Bravaro (Upstart) was sent off the 3-5 chalk on the back of a strong-figure debut victory going six furlongs over this surface Sept. 28 and was deftly manuevered across the heels of four of his five rivals nearing the entrance to the final furlong of Saturday's $200,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes, leveling off beautifully beneath Dylan Davis to earn his first black-type victory in handy fashion.
Not the quickest away from the inside gate in this field of six and a bit awkward through the early exchanges, the bay colt gradually worked his way up to be behind the pacesetters and was under a good hold after a half in a crisp :45.19. Going strongly and in need only of running room as they approached the stretch, Bravaro was angled off the heels of a wall of horses to find clear sailing at the furlong grounds, raced on his incorrect lead for a stride or two and then finished the deal with a fair bit of authority.
The 25th stakes winner for his New York-bred, but Airdrie Stud-based stallion and the first black-type winner from a Tamarkuz mare, Bravaro is the second foal and first winner out of an unraced dam who was purchased by breeder Stephanie Baltzan for $4,000 at the 2021 OBS January Sale. Opera Star is herself a half-sister to multiple Canadian stakes winner Dene Court (City Zip), the dam of SW & MGSP Artemus Citylimits (Temple City), MSW Jacally (Bold Executive) and GSP Theregoesjojo (English Channel).
“I just let him break comfortable and get into his stride and once I got across the chute, he started taking me into the race,” Davis said. “He was comfortable and within himself–I was happy with the way he was doing it. Just riding the rail and it was a small field, so I knew I'd find a spot sometime–they were four across at the quarter-pole and I just wheeled him out and had another gear for me.”
Opera Star is the dam of a yearling full-brother to Bravaro, a weanling colt by Practical Joke and was most recently covered by Domestic Product. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
SLEEPY HOLLOW S., $200,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-25, (S), 2yo, 1m, 1:35.68, ft.
1–BRAVARO, 120, c, 2, by Upstart
1st Dam: Opera Star, by Tamarkuz
2nd Dam: Operetta, by Ascot Knight
3rd Dam: Dance With Ease, by Fred Astaire
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($57,000 RNA Ylg '24 SARAUG; $95,000 RNA 2yo '25 EASMAY). O-Albert Ciuffetelli, Stephanie S Brennan, Shining Stables LLC, BAG Racing Stables & Paul Braverman; B-Stepanie Baltzan (NY); T-Saffie A Joseph Jr; J-Dylan Davis. $110,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $154,000.
2–Max Money, 119, c, 2, Maxfield–Back Roads, by Liam's Map. 1ST BLACK TYPE. ($42,500 Ylg '24 SARAUG). O-Three Diamonds Farm; B-Spruce Lane Farm, William R Conley Jr Thoroughbreds & Morgan's Ford Farm (NY); T-Michael J Maker. $40,000.
3–Fourth and One, 118, g, 2, Maxfield–Wajeeha, by Medaglia d'Oro. ($240,000 Ylg '24 FTKFEB; $95,000 RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Stony Pointe Stables; B-Chesapeake Farm & Rockridge Stud LLC, Tamie Semler, John McConnell (NY); T-Jeremiah C Englehart. $24,000.
Margins: 2HF, 3, 3. Odds: 0.78, 23.22, 4.21.
Also Ran: Gaming Wizard, Time to Roll, Froutien.
BRAVARO is now 2-for-2 after winning the Sleepy Hollow Stakes under @DavisJockey for @SaffieJosephJr. pic.twitter.com/NLVUNGfGEA
— NYRA (🌳) (@TheNYRA) October 25, 2025
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