In the legend of the creation of the Giant’s Causeway – a rock formation resulting from an ancient volcanic fissure eruption on the coast of Ireland – the Irish giant Fionn was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner and built the formation so the two could meet. In one version of the legend, Fionn defeats Benandonner outright. In another, Fionn’s wife, Sadhbh, disguises Fionn as a baby. When Benandonner sees the imposing size of the ‘child,’ he reckons that its father must be a giant among giants and flees. The Thoroughbred christened Giant’s Causeway was indeed a titan among titans, a champion who never fled a challenge on the racetrack, then a leading sire. From the late stallion’s final crop of three, remarkably, all are winners, including leading Kentucky Derby candidate Classic Causeway, who preps in Saturday’s Florida Derby. But standing in the way of Giant’s Causeway as he takes his final tilt at the title of American classic sire could be his own imposing son. Young sire Not This Time has four legitimate hopes for the Derby starting gate and has emerged as one of this sireline’s leading heirs. :: DRF's Florida Derby Day headquarters – Previews, past performances, picks, and more “To hear people say that is just something I can’t really fathom,” said Jason Loutsch of Albaugh Family Stables, which campaigned Not This Time as a homebred and maintains an interest in him as a stallion at Taylor Made Farm. “It’s really humbling.” Giant’s Causeway, by Storm Cat, was foaled at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky and raced as a homebred for that outfit. Under the tutelage of Aidan O’Brien, he won six Group 1 races in Europe. In his only start on dirt, Giant’s Causeway finished second by a hard-fought neck to fellow champion Tiznow in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs in his career finale. He was subsequently named European Horse of the Year. “He was brave and consistent and he just loved a battle,” O’Brien told the British press. “He puts that toughness that he had into all of his progeny.” Giant’s Causeway retired to Coolmore Stud in Ireland, but moved home to Ashford after one season. He sired 10 champions worldwide and earned three North American leading sire titles. Following a brief illness, he died in April 2018 at age 21. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2022: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more Few accomplishments have eluded Giant’s Causeway, but he has yet to record a winner in an American classic. His best finishes came with Destin, second by a nose in the 2017 Belmont; Mr. Big News, third in the 2020 Kentucky Derby; and Creative Cause, third in the 2012 Preakness. At the time of his death during the 2018 breeding season, Giant’s Causeway had covered nine mares, according to statistics from The Jockey Club. Three produced live foals, all colts, in 2019. Almusafa was the first to foal, producing Monaadah on Feb. 18. The other two were both born Feb. 22, as Game for More delivered Giant Game, and Private World delivered Classic Causeway – like his sire, born at Ashford. Remarkably, all three are winners following Shadwell homebred Monaadah’s March debut win at Meydan. Classic Causeway, a homebred for Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper, and Giant Game, racing for West Point and the Albaughs, were both maiden winners at 2. Giant Game, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, was unplaced in two graded stakes this year and is considered a candidate for summer races. Meanwhile, Classic Causeway has emerged as a leading Derby candidate. Third in the Breeders’ Futurity and second in the Kentucky Jockey Club last fall, he won the Sam F. Davis and Tampa Bay Derby to begin this season. “It’s pretty exciting stuff,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “He’s just come into his own right now, and just to watch him, he seems like a happy horse that enjoys his job.” Many of Giant’s Causeway’s best sons have, unsurprisingly, stood overseas – including late champion Shamardal in Ireland and Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, retired to Japan in 2020. In the United States, his most successful sons include consistent stallions Creative Cause at Airdrie Stud and First Samurai at Claiborne Farm. Castleton Lyons resident Protonico sired star-crossed Medina Spirit in his first crop. Two other sons, Albaugh colorbearers Brody’s Cause and Not This Time, entered stud in 2017 and have emerged as solid young sires. Multiple Grade 1 winner Brody’s Cause, a yearling purchase, resides at Spendthrift Farm and is the sire of Grade 1 winner Kalypso. Meanwhile, Not This Time was a homebred, as Albaugh Stables sent Miss Macy Sue to Giant’s Causeway. The colt won the 2016 Iroquois Stakes by 8 3/4 lengths and was second by a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to champion Classic Empire. A soft-tissue injury forced him into early retirement, but he proved equally precocious in his second career. On the 2020 freshman sire list, he finished third by earnings while leading by winners; he led 2021 second-crop sires by earnings. Not This Time’s Derby hopefuls are led by Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter, while Fountain of Youth winner Simplification stands among the chief challengers to Classic Causeway in the Florida Derby. The stallion also has Chasing Time and In Due Time chasing Derby berths. This is the last hurrah in the classics for Giant’s Causeway – but his legacy continues, as the time for his sons is just beginning. Off his early success, Not This Time has garnered outstanding books of mares recently at Taylor Made. “I think he’s going to get better – which is scary,” Loutsch said.