $2 million TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1). While the potential for a big win—which would get the wheels turning toward a big 3-year-old season—has Brant looking forward to Nov. 5; he also has had post-racing opportunities on his mind since buying into the son of Munnings .
Rounding out Brant’s 2021 Breeders’ Cup group is multiple grade 1 winner Raging Bull , a 6-year-old son of Dark Angel also entered in the Mile. Raging Bull will begin his stud career in 2022 at Gainesway Farm.
Raging Bull trains Nov. 3 at Del Mar
Whereas Brant retains all features of his operation in thoughts, he loves racing his horses. His trio of mares enter this yr’s Breeders’ Cup with a mixed 49 begins. Dunbar Street is a 5-year-old daughter of Quality Road —Gift List , by Bernardini ; My Sister Nat, a 6-year-old daughter of Acclamation —Starlet’s Sister , by Galileo ; and Blowout is a 5-year-old daughter of Dansili —Beauty Parlour , by Deep Impact .
“They’re a pretty tough group but of course they’re going to be facing some awfully good horses,” Brant said. “We’ll see if they can be better. We’ll see what happens.”
Brant embraced Breeders’ Cup from the start. His homebred Track Barron earned a fourth-place finish in the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) in 1984. From 1984-91 Brant sent out nine horses for 14 Breeders’ Cup starts, topped by Gulch’s victory in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs.
As thrilling as that run was, Brant has different equine loves, together with present horses and polo. In pursuing polo, he opted within the mid-Nineteen Nineties to place a few 20-year pause on his racing pursuits. The 74-year-old native of New York turned a high beginner polo participant, one of many sport’s main patrons, and founding father of the Greenwich Polo Membership in Connecticut.
Some 4 years in the past, Brant determined to return to racing. He is carried out it in an enormous means in america and abroad. With Chad Brown dealing with his U.S. string, Brant has watched one other 5 of his horses make eight Breeders’ Cup begins, together with 2018 Filly & Mare Turf winner and champion turf feminine Sistercharlie .
My Sister Nat, a half sister to Sistercharlie and Brant’s 2020 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Sottsass , will try to improve on her ninth-place finish in last year’s Filly & Mare Turf. Brant is leaning toward sending her to France-based sire Siyouni after her racing career.
“It’s funny. In the United States everyone refers to her as the half sister of Sistercharlie. In Europe, everyone refers to her as the half sister of Sottsass,” Brant said.
Peter Brant and his family lead Sistercharlie to the winner’s circle after the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Churchill Downs
Blowout will take on males in the Mile after prepping with a front-end victory in the First Lady Stakes Presented by UK HealthCare (G1T) Oct. 9 at Keeneland. Brant mentioned he’ll probably ship the brand new grade 1 winner to both Dubawi in England or Wootton Bassett in Ireland.
Blowout trains Nov. 2 at Del Mar
Brant likes how Dunbar Road, winner of the 2019 Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, has regarded higher in current begins. She’ll enter the Distaff off a runner-up end to morning-line Distaff favourite Letruska in the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 10 at Keeneland. Brant is leaning toward leading sire Into Mischief for her initial mating.
The trio of mares have piled up memorable outings for Brant and Brown.
“I think that he has a philosophy very similar as I do on running horses,” Brant said of Brown. “We both want to give them the time they need to show their ability. He’s learned from the best in working for Shug McGaughey and Bobby Frankel.”
Dunbar Road out for Breeders’ Cup preparations at Del Mar
Brown said it’s a tremendous asset to have someone with Brant’s background in Thoroughbred racing and polo available to discuss ideas.
“He’s a fascinating guy. He’s taught me so much through his experiences as a horseman—both Thoroughbreds and polo. Beyond that we talk about life, about art. He’s a very wise man and anybody would be fortunate to get to be able to have him available for different pieces of advice in any walk of life, really,” Brown said. “He’s extremely passionate about horses. He loves horses and like I said, he’s really an incredible horseman when you look at what he’s done with the Thoroughbred industry—his first time around and now. And then with polo. I mean he’s one of the top-rated amateur polo players in the history of the game.”
While those three mares are looking for one more highlight in their careers, Jack Christopher is the exciting young horse in the picture. Brant said that after Jack Christopher won his maiden debut by 8 3/4 lengths at Saratoga for owners Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister, Brown helped facilitate a sale that saw partners associated with Coolmore and Brant buy into the promising juvenile.
“I saw him run and it was very impressive; probably the most impressive 2-year-old maiden winner at Saratoga this year,” Brant said of the colt who followed with a clear victory in the Champagne.
Brant is thrilled to have a promising young horse and he also sees it as a future investment. He’s been buying into some colts during their racing careers, thinking that if they are successful and go to stud, he will have some sires lined up for his mares.
“It’s a way of maybe getting in early on some stallions for all of these mares,” Brant said.
Jack Christopher trains Nov. 2 at Del Mar
Of course this is not the first time Brant has been associated with a top 2-year-old. In his first go-around with racing, Brant owned Gulch, who started his career with five straight wins, including scores in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga and the Futurity Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. He went on to complete fifth within the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Gulch was simply getting began. He gained the 1987 Metropolitan Handicap (G1) as a 3-year-old, positioned third within the Belmont Stakes (G1), after which gained the Met Mile once more in 1988. He capped that 1988 season, and his profession, with that victory within the Breeders’ Cup Dash to lock up champion sprinter honors.
Brown understands why Brant could have wanted to pause on the Thoroughbreds to focus on polo as he places a lot into his pursuits. He mentioned your entire trade has benefited from his return.
“When he does one thing, he goes all-in and it is not that he solely cares about his personal outcomes. He cares about no matter trade or sport he is in. He is beneficiant and needs to assist,” Brown mentioned. “He is prepared to place cash as much as make no matter sport or league or state of affairs or coaching facility or group higher. If he may help by utilizing his time and assets, he is there to do it.
“He likes to compete however I’ve additionally discovered that he additionally seems to be on the massive image. He is aware of there must be a wholesome setting for no matter sport he is competing. I’ve discovered rather a lot from him that means. He is very dedicated.”
