Only 238 days after Authentic earned his G1 Kentucky Derby win, this crop of 3-year-olds lines up to see who takes the roses and makes their way into the history books on May 1.
In a rare sight since the Road to the Kentucky Derby points series was put into place nearly a decade ago, it currently only takes 10 points to get into this year’s G1 Kentucky Derby (after defections) with the 21st ranked horse having only four points. As we prepare for a busy week of preparations, I’ve looked at the breeding of each of the 21 horses with sons of sires with first 3-year-olds matching up against sons of the established guard.
Among stallions, Into Mischief leads all sires with three horses looking like they’ll compete in the race. Curlin is the only other horse with more than one runner.
Curlin also has the distinction of being both the sire and grandsire of runners, his son Palace Malice is the sire of Like The King. That feat is bested by Tapit, who is the sire of one runner, grandsire of a second, and damsire of another. Medaglia d’Oro doesn’t have a runner but his son Mshawish and daughter Riviera Chic do with the mare getting her Derby runner when Brooklyn Strong moved into the field on Sunday.
On the broodmare sire side, both Empire Maker and Smart Strike are making their mark with both having two daughters each with runners. A.P. Indy isn’t the broodmare sire of any runner but that shouldn’t bother Indy fans – sires or damsires of nine of the 21 horses on this list come from his sireline.
Want to know more about your G1 Kentucky Derby picks? Find individualized information below.
Essential Quality – 140 Points
Breeding: Tapit x Delightful Quality, by Elusive Quality
Breeder: Godolphin (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Gainesway ($185,000 & $300,000)
Inbreeding: Mr. Prospector 4 x 5 x 4 x 5 with 4 x 4 cross to his son Fappiano, 5 x 5 x 5 Secretariat, 5 x 5 x 5 Northern Dancer, 5 x 5 In Reality
Race Record: 5-5-0-0, Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and G1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity winner, two other graded stakes victories
Sale Record: Homebred
Breeding Notes: Essential Quality has the dangerous blend of speed and stamina in his pedigree. His dam won at six and seven furlongs but Essential Quality has enough stamina in the family to also see a Triple Crown winner under his second dam. Tapit has multiple G1 Belmont Stakes winners and placers and stakes-placed Delightful Quality is a half-sister to the U.S. champion granddam of Japan’s 2020 Triple Crown winner Contrail.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Tapit runners out of Elusive Quality mares account for six winners from eight runners, including three stakes horses (two stakes winners). A generation further back, Pulpit sons with Elusive Quality mares have 20 winners from 28 runners with G3 winner Al Fin and the stakes placed/G3-placed Meru added to the stakes numbers.
Hot Rod Charlie – 110 Points
Breeding: Oxbow x Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie
Breeder: Edward A. Cox Jr. (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Calumet Farm ($7,500 & $20,000)
Inbreeding: 3 x 5 Deputy Minister, 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector
Race Record: 7-2-1-2, G2 Louisiana Derby winner, one G1 placing, one G3 placing
Sale Record: $17,000 2019 Fasig-Tipton February Mixed, $110,000 2019 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale
Breeding Notes: Sire Oxbow won the G1 Preakness Stakes in 2013 and was second in that year’s G1 Belmont Stakes. Hot Rod Charlie’s dam is also the dam of 2019 Champion Sprinter Mitole with Hot Rod Charlie’s other three winning half-siblings winning between 5 ½ and 7 furlongs. Each of his first five dams have all produced stakes winners.
Pedigree Cross Notes: The Oxbow x Indian Charlie cross has produced seven winners from 13 runners, though Hot Rod Charlie is the only stakes performer. Awesome Again sons crossed on Indian Charlie mares have combined for 29 winners from 42 runners, including multiple Grade 2 winner Gypsy Robin with two other stakes winners and one stakes placed runners. The Awesome Again sons with those stakes horses are Oxbow, Daaher (Gypsy Robin’s sire), Ghostzapper, Awesome Sword, and Awesome Patriot.
