Last year's class of freshman sires was touted as stellar. Not only did the class have success with its 2-year-olds, with a pair of Breeders' Cup winners and several other Grade 1 winners sired by the group, but now, the following year, with several expected entrants in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks by first-crop sires.
The Kentucky Derby is only a few days away. But for a few of the colts who will try to write their names in the history books this Saturday, part of their future is already secured. Several of the expected entrants in their Derby field are already spoken for as future stallions, led by favorite Tiz the Law, who will eventually join some of the biggest stars in modern history at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud.
Queen's Plate pedigree profile: Dotted Line
Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Storm the Court
Tiz the Law and Art Collector have arrived at this point of their 3-year-old seasons by different avenues. But both colts are from the sire line launched by the late leading sire A.P. Indy, the 1992 Belmont Stakes winner who is widely regarded as a source of stamina.
Queen's Plate pedigree profile: Merveilleux
On Travers Day in 2010, Uncle Mo announced himself to the world, with a 14 1/4-length debut victory on the undercard at Saratoga. A decade later in the 2020 Runhappy Travers, his son Caracaro continued to give a good account of himself at Saratoga, running second to Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law in the 151st renewal.
A racing rarity occurred as He's No Lemon edged his older half-brother Midnight Tea Time by a neck in a third-level allowance race Sunday on the Saratoga turf.
An old maxim is that Thoroughbred breeders breed the best to the best and hope for the best. Another is that they go back to the well with what works
Country House, who in his final start won the 2019 Kentucky Derby via an unprecedented disqualification, will enter stud at Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Ky., in 2021.
