Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Chance It

Chance It

Currency Swap – Vagabon Diva, by Pleasantly Perfect

Bred in Florida by Bett Usher

Florida-bred Chance It, who has never been worse than second in six starts, won the Florida Sire In Reality Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in his 2-year-old finale; third-place finisher Liam’s Lucky Charm came back to win the Pasco Stakes. Chance It then stepped into open company to win the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at a mile; third-place Sole Volante came back to win the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa. Not only has Chance It been flattered by his foes, those two stakes wins routing show that he has already outrun his pedigree, which is heavily slanted toward speed.

Florida-bred Currency Swap was a solid sprinter, winning the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes as a juvenile and returning to Saratoga the following season to win the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes. He is the sire of three stakes winners, with Chance It joined by fellow Florida-bred stakes winner Silver Bay and Cash Or Card, a multiple stakes winner at Assiniboia Downs. The average winning distance of his progeny is 6.17 furlongs.

Vagabon Diva scored her only win going 5 1/2 furlongs on a synthetic track at age 4. Chance It is her second winner from as many starters; her other is Trenton Traveler, a winner at six furlongs.

Vagabon Diva is a half-sister to Aireofdistinction, a multiple stakes winner sprinting. Additional black type in the family is not found until under Vagabon Diva’s third dam, as the extended family includes Hollywood Starlet winner Cuddles and multiple graded stakes-winning juvenile Buffythecenterfold.

Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect, who concluded his stallion career in Turkey, enjoyed a solid season as a broodmare sire in 2019 and is the factor that may add stamina to this pedigree. In addition to multiple stakes winner Chance It, his daughters were represented by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Sharing; Grade 2 winner Green Light Go, who also is a Derby hopeful; and Grade 1-winning sprinter Spiced Perfection, who is a graded stakes winner at a mile.

– Nicole Russo