By J.N. Campbell
With a rocket in his pocket and a willingness to take on all comers in stride, 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner–Tynan, by Liam's Map) put up his dukes in the GI Del Mar Futurity Stakes and landed Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record 19th score in the seaside oval's signature race on closing day.
Every moment the colt has had an opportunity to hit the track he has done so with a gusto to the stop the clock as soon as possible–no sundials here. After going to St. Clair Stables for $200,000 during Keeneland September, Brant steamed into OBS March and recorded a :9 3/5 during the under tack show. That certainly drew the eye of Zedan Racing & Co., and that is when their agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket for a cool $3-million, which made the 2-year-old the auction's topper.
Under Baffert's care, Brant went to work first at Los Alamitos in early April, then trucked over to 'The Great Race Place' a month later before shipping south to Del Mar for continued drills which were regularly eye-catching.
With Eclipse champion jockey Flavien Prat in to ride, Brant debuted at Del Mar July 26 as the 80 cents on the dollar chalk. Gunning his engine down the lane, the colt won handily by 5 1/4 lengths over Doug O'Neill trainee Civil Liberty (Independence Hall) and his stablemate, future 'Rising Star' Balboa (Not This Time). Brant would take them both on once again in the Futurity. The maiden special weight effort earned the highly-regarded Baffert trainee his own TDN badge.
Of note, Baffert took home the GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes on Saturday when Natalie Baffert's Bottle of Rouge (Vino Rosso) scampered home a winner late. Looking to sink the double, the Zedan-owned grey was bet down to 10 cents on the dollar here in a race that did not allow place or show wagering. Baffert entered four runners this year, while the other two came from the O'Neill barn.
The chalk fired out of the gate and immediately broke inward. Prat, aboard once more from back east, did his best to steer the juvenile into an even line, and the grey's speed took over as he led out of the chute and onto the main track. Brant was traveling beautifully up the backstretch, making every pole a winning one. However, he began to be pressed by stablemate Desert Gate (Omaha Beach), who had some of his momentum stifled because of traffic around the far turn. Entering the lane, with his pursuer nipping at his heels to his outside, Prat urged his mount on and Brant responded in-kind by seemingly calling out 'venga, venga.' In the end, the favorite netted the Futurity by a length over the game Desert Gate. Civil Liberty finished third.
“It started off a little anxious there,” said Assistant Trainer Jimmy Barnes. “He broke inward but he recovered quickly. Being pushed down toward the rail you have to be placed forward. He's a really talented horse. Actually, they all are. We're very happy.”
“I think he was ready for the day,” said jockey Flavien Prat. “When we broke he was very quick, he was very comfortable. He took a nice breather around the turn and we made it to the finish line.”
Pedigree Notes:
The accomplished multiple leading sire Gun Runner (by Candy Ride {Arg}) now has 11 Grade I winners and an even 30 graded winners to his illustrious credit. Those include champions like Sierra Leone and Echo Zulu, plus current sire Taiba who was campaigned by Zedan and trained by Baffert.
The winner is his dam's first foal. Tynan is responsible for a yearling filly by Candy Rid (Arg) and a weanling colt by Bolt d'Oro. She was not reported as bred for next season. Tynan was herself a $225,000 Keeneland September purchase by Brant's breeder PTK.
As for Brant's second dam that is GSP Pappascat (Scat Daddy), who produced current sire Pappacap (Gun Runner) and GSW Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) who is in-training. Last but not least, Al Qasr (Aptitude)–Peruvian Horse of the Year that was a Ken McPeek trainee in the U.S.–is the half-sister to Brant's third dam.
Sunday, Del Mar
DEL MAR FUTURITY-GI, $300,500, Del Mar, 9-7, 2yo, 7f, 1:21.92, ft.
1–BRANT, 120, c, 2, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Tynan, by Liam's Map
2nd Dam: Pappascat, by Scat Daddy
3rd Dam: Redmeansgo, by Red Ransom
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($200,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $3,000,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-PTK, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $228,000. Werk Nick Rating A. Click for the eNicks Report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Desert Gate, 123, c, 2, Omaha Beach–Theogony, by Curlin. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($125,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $100,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $260,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Pegram, Michael E., Watson, Karl and Weitman, Paul; B-Twin Oaks Bloodstock (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Civil Liberty, 118, c, 2, Independence Hall–Love and Respect, by Tiznow. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($50,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $160,000 2yo '25 EASMAY). O-Great Friends Stables & Mark Davis; B-St. Simon Place LLC (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $36,000.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, NO. Odds: 0.10, 6.00, 15.90.
Also Ran: Litmus Test, Balboa, Brigante. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
💪 #2 BRANT ($2.20) held off a challenge from stablemate Desert Gate to win $300,000 Del Mar Futurity (G1) at @DelMarRacing. The $3 million son of @Three_Chimneys' Gun Runner was piloted by Flavien Prat for @BobBaffert and @ZedanRacing. pic.twitter.com/kFa7svIKvB
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) September 7, 2025
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