Winner of the Group II Sandown Guineas last November, the high-priced Brazen Beau mare Pretty Brazen was back to her brilliant best in Saturday’s Group II Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
It was a welcome back for Luke Currie who had the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained mare travelling sweetly just worse than midfield.
Willie Pike on Arcadia Queen was tracking Pretty Brazen, but Currie found an immediate response when putting the question to Pretty Brazen who put a three length margin on the daughter of Pierro who closed that down to half-neck on the line.
The Myboycharlie (IRE) mare Bonvicini was three-quarter of a length back in third.
“She was fantastic, really tough. She has been training really well after her first-up run, which was probably a pass mark although we were expecting a little more,” Calvin McEvoy said.
“Getting to the 1400m was where we were expecting the best of her and it’s great to get Luke Currie’s first winner back. He’s a great team player and I thrilled for him to have a Group II winner as his first winner back.
“We will consider backing her up in the Rupert Clarke next week depending on how she comes through this because it is quite firm out there today but she is a great mare and it’s a fantastic result for the Huddys.”
Purchased out of the Coolmore Stud draft for $700,000 by McEvoy Mitchell Racing, on behalf of Linda Huddy’s Peachester Lodge at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Pretty Brazen advances her record to 5 wins and 3 seconds from 14 starts with earnings of $571,775.
Pretty Brazen made her career debut over a 1000 metres at Flemington in January last year where she was narrowly defeated by the Exceed And Excel colt Microphone who at seasons end was honoured as the best two-year-old in the land.
Pretty Brazen is the seventh foal and seventh stakes-performer for the remarkable Encosta de Lago mare Pretty Penny who was quick off the mark leaving the Group II Zipping Classic winner Sertorius (Galileo) who has banked over $1.2 million with seven wins. Then followed the stakes-placed winner Fortune Of War (General Nediym), the stakes-placed I Am Titanium (Flying Spur), the ill-fated Sebring filly Clifton Red who won the VRC Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes in her four-start career, the multiple Group III winner Dollar For Dollar (High Chaparral), the multiple stakes-placed Rezealient (Sebring) who ran three consecutive seconds in stakes races including the Group 1 SAJC Derby.
Pretty Penny was consigned to the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with Colm Santry Bloodstock having the final say at $570,000 on behalf of Dr Dennis and Claire O'Brien of Clairden Racing.
She was carrying Pretty Brazen at the time of her sale, so the venture showed a quick profit.
The daughter of Encosta de Lago has a two-year-old filly and a yearling filly by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (USA) but unfortunately missed to another Triple Crown winner, Justify, last spring.
Breaking news. Colm Santry reports Pretty Penny was covered by Justify (USA) today.
