Authentic’s Brave Deb Adds to Spendthrift’s Weekend Haul With Surfer Girl Win

[Wandering Eyes]

Spendthrift Farm homebred Brave Deb (Authentic) completed a big weekend for the historic farm–while adding a second graded win in two days for her sire–with an authoritative victory in the GIII Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita Sunday. Spendthrift's colors were carried to victory at Keeneland by Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) in the GI Darley Alicibiades Stakes Friday and by Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) in the GI Claiborne Futurity Saturday. The farm's homebred Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), a daughter of champion Beholder, returned with a victory of her own in the GIII Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday.

Brave Deb, who set the pace and just held on to take her one-mile debut over the Del Mar lawn last time out Sept. 5, was sent off at 10-1 Sunday. She rushed up and over from her outside post to stalk pacesetting favorite Will Happen through an opening quarter in :22.26. Will Happen had scampered away to a three-length advantage as the half went up in :45.76, but Brave Deb reeled her in approaching the stretch and the favorite had no response when the dark bay filly surged to the lead at the top of the lane. Brave Deb strode clear under a hand ride with Scratch It chasing in vain to the wire. Will Happen, a debut winner going five furlongs at Del Mar in August, faded to eighth.

“She's a nervous filly,” said winning jockey Mirco Demuro. “First time I took her to the front and she got a little excited. Even in the morning-time she gets a little excited. I didn't want her to get too nervous and take her out of the race. So this time I let somebody take the lead and I kept close to him. She is a little bit funny, you can see when she was coming back she was looking around at everything. She doesn't really like to be in front. But she has a lot of speed and a lot of ability. It was perfect. The other one came close to me in the stretch and helped me keep going. She doesn't want to lose.”

Winning trainer Richard Mandella added, “We were worried that the one that went to the lead would and it would turn into a sprint. We hoped our filly would settle, which she did. Mirco did a fabulous job with her.”

Pedigree Notes:

Brave Deb became Authentic's third graded winner and his second of the weekend, following Iron Orchard's victory in the GI Frizette Stakes at Aqueduct Saturday.

Nora's Joy was purchased by Spendthrift for $175,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. She hit the board in three of four lifetime starts in 2019 and 2020 for Spendthrift and trainer Richard Mandella. Her first foal is Tirupati (Mitole), who won the GIII Wilshire Stakes in March. The 8-year-old's yearling full-sister to Brave Deb sold for $50,000 at last month's Keeneland September sale. She produced a colt by the GI Kentucky Derby winner in 2025.

The winner's third dam, Al Balessa, produced multiple Grade I winner Fowda (Strawberry Road {Aus}).

BRAVE DEB ($23.80) caps off the weekend for @spendthriftfarm with a brilliant win in the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes (G3) at @santaanitapark. @MircoDemuro1 #ミルコデムーロ was on board the daughter of Authentic (Spendthrift Farm) for trainer Richard Mandella. pic.twitter.com/TYw1yiK57a

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 5, 2025

Sunday, Santa Anita
SURFER GIRL S.-GIII, $101,500, Santa Anita, 10-5, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:35.40, fm.
1–BRAVE DEB, 122, f, 2, by Authentic
                1st Dam: Nora's Joy, by Street Sense
                2nd Dam: Brite Diamond, by Deputy Minister
                3rd Dam: Al Balessa, by Rare Performer
   1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($70,000
RNA Ylg '24 KEESEP). O/B-Spendthrift Farm, LLC (KY); T-Richard
Mandella; J-Mirco Demuro. $60,000. Lifetime Record:
2-2-0-0, $108,000. *1/2 to Tirupati (Mitole), GSW, $218,176.
   Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross
   pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style
   pedigree.
2–Scratch It, 122, f, 2, Tapit–Carolyn's Cat, by Forestry. 1ST
   GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($490,000 Ylg '24 FTSAUG). O-Fergus
Galvin, Mrs. M. V. Magnier and Mrs. Paul Shanahan;
B-Newtownanner Stud Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $20,000.
3–Pentle Bay, 118, f, 2, Uncle Mo–Sanenus (Chi), by Scat
Daddy. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($130,000 Ylg '24 FTKOCT;
$180,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR). O-Qatar Racing LLC; B-Whisper Hill
Farm, LLC & Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD (KY); T-Simon
Callaghan. $12,000.
Margins: 1, 1 3/4, HD. Odds: 10.90, 2.90, 16.30.
Also Ran: Yours Sincerely (Ire), Dreaming of Alys, South Bay, Soaring Angel, Will Happen.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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