So Brilliant workmanlike in Hollywood Prevue

So Brilliant workmanlike in Hollywood Prevue

Regrouping in short order, So Brilliant moved up to make it a line of three

abreast for a few strides. Then Hodge conceded the lead, and So Brilliant

overtook Galex through the opening quarter in :22 4/5. But Galex hung tough.

Even as Hodge renewed his advance, Galex was still prominent in third, until he

was injured and pulled up entering the far turn.

So Brilliant was increasingly pressed by Hodge, and the duo battled

eyeball-to-eyeball through a half in :46 3/5 and six furlongs in 1:10 3/5.

Although So Brilliant clung stubbornly onto his left lead for the length of the

stretch, he was traveling more strongly than his opponent.

Once So Brilliant finally put Hodge away and edged clear inside the final

furlong, another threat emerged in Brother Francis. The closer was making good

headway, but So Brilliant was going too well to be caught and maintained a

half-length margin at the wire. He negotiated seven Cushion Track furlongs in

1:22 4/5 and paid $4.80, $3.20 and $2.60.

"He's still learning day to day," Garcia said. "He has a lot more than he

showed today. He's still a little green.

"He broke in a little bit, but went right on with it. Let me tell you, he's a

good horse. He was doing everything on his own. I didn't even have to ask him.

"I got into him in the stretch because I could feel the others were gaining,

but when he feels another horse coming up to him, he just takes off. He's such a

nice horse."

The maiden Brother Francis, who was second to Hodge in his debut, turned the

tables by 1 1/4 lengths on Thursday. The tiring Hodge barely held third by a

head from Sheer Talent, with Muchos Besos another neck away in fifth. Empire

Way, a sharp winner at first asking just 11 days ago, was never in contention

and brought up the rear.

Galex suffered severe injuries to his left front ankle. He fractured his

sesamoids and had to be euthanized, casting a pall over the holiday.

So Brilliant has now bankrolled $87,000. In his October 22 premiere at Santa

Anita, he set blistering fractions en route to a 2 1/4-length success, finishing

six furlongs in a quick 1:09. He coped just fine with the added ground on

Thursday, as his pedigree implied. The son of Medaglia d'Oro is out of the

stakes-winning Wekiva Springs mare Merry Me in Spring.

Bred by Stonewall Farm Stallions in Kentucky, So Brilliant has increased in

value in every trip to the sales ring. A $190,000 Keeneland November weanling,

he commanded $200,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling, and went to

Zetcher for $300,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Florida two-year-old earlier this year.

So Brilliant joins stablemate and fellow Zetcher colorbearer Liaison, hero of

the November 12 Real Quiet Stakes, on the short list for the December 17

CashCall Futurity. None of Baffert's previous Hollywood Prevue winners – In

Excessive Bull (1996), Commitisize (1997), Premier Property (1998) and Massive

Drama (2007) – went on to turn the double in the Futurity, but So Brilliant

could try to rewrite that statistic.