Super Stock – 109 Points
Breeding: Dialed In x Super Girlie, by Closing Argument
Breeder: Pedro and P.J. Gonzalez (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Darby Dan Farm ($15,000 & $15,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 4 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 5 Secretariat
Race Record: 8-2-2-2, G1 Arkansas Derby winner, one other stakes victory, one G1 placing, one G3 placing, one Listed placing
Sale Record: $70,000 2019 Keeneland September
Breeding Notes: One of four horses sired by a stallion from the A.P. Indy sireline, Super Stock is by G1 Florida Derby winner Dialed in and one of two G1 winners from this crop by the stallion (the other, Get Her Number, was announced out of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday). Super Stock is also a half-brother to G1 placed Boujie Girl, who won from five to six furlongs with their dam a seven time winner from six furlongs to one mile. Super Girlie is also a half-sister to Puerto Rico champion Gabbywitha G, who won up to 9 ½ furlongs with another stakes-placed half-sister the dam of sprinting G1 winner Heir Kitty.
Pedigree Cross Notes: You have to go back to the third generation to find many horses bred on Super Stock’s cross. The A.P. Indy grandsons bred to Successful Appeal granddaughters cross has fived winners from nine runners with stakes winner and G3 fourth Ministry joining Super Stock.
Like The King – 104 Points
Breeding: Palace Malice (second crop) x Like a Queen, by Corinthian
Breeder: Horseshoe Racing (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Three Chimneys Farm ($20,000 & $20,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector
Race Record: 6-3-2-1, G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks winner, one stakes placing
Sale Record: $28,000 2018 Keeneland November, $170,000 2019 OBS October Yearlings
Breeding Notes: By G1 Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice, Like The King is out of a stakes-placed winner who won at five furlongs and a mile. His dam Like A Queen’s siblings have won up to 1 ¼ miles with nearly every one of the six winners out of her dam Arcanum winning at a mile or more with the colt’s stakes winning third dam Twin Bet winning from 1 ¼ miles to 1 ½ miles.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Like The King is the only stakes horse for young stallion Palace Malice out of mares by A.P. Indy grandsons though mares by A.P. Indy sons have produced two stakes performers by the stallion. This cross should become popular however, as Palace Malice’s sire Curlin loves the A.P. Indy bloodline. Curlin bred to A.P. Indy mares has produced seven stakes winners and 15 stakes horses with three Grade 1 winners including his G1 Kentucky Oaks runner Malathaat. Curlin with mares by A.P. Indy grandsons like this colt’s cross has produced two stakes horses and seven winners led by G2 winner and G1-placed Tenfold with all but one of the winners out of Tapit mares.
Known Agenda – 102 Points
Breeding: Curlin x Byrama, by Byron
Breeder: St. Elias Stable (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Hill ‘n’ Dale ($175,000 & $150,000)
Inbreeding: 3 x 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 5 Northern Dancer, 5 x 5 Sir Ivor
Race Record: 6-3-1-1, G1 Florida Derby winner, one G2 placing
Sale Record: Homebred
Breeding Notes: One of two contenders for G1 Preakness winner Curlin, Known Agenda is out of G1 winner Byrama. That mare won from five to nine furlongs and is a half-sister to G3 winner Klammer and stakes-placed The Warrior. Curlin has proved to be a classic sire with a classic winner or placed runner in each of his first six crops.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Known Agenda is one of only three runners by Curlin out of Green Desert granddaughters with all three winning at least one race. Those are the only three runners for Curlin with Green Desert anywhere in the first four generations.
Rock Your World – 100 Points
Breeding: Candy Ride (Arg) x Charm The Maker, by Empire Maker
Breeder: Ron and Deborah McAnally (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Lane’s End Farm ($75,000 & $60,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 4 Fappiano
Race Record: 3-3-0-0, G1 Santa Anita Derby winner, one Listed win
Sale Record: $650,000 2019 Keeneland September
Breeding Notes: Rock Your World made the switch to dirt for the first time in the G1 Santa Anita Derby and as is no surprise with his pedigree, made a big impression. Candy Ride was bred in Argentina and never ran in American classic but did win the G1 Pacific Classic over 1 ¼ miles in his final start by 3 ¼ lengths. He hasn’t yet sired a classic winner but has had enough route stakes winners to prove he can do the job. Empire Maker doesn’t need much introduction, he was a G1 Belmont Stakes winner who saw grandson (through the sire side) American Pharoah win the Triple Crown and another grandson in Always Dreaming win the Derby. A top broodmare sire as well as sire-of-sires, he’s also the broodmare sire of G1 Kentucky Derby runner Mandaloun.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Rock Your World is one of two G1 winners for Candy Ride out of Empire Maker mares alongside Separationofpowers. The group of 11 runners also includes G3 winner Crewman and G3-placed She’s Our Charm. When adding in other sons of Unbridled alongside Empire Maker, the group also includes G1 winner Leofric and two G2 winners out of Unbridled’s Song mares.
