Darci Brahma
Darci Brahma is a New Zealand thoroughbred colt foaled in 2002 at Pencarrow Stud near Cambridge in New Zealand. He was auctioned at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd Yearling Sales in January 2004 and acquired by a syndicate of ten investors for the sum of NZ$1.1 million.
2004–2005 season
Sent to trainer Mark Walker of Te Akau Racing Stables near Matamata for his early education, Darci Brahma quickly established a reputation as a potential star in the making winning his first race on debut, following that up with a strong win in the Listed Ford Fairview Slipper Stakes at Matamata in February and then running 2nd to Mi Jubilee in the Group One Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes at Ellerslie in March.Darci Brahma was sent to Australia in June 2005 where he contested two races at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, finishing a creditable 4th over 1400 metres in the Queensland Sire Produce Stakes and then winning the Group One T J Smith over 1600 metres producing a withering run from last on the turn to win by a length.
These performances were sufficient to see Darci Brahma awarded the New Zealand Two Year Old of the Year Award for the 2004-05 racing season
2005–2006 season
After being turned out for a well earned rest, Darci Brahma resumed racing as a Three Year old in the 2005-06 season when ridden by Michael Walker he downed Dr Green in the Group 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas over 1400 metres in an Australasian record time of 1:19.97, following this up with further wins in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas in October and the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November, winning this event by four lengths.After a spell, Darci Brahma tackled the older horses for the first time in the Group One Waikato Sprint at Te Rapa in February 2006 where he was beaten into 2nd place by proven Weight For Age galloper Kristov. Three weeks later Darci Brahma turned the tables on Kristov by winning the Group One Otaki-Maori Weight for Age.
He then travelled to Australia where he finished a creditable 2nd to Apache Cat in the Group One Australian Guineas at Flemington, 4th in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill and at his first attempt over distance finished 8th in the Group One Rosehill Guineas at Rosehill.
Brought back to New Zealand to ready him for racing as a four-year-old, Darci Brahma was awarded the title of Three Year Old of The Year Award at the Mercedes Thoroughbred Awards evening in September 2006.
2006–2007 season
Darci Brahma started his 4 year old career in the first two races of the Hawkes Bay Triple Crown, finishing second to eventual Horse Of The Year Seachange in both races. His only other start in that campaign was a sixth in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.Resuming in the summer, Opie Bosson rode Darci Brahma won the Group 1 Telegraph Handicap at Trentham Racecourse followed by the Group 1 Waikato Sprint, giving the stallion a total of five Group 1 wins.
Days after his Waikato Draught Sprint win Darci Brahma injured himself in a workout and was announced retired.
Stud career
Darci Brahma stood as a stallion at The Oaks stud in Cambridge for a stud fee of $15,000 and was a very successful sire. He retired from stud duties in 2023, having sired 13 individual Group 1 winners.Notable progeny
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding| Foaled | Name | Sex | Dam | Dam Sire | Major Wins |
| 2008 | Artistic | f | Artless | Dahar | New Zealand Oaks |
| 2008 | Irish Fling | f | Irish Belle | O'Reilly | Telegraph Handicap |
| 2008 | Nashville | g | Royal Kiss | Royal Academy | Haunui Farm Classic |
| 2008 | Super Easy | c | Parfore | Gold Brose | Singapore Guineas |
| 2009 | Julinsky Prince | g | Julinsky Princess | Stravinsky | Windsor Park Plate, Captain Cook Stakes |
| 2010 | Recite | f | Chant | Traditionally | Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes, Levin Classic |
| 2011 | Gust Of Wind | f | Starrystarrynight | Sadler's Wells | Australian Oaks |
| 2012 | D B Pin | g | Pins 'N' Needles | Pins | Centenary Sprint Cup |
| 2012 | Risqué | f | So Explicit | Straight Strike | New Zealand 1000 Guineas |
| 2013 | Devise | f | Doneze Girl | Volksraad | Haunui Farm Classic |
| 2016 | Catalyst | g | Evana | Entrepreneur | New Zealand 2000 Guineas |
| 2016 | Sierra Sue | f | Centree | Centaine | Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Futurity Stakes (MRC) |
| 2017 | Kahma Lass | f | Distinctive Lass | Orientate | New Zealand 1000 Guineas |