TDN RISING STARS

October 4, 2009 - DUNDALK, Race , Mdn, EUR €13,500, 7f, 15.0000

Fighting Brave, c, 2, 2007 by Storm Cat

1st Dam: Get Lucky (GSW, $157,760), by Mr. Prospector
2nd Dam: Dance Number, by Northern Dancer
3rd Dam: Numbered Account, by Buckpasser

Owner: Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor
Breeder: B P Walden, Philip J Steinberg & Racehorse Management LLC
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Fighting Brave, the $2-million topper at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale last year, raced under a keen hold along the rail in a close eighth through the early stages of this first go. Niggled at from halfway, the 3-1 second favorite picked off his rivals one by one in the straight and found an additional gear under sympathetic urging in the closing stages to comfortably account for Keraloun (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) by 1 3/4 lengths. "He was a bit green early on, but when he got the message, he did it well," said winning rider Colm O'Donoghue. "[Trainer] Aidan [O'Brien] was originally going to run him over six furlongs, but thought the seven would suit him better. He liked the surface." The winner is a half-brother to Accelerator (A.P. Indy), GSW & GISP, $414,908; Daydreaming (A.P. Indy), MGSW & MGISP, $696,680; and Harborage (Monarchos), SW, $118,312. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €9,329.