Bourbonic – 100 Points
Breeding: Bernardini x Dancing Afleet, by Afleet Alex
Breeder: Calumet Farm (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Darley ($35,000 & $100,000)
Inbreeding: 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 5 Northern Dancer
Race Record: 6-3-1-0, G2 Wood Memorial winner
Sale Record: Homebred
Breeding Notes: If there was a horse who heard the call of the classics in his pedigree, it’d be this one. His sire Bernardini won the 2006 G1 Preakness Stakes the year after his damsire Afleet Alex won both the GPreakness and the G1 Belmont Stakes. Bernardini is still waiting for his first classic winner but one son was just three quarters of a length away from winning the G1 Belmont in 2011 while Afleet Alex is searching for his second classic winner in three years as a damsire with Sir Winston winning the G1 Belmont Stakes in 2019.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Bourbonic is one of three winners for Bernardini out of Afleet Alex mares with Bernardini’s only runner out of a mare by Afleet Alex’s sire Northern Afleet also a stakes placed runner.
Medina Spirit – 74 Points
Breeding: Protonico (first crop sire) x Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed
Breeder: Gail Rice (Fl)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Castleton Lyons ($5,000 & $6,500)
Inbreeding: 5 x 4 Roberto, 5 x 5 Secretariat, 5 x 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector
Race Record: 5-2-3-0, G3 Robert B. Lewis winner, one G1 placing, one G2 placing, one G3 placing
Sale Record: $1,000 2019 OBS Winter Mixed Sale, $35,000 2020 OBS July 2-Year-Olds
Breeding Notes: One of only 19 foals from the first crop of multiple graded stakes winner Protonico, Medina Spirit is also the first foal for the winning Brilliant Speed mare Mongolian Changa. Protonico came into his best as a 4-year-old but proved to be a useful runner at route distances while Brilliant Speed was third in the 2011 G1 Belmont Stakes after finishing seventh behind Animal Kingdom in the G1 Kentucky Derby. Medina Spirit also comes from the family of multiple G1 winner High Yield, who made noise on the 2000 G1 Kentucky Derby trail.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Medina Spirit is one of four winners from seven runners by Giant’s Causeway sons out of Dynaformer granddaughters but the only stakes performer. Giant’s Causeway himself bred to Dynaformer mares sired two stakes winners and eight winners from 13 runners, though none performed at the graded stakes level.
Midnight Bourbon – 66 Points
Breeding: Tiznow x Catch The Moon, by Malibu Moon
Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Winstar Farm (Pensioned & $60,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 4 Seattle Slew, 5 x 4 Mr. Prospector, 4 x 5 Monique Rene, 5 x 5 Northern Dancer
Race Record: 7-2-2-3, G3 Lecomte Stakes winner, one G1 placing, one G2 placing, two G3 placings
Sale Record: $525,000 2019 Keeneland September
Breeding Notes: From one of the final crops of Tiznow, Midnight Bourbon is looking to become his second classic winner after G1 Belmont Stakes winner Da’Tara. Malibu Moon has already sired a G1 Kentucky Derby winner with Orb (who has a runner in this edition of the Derby) and is looking for his first classic winner as a broodmare sire here. Malibu Moon’s daughters have proven to throw both top class sprinters and routers so Midnight Bourbon definitely doesn’t only have stamina on his side. Midnight Bourbon is one of four graded stakes winners for Catch The Moon, including G1 Haskell Stakes winner Girvin.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Two of the best sires of the 1997 foal class, Tiznow and Malibu Moon haven’t paired up often with just five runners, but two of those are G3 winners – the other being Royal Approval, who hails from Midnight Bourbon’s crop. Tiznow bred to mares by A.P. Indy sons has five stakes winners and seven stakes horses with both the graded stakes winners out of Malibu Moon mares.
