Quality Road made a statement in April when he sired the winners of the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks on the same day. Currently the nation's leading sire by earnings, he'll get a chance to widen his margin in emphatic fashion when Roadster is among the favorites in the Kentucky Derby and Bellafina starts as the heavy choice in the Kentucky Oaks.
While 2019 Kentucky Derby week is in full swing at Churchill Downs, perhaps there's already some thoughts of the 2020 Kentucky Derby, as an exceptionally strong class of freshman sires will be represented by some of their first 2-year-olds this week under the twin spires.
Six years after starting in the Kentucky Derby, Goldencents, among last year's leading freshman sires, will have a first-crop Kentucky Derby starter in Louisiana Derby winner By My Standards.
Despite being a European champion in his own right, Noble Mission has always lived in the shadow of his brother, the unbeaten two-time European Horse of the Year Frankel.
Claiborne Farm has only won the Kentucky Derby once in its century-plus history, when the star-crossed Swale carried its famous gold silks beneath the twin spires. But that doesn't mean the farm hasn't had ties to other Derby winners – or that, despite its lack of ownership in this year's renewal, the Hancock family's influence isn't all over the race.
Only a handful of horses in the diverse group of colts preparing to line up for the Kentucky Derby have won multiple graded stakes this season. Tacitus, who was one of those and finished as the leader by points in this season's series of Kentucky Derby qualifying races, sports one of the most regal pedigrees in this class.
Unmarked Bills, a half-brother to two Kentucky Derby starters, was a moderately-successful racehorse in his own right while never reaching an elite level. A week before this year's Kentucky Derby, he'll get his own chance for a turn in the spotlight in his second career as he starts at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., North America's premier eventing competition.
Roadster is helping to continue the rapid ascent for sire Quality Road, currently North America's leading general sire. One day before Roadster starts in the Kentucky Derby, Quality Road will be represented by early Kentucky Oaks favorite Bellafina.
Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Farm will look on with pride as two fillies bred by Stonestreet and sold in 2017 contest the Kentucky Oaks. And meanwhile, an exciting filly she chose not to sell in 2018 is expected to carry the Stonestreet colors at the Royal Ascot meeting in June.
Bucchero was named Indiana-bred horse of the year for the second time as the Indiana Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, in conjunction with the Indiana Thoroughbred Breed Development, held its annual awards banquet at Indiana Grand on Sunday.
