Brethren, a half-brother to this year’s Kentucky Derby winner,
Super Saver, overcame a slight stumble at the start to debut a winner in
today’s second race at Belmont
Park.
Part of a coupled entry that was favored at 3-5, Brethren quickly
recovered from his bobble and led in the early stages before Backdown rushed up
along the inside to grab the lead. Brethren pressed the pacesetter in second
through a quarter of 22.82, forged to the front following a half in 45.53, and
was driven home by jockey David Cohen to defeat Black N Beauty by a half-length.
The final time for six furlongs was a brisk 1:08.88.
Like Super Saver, Brethren is trained by Todd Pletcher for owner WinStar
Farm.
“He obviously has a lot of pedigree, and he came in with high
expectations,” said Pletcher. “He had been very focused and forward
in the morning, having done everything we had asked him to do. We felt like
he’d be very competitive and that he was a colt who could win first time
out if things went smoothly. Aside from a stumble at the gate, it went very
well.”
Pletcher said Brethren is likely to make his next start in a stakes,
with the specific race to be determined at a later date.
Bred in Kentucky
by his owner, Brethren is by Distorted Humor and out of Supercharger, a winning
full-sister to Grade 1 Vosburgh victor Girolamo, Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap
heroine and Grade 1 Gazelle second-place finisher Daydreaming, and Grade 3
Pilgrim winner and Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap runner-up Accelerator.
In 2009, Super Saver launched his own career in New
York, finishing second at Saratoga
before going on to graduate by seven lengths at Belmont in his second start.