Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Nadal

Nadal

Blame – Ascending Angel, by Pulpit

Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm ($65,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Randy Bradshaw, agent; $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream juvenile purchase by Kerri Radcliffe Bloodstock)

Blame scored the biggest victory of his career going 1 1/4 miles beneath the twin spires of Churchill Downs, handing eventual Horse of the Year Zenyatta her only career defeat in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic. A decade after Blame’s championship season – he was named top dirt older male – his son Nadal is in position to chase another major victory going that classic distance at Churchill, as he remained unbeaten by winning a division of the Arkansas Derby.

Blame was bred and raced by Claiborne Farm and longtime partner Adele B. Dilschneider and is a Claiborne product through and through, by the farm’s late sire Arch and out of a Seeking the Gold mare. Now standing at Claiborne, he is the sire of five Grade/Group 1 winners to date, and has proven a versatile stallion. His Eclipse finalist daughter Marley’s Freedom scored her biggest win in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at seven furlongs. Fault won the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt, and also was a graded stakes winner on turf. Blame’s runners have found a good deal of success on turf, as he also is represented by French Oaks winner Senga and Grade 1 Natalma Stakes winner Abscond.

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Nadal has shown versatility in his brief career, winning the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes sprinting in his second career start before stretching out to win the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby, both points races toward the rescheduled Kentucky Derby.

Nadal has Claiborne influences on the bottom side of his pedigree as Ascending Angel is by the farm’s late sire Pulpit. Ascending Angel’s dam, Solar Colony, is a full sister to champion juvenile filly Pleasant Stage, who won the 1991 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and was second in the 1992 Kentucky Oaks. Solar Colony is a full sister to graded stakes winners Stage Colony and Colonial Play, the latter the dam of multiple Grade 1-winning turf router Marsh Side.

Ascending Angel’s fourth dam is the influential broodmare Patelin. This is the extended family of Grade/Group 1 winners A Phenomenon, Changeintheweather, Class Play, Colonial U. S., Con Te Partiro, Declassify, Pillaster, Reenact, Roanoke, and Seattle Meteor.