Unbridled's legacy continues to grow with Dubai World Cup, Godolphin Mile winners

Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Unbridled sired a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner from his first crop in Unbridled’s Song, and that colt was sent away favored in the 1996 Kentucky Derby. But as he faded to fifth in the lane after being hampered by foot problems in the lead-up to the race, it was another first-crop son of Unbridled, Grindstone, who staged a dramatic rally to win by a nose.

More than two decades later, both Unbridled’s Song’s and Grindstone’s branches of the Unbridled line were well represented on the world’s richest race card Saturday at Meydan, as Arrogate won the Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup and Second Summer took down the Group 2, $1 million Godolphin Mile.

Arrogate became the richest North American-based racehorse of all time by adding the Dubai World Cup to his scores in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup and $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. The colt continues to enhance the legacy of the late Unbridled’s Song, who died in 2013 after spending his entire stud career at Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky. Posthumously, the stallion has been represented by champions Arrogate and Will Take Charge, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map, and Grade 1 winner Tara’s Tango. Unbridled’s Song’s final foals are 3-year-olds this year, and his son Battalion Runner is eyeing the final round of Kentucky Derby preps.

The best runner sired by Grindstone – who began his stud career in Kentucky before moving to his current home in Oregon – was