Brazen Beau booming but best yet to come

He was already the most accomplished son of I Am Invincible at stud, but even now with two leading G1 Golden Slipper contenders, including the pre-post favourite, a spot atop the first season sire rankings and an Inglis Classic Sales record, Darley Stud officials believe the best of Brazen Beau is yet to come.

When Brazen Beau stood at Darley for $44,000 in 2015 his resultant first foal crop only tallied 86, but it is a crop that has already produced two potential stars and a number of other promising types.

"There isn't a huge number of Brazen Beau 2-year-olds out there, certainly in comparison with some of the horses he is competing with in the first season sire ranks," Darley's Adam Brayshaw told TDN AusNZ.

"That makes his achievements to date so much more impressive. Week-in, week-out, we are finding as we head towards the elite 2-year-old races, that we have got Brazen Beaus that we are watching and cheering for but he is doing that off a very small crop, in comparison to others."

Flag bearers

The first of Brazen Beau's progeny to put his sire's name up in lights was Godolphin's homebred Tassort. An effortless win from his sole race start back in November installed the flashy colt as early pre-post G1 Golden Slipper favourite, a position he has held as he heads to next weekend's G2 Silver Slipper Stakes.

Then came Accession, whose trainer Chris Waller, who was also Brazen Beau's handler, called a "mirror image" in looks, style and temperament to his former star.

“There is a lot of Brazen Beau about him and for that reason he is pretty special to me," Waller said after Accession's L. Inglis Nursery triumph in December. “He's just a nice round horse and if you have a look at a picture of Brazen Beau that is the same shape he was.”

Accession added another effortless win last month before a game third in last Saturday's RL. Millennium at Warwick Farm, before which he still maintained what Brayshaw called "Brazen Beau's key trait"

"Accession paraded at Warwick Farm like he had been there a hundred times before. It was a big crowd and plenty of noise, but he was unflappable," he said. "That is very much the key Brazen Beau trait. He had an unbelievable temperament himself and that is something that is shining through in his progeny. That's just like Brazen Beau, both as a racehorse and how he is now at the farm."

"Some stallions’ temperament can change from their time as a racehorse to when they start to work out what it is all about at stud, but he is one that it hasn't altered his temperament at all. He was a very laid back horse when he came to stud, and when he became a stallion he has been much the same. He has been a pleasure to do anything with."

Not just the "big two"

The on track talent doesn't stop at Tassort and Accession though, with $700,000 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale filly Pretty Brazen producing an eye-catching fifth in Saturday's Millennium.

"She looks a nice, big rangy filly that will make a great 3-year-old, I think she is a very promising filly and I think we will be hearing a lot more about her in the future," Brayshaw said.

Also among Brazen Beau's more forward progeny is handy looking Melbourne colt Brazen Brando.

"It isn't just one horse, or two, there is great talent with the Brazen Beaus out there. Tassort and Accession are the two main flag bearers for now but there is depth out there," Brayshaw said.

Sales success

When leading bloodstock agent Bruce Perry bid $550,000 for what he called a "must have" Brazen Beau colt on Tuesday at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale it set a new record for highest ever lot at the sale.

Shortly afterwards Laceby Lodge paid $480,000 for another colt and Brazen Beau finished the sale as leading sire by average at $247,857.

It seems the racetrack success combined with stunning looks and that trademark demeanour is paying off when it comes to sales time.

"Trainers love that temperament he is passing on to his progeny," Brayshaw said. "That's why the positivity spreading around Brazen Beau and why we are seeing these results in the sales ring. The trainers that have got them, they love a horse you can do anything with and obviously cope with the work, don't stand in the box fretting and wasting nervous energy."

Brayshaw said it doesn't hurt that Brazen Beau is also stamping his progeny by type with his beautiful dark coat.

"Everyone loves a black horse; they really fill the eye," he said. "You look at those two colts that made the big money at Classic and they are beautiful big, dark colts with almost no white on either of them. Just jet black, and each time you walked by they were out and you would look across and that gleaming coat would catch your eye. A lot of them are that dark colouring. But he is not only putting his physical attributes into them, but his temperament as well. They handled it all at the sale and that is so important."

Limited books no more

It all shapes as an exciting time for vendors with a yearling by Brazen Beau bound for the sales ring, and with 25 lots catalogued at Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and five more at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, there could be more big prices yet.

One thing breeders with a Brazen Beau can be sure of is that the days of there being limited crops from the sire are over for now.

"Our nominations staff are taking calls daily from people wanting to send mares to him this year, it is going to be a challenge for us to accommodate everyone but it is certainly a good headache to have," Brayshaw said. "I would imagine those vendors with yearlings back at home and preparing for those sales, because in terms of numbers there is not an abundance out there. What those vendors have got is a limited commodity and a hot commodity. It is a very good position to be in."

Another bonus for breeders could be that Brazen Beau's progeny from the northern hemisphere – where he is currently standing his fourth season – have yet to hit the track and could provide updates.

"They have only just turned two so we are a couple of months away from his first runners over there," Brayshaw said. "Some Australian breeders with mares in the northern hemisphere have switched on to his early success here, as have European breeders."