Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Mr. Big News

Mr. Big News

Giant’s Causeway – Unappeased, by Galileo

Bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corp. ($95,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling purchase by Allied Racing Stable)

For all of his accomplishments, European Horse of the Year and internationally successful stallion Giant’s Causeway has never sired the winner of an American classic race. But the stallion, who died in 2018, may get another chance this season with Mr. Big News, a newcomer to this week’s Derby Watch as the long road to the Kentucky Derby marches on.

Giant’s Causeway is coming off a huge season as the sire of 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar. The stallion is the sire of eight other champions worldwide – Eclipse Award winners Take Charge Brandi, European champion Shamardal, Canadian champion Irish Mission, Hong Kong champion Showcause, Chilean champion Giant’s Steps, Saudi Arabian champion Step In Time, and Peruvian champions Bambina Mia and Kung Fu Mambo. The best finishes for the stallion in the American classic series are Destin’s runner-up effort in the 2016 Belmont Stakes and Creative Cause’s third-place finish in the 2012 Preakness Stakes.

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Mr. Big News is out of the Galileo mare Unappeased, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Sligo Bay, to Japanese Group 3 winner Lady Ballade, the dam of multiple group stakes winner Danon Ballade; and to stakes winners Millennium Wing and Wolfe Tone. This is a branch of an outstanding family, as their dam, Angelic Song, is a full sister to Canadian Horse of the Year Glorious Song, who produced multiple stakes winners, led by champion Singspiel. Angelic Song also is a full sister to champion Devil’s Bag and to graded stakes winner and prominent sire Saint Ballado.