Mandaloun – 52 Points
Breeding: Into Mischief x Brooch, by Empire Maker
Breeder: Juddmonte (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Spendthrift Farm ($225,000 & $75,000)
Inbreeding: 5 x 5 His Majesty, 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector
Race Record: 5-3-0-1, G2 Risen Star winner, one G3 placing
Sale Record: Homebred
Breeding Notes: A year ago, it wouldn’t be crazy to think an Into Mischief runner couldn’t get 1 ¼ miles – then Authentic happened. This year we’re adding more stamina to the female side than that Horse of the Year had with Mandaloun out of a mare by G1 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker. The colt is one of two winners from two to race out of the G2 winning Brooch, who won from a mile to 9 ½ furlongs with one of her half-sister winning at up to 1 ¼ miles and many of her other siblings winning at route distances as well. As to be expected from a Juddmonte family, there is plenty of stamina backing him on the female side – though the G2 Louisiana Derby showed he may not have as much stamina as his other relatives.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Into Mischief bred to Empire Maker mares has produced six stakes horses, led by this horse. Into Mischief also saw his late, talented stakes winning daughter Taraz come from an Empire Maker mare alongside one other Listed winner while one of the other stakes performers is G2-placed. The cross also has two others who finished fourth in stakes races.
Highly Motivated – 50 Points
Breeding: Into Mischief x Strong Incentive, by Warrior’s Reward
Breeder: Klaravich Stables (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Spendthrift Farm ($225,000 & $75,000)
Inbreeding: 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector
Race Record: 5-2-2-1, Nyquist Stakes winner, one G2 placing, one G3 placing
Sale Record: Racing as a homebred but sold for $240,000 at 2018 Keeneland November
Breeding Notes: One of three entries for Into Mischief, he is out of the stakes winning Strong Incentive. The dam won at seven furlong and a mile and the granddam won at six furlongs with Strong Incentive’s stakes-placed half-sibling winning from 5 ½ furlongs to a mile. This colt’s damsire is Warrior’s Reward, who is a G1 winner at seven furlongs so stamina could be a problem with this Into Mischief.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Highly Motivated is one of two stakes winners for Into Mischief out of Warrior’s Reward mares alongside Mundaye Call with the pair the only two bred on the cross. The colt is also bred on a similar cross to Into Mischief’s multiple stakes winner Into Mystic, who is out of a mare by Warrior’s Reward’s sire. Second to Essential Quality in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes, Highly Motivated has proven to have the most stamina of the three stakes horses.
Helium – 50 Points
Breeding: Ironicus (first crop sire) x Thundering Emilia, by Thunder Gulch
Breeder: Teneri Farm & Bernardo Alvarez Calderon (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Claiborne Farm ($5,000 & $7,500)
Inbreeding: 4 x 4 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 5 x 5 Northern Dancer
Race Record: 3-3-0-0, G2 Tampa Bay Derby winner, one Listed win
Sale Record: $55,000 2019 Fasig-Tipton October
Breeding Notes: By first crop sire Ironicus, Helium is a half-brother to G1 winner Emilia’s Moon from the family of Peruvian champions Valiant Emilia and Domingo. Ironicus is known more as a turf horse but it’s no surprise he can get a dirt horse with the stallion by Distorted Humor out of an A.P. Indy mare. Distorted Humor is also the sire of dual classic winner Funny Cide while Helium’s damsire Thunder Gulch not only won two legs of the Triple Crown but also sired dual classic winner Point Given.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Helium is just the latest in a group of stakes winners for Distorted Humor sons out of Thunder Gulch mares. Those sons have produced three G3 winners and two other stakes winners in addition to two stakes performers among their 25 winners from 36 starters.
Soup And Sandwich – 40 Points
Breeding: Into Mischief x Souper Scoop, by Tapit
Breeder: Live Oak Plantation (Fl)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Spendthrift Farm ($225,000 & $75,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 5 Stop the Music, 4 x 5 Mr. Prospector
Race Record: 3-2-1-0, G1 Florida Derby runner-up
Sale Record: Homebred
Breeding Notes: Another contender for Into Mischief, Soup and Sandwich is out of a Tapit mare. Tapit is just hitting his best stride now as a broodmare sire with four Grade 1 winners leading the charge of 42 stakes winners and 18 graded stakes winners. Included among those stakes winners is G1 Preakness third Tenfold and G1 Belmont Stakes fourth Pneumatic. Soup And Sandwich is the first foal out of a daughter of G3 winner Scoop, whose foals also include multiple stakes winner Coolwind. The colt’s dam won at 8 ½ furlongs with his family hoovering on the sprinter to short router range.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Into Mischief has 13 runners out of Tapit mares with 10 of those winning. Travieza is the sole stakes winner, with that victory coming at sprint distances, the other two stakes performers outside of Soup and Sandwich also did best shorter. However, that being said, Authentic’s cross (o/o a Mr. Greeley mare) also leaned toward shorter distance runners and now there are multiple route stakes winners bred on it.
