Sometimes it does seem as If lightning strikes twice. Last week, the family of Clever But Costly was represented by Emery, winner of the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (USA-G2). This week, the family has another Keeneland graded stakes winner in Brilliant Berti, winner of the Bryan Station Stakes (USA-G3) on October 26. The 3-year-old colt is now the winner of five of seven lifetime starts and has earned US$1,601,285.
A fourth-generation homebred, Brilliant Berti is by multiple Group 1 winner Noble Mission—a full brother to undefeated Frankel, the two-time European Horse of the Year—and is from the branch of Clever but Costly’s family descended from her 1991 Timeless Native filly, Clever Bertie. Bred by James Conway and owned by Bert Klein (the father of current Klein Racing head Richard Klein), who bought her for US$14,000 at the 1992 Keeneland September sale, Clever Bertie never raced but produced two multiple graded stakes winners. The elder, Hurricane Bertie (by Storm Boot), won the 1990 Princess Rooney Handicap (USA-G3) and First Lady Handicap (USA-G3) but left no issue. The other, Allamerican Bertie (by Quiet American) won four graded stakes races including the 2002 Falls City Handicap (USA-G2) and 2003 Rampart Handicap (USA-G2). In addition, she was a game second to 2002 American champion 3-year-old filly Farda Amiga in that year’s Alabama Stakes (USA-G1).
Allamerican Bertie had been sold to Saudi interests by the time her son Homerun Berti (by Forestry) won a couple of minor stakes races at Zia Park and Sunland Park in 2013, but she had left behind an unraced daughter by Street Cry, Saint Bertie. This mare produced only three foals, but the first was Believe in Bertie, a Langfuhr mare who won four stakes races in Louisiana while racing at ages 3 and 4. Believe in Bertie, in turn, produced Brilliant Bertie as her third foal.
Brilliant Bertie is the first millionaire for Klein Racing’s racing and breeding programs, and after setting a stakes record of 1:34.40 in the one-mile Bryan Station, he appears to be a colt whose full potential has not yet been tapped. His 2-year-old half sister by Kantharos, Hey Bertie, has yet to race, and Believe in Bertie was sold to Beech Spring for US$8,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale after failing to produce a live foal in 2023 and 2024. She was bred to Goldencents for 2025.
A fourth-generation homebred, Brilliant Berti is by multiple Group 1 winner Noble Mission—a full brother to undefeated Frankel, the two-time European Horse of the Year—and is from the branch of Clever but Costly’s family descended from her 1991 Timeless Native filly, Clever Bertie. Bred by James Conway and owned by Bert Klein (the father of current Klein Racing head Richard Klein), who bought her for US$14,000 at the 1992 Keeneland September sale, Clever Bertie never raced but produced two multiple graded stakes winners. The elder, Hurricane Bertie (by Storm Boot), won the 1990 Princess Rooney Handicap (USA-G3) and First Lady Handicap (USA-G3) but left no issue. The other, Allamerican Bertie (by Quiet American) won four graded stakes races including the 2002 Falls City Handicap (USA-G2) and 2003 Rampart Handicap (USA-G2). In addition, she was a game second to 2002 American champion 3-year-old filly Farda Amiga in that year’s Alabama Stakes (USA-G1).
Allamerican Bertie had been sold to Saudi interests by the time her son Homerun Berti (by Forestry) won a couple of minor stakes races at Zia Park and Sunland Park in 2013, but she had left behind an unraced daughter by Street Cry, Saint Bertie. This mare produced only three foals, but the first was Believe in Bertie, a Langfuhr mare who won four stakes races in Louisiana while racing at ages 3 and 4. Believe in Bertie, in turn, produced Brilliant Bertie as her third foal.
Brilliant Bertie is the first millionaire for Klein Racing’s racing and breeding programs, and after setting a stakes record of 1:34.40 in the one-mile Bryan Station, he appears to be a colt whose full potential has not yet been tapped. His 2-year-old half sister by Kantharos, Hey Bertie, has yet to race, and Believe in Bertie was sold to Beech Spring for US$8,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale after failing to produce a live foal in 2023 and 2024. She was bred to Goldencents for 2025.
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