Dynamic One – 40 Points
Breeding: Union Rags x Beat The Drums, by Smart Strike
Breeder: Phipps Stable (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Lane’s End ($30,000 & $50,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 5 x 3 Mr. Prospector, 4 x 5 x 5 Northern Dancer, 5 x 5 Secretariat
Race Record: 5-1-2-0, G2 Wood Memorial runner-up
Sale Record: $725,000 2019 Keeneland September (breeder bought back in)
Breeding Notes: By 2012 Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, Dynamic One is a grandson of champion Storm Flag Flying. The family has seen multiple stakes updates this month with Jouster winning the G2 Appalachian the same day Dynamic One finished second in the Wood Memorial. Dynamic One’s third dam My Flag finished third in the 1996 G1 Belmont Stakes while her G1 placed half-brother Our Emblem sired dual classic winner War Emblem.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Both Dynamic One’s sire and damsire stood at Lane’s End and the pair have combined for some successful horses. Union Rag’s G1 winner Union Strike and G2 winner Spielberg are both bred on this cross along with stakes winners Nova Rags and Still There with the five stakes horses hailing from a group of 22 runners. Interestingly, three of the five stakes horses are from Union Rags’ 2018 crop.
Sainthood – 40 Points
Breeding: Mshawish (first crop sire) x Lemon Hero, by Lemon Drop Kid
Breeder: Edward Taylor & Springland Farm (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Taylor Made Stallions ($7,500 & $20,000)
Inbreeding: 5 x 4 x 5 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 5 Northern Dancer, 5 x 5 Storm Bird
Race Record: 3-1-2-0, G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up
Sale Record: $100,000 2019 Keeneland Jan, $90,000 RNA Keeneland September, $62,000 2019 OBS October
Breeding Notes: From the first crop of dual-surface G1 winner Mshawish, whose own sire finished second in the G1 Belmont Stakes and whose damsire won two legs of the Triple Crown. Sainthood’s stakes-placed dam also has classic form in her pedigree with her sire being G1 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, who has proven to be a top broodmare sire at all distances and on all surfaces.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Not unexpectedly from a stallion who only has first three-year-olds this year, Sainthood is his only runner out of a Lemon Drop Kid mare. However, Mshawish’s sire has crossed well with the classic winner with two of Medaglia d’Oro’s Grade 1 winners and one of his stakes-placed runners out of mares by that stallion from six winners and 10 runners.
Hidden Stash – 32 Points
Breeding: Constitution (second crop) x Making Mark Money, by Smart Strike
Breeder: Rhineshire Farm (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): WinStar Farm ($85,000 & $25,000)
Inbreeding: 5 x 5 x 3 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 3 Danzig
Race Record: 7-2-1-2, G2 Tampa Bay Derby runner-up, one G3 placing
Sale Record: $50,000 2019 Keeneland September
Breeding Notes: Hidden Stash is by the same sire that gave us G1 Belmont Stakes winner Tiz The Law last year from his first crop. The 3-year-old is one of four Kentucky Derby runners who finds his sire or dams by Smart Strike. Last year’s early Kentucky Derby favorite Maxfield is on this colt’s bottom side with his family also including G1 winner Sky Mesa.
Pedigree Cross Notes: From Constitution’s five runners out of Smart Strike mares, Hidden Stash is one of two stakes horses alongside G3-placed Ambivalent. Tapit sons bred to Smart Strike mares have two stakes winners and seven stakes horses overall while Tapit himself has two stakes horses out of the stallion’s daughters.
O Besos – 25 Points
Breeding: Orb x Snuggs and Kisses, by Soto
Breeder: L. Barrett Bernard (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Claiborne Farm (Private & $25,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 5 Secretariat
Race Record: 5-2-0-1, G3 Louisiana Derby third
Sale Record: Homebred with two others buying in privately
Breeding Notes: O Besos is by 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb out of a stakes winner by a Dehere son. The 3-year-old is also a half-brother to three other winners to give that mare a 100% winner to runner rate and two stakes performers from that group with most of O Besos’ siblings wins hovering around one mile. O Besos’ first three dams have all proved to be producers of winners with 19 winners from 22 runners.
Pedigree Cross Notes: O Besos is the only horse bred on the Orb x Soto cross with Orb not having any runners out of Dehere mares. Dehere mares have produced seven stakes winners and 11 stakes horses by A. P. Indy grandsons, however, including G1 winner So Many Ways. A.P. Indy grandsons with Dehere granddaughters have a further five stakes horses led by G3 winner Delightful Joy.
King Fury – 20 Points
Breeding: Curlin x Taris, by Flatter
Breeder: Heider Family Stables (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Hill ‘n’ Dale ($175,000 & $150,000)
Inbreeding: 3 x 4 Mr. Prospector, 5 x 5 x 5 Northern Dancer
Race Record: 6-3-0-0, G3 Lexington Stakes winner, one other stakes win
Sale Record: $950,000 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga
Breeding Notes: King Fury is out of the Grade 1 winning mare Taris, who was a sprinter but comes from a family that does have stamina as well. This colt is bred similarly to fellow Derby runner Like a King, who is by a Curlin son and out of a mare by a stallion from the A.P. Indy line. King Fury’s winning granddam Comedy is the dam of three stakes winners and six winners overall from eight to race.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Curlin crossed on A.P. Indy granddaughters has given us the G1-winning pair of Stellar Wind and Paris Lights among eight stakes winners and 13 stakes horses. The cross will be represented in both the G1 Kentucky Derby and the G1 Kentucky Oaks with Clairiere scheduled for that race.
Keepmeinmind – 18 Points
Breeding: Laoban (first crop) x Inclination, by Victory Gallop
Breeder: Southern Equine Stables (Ky)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Winstar Farm ($25,000 & $7,500)
Inbreeding: 5 x 5 Mr. Prospector
Race Record: 6-1-2-1, G2 Kentucky Jockey Club winner, two G1 placings
Sale Record: Purchased privately
Breeding Notes: A half-brother to G2-placed In Jack’s Memory, Keepmeinmind has a bit of classic success on both sides of his family. First crop sire Laoban is looking to follow in his own sire’s footsteps with Uncle Mo siring G1 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist in his first crop. On his damside, Keepmeinmind should have inherited enough stamina with his dam by 1998 Belmont Stakes winner Victory Gallop, who finished second in the other two legs of the Triple Crown.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Uncle Mo has three runners out of Victory Gallop mares including G3 winner Hot Springs with Keepmeinmind the only runner by his sons out of those mares. Uncle Mo sons do have 15 runners out of mares by Fappiano grandsons with Outwork’s Abrogate joining in as stakes winners. Uncle Mo has produced five stakes winners and 10 stakes horses on that same cross, including the aforementioned G1 winner Outwork.
Brooklyn Strong – 10 Points
Breeding: Wicked Strong (second crop sire) x Riviera Chic, by Medaglia d’Oro
Breeder: Cheryl Prudhomme & Dr. Michael Gallivan (Ny)
Sire Stud Farm (2021 Stud Fee & 2017 Stud Fee): Pin Oak Lane Farm ($3,500 & $10,000)
Inbreeding: 4 x 5 Northern Dancer and 5 x 5 to his son Storm Bird
Race Record: 5-3-0-1, G2 Remsen Stakes winner, one other stakes win, one stakes placing
Sale Record: $30,000 2018 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Mixed, $42,000 RNA 2019 Fasig-Tipton New Yort-Bred, $6,000 RNA 2019 OBS October Yearlings, $5,000 2020 OBS Spring Sale of 2YOs
Breeding Notes: Brooklyn Strong’s sire was fourth in both the G1 Kentucky Derby and G1 Belmont Stakes in 2014 with Wicked Strong’s sire placing in two of the three Triple Crown races during his own career. Brooklyn Strong is out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare who won at up to 11 furlongs and was stakes placed. Not only is Medaglia d’Oro classic placed but Riviera Chic’s damsire is Thunder Gulch – who won two classics in 1995.
Pedigree Cross Notes: Hard Spun and Wicked Strong combined for four runners with two of those winning and Brooklyn Strong being the only stakes performer on the cross. The opposite version of this cross (Medaglia d’Oro x Hard Spun) produced Romantic Pursuit, who was placed in a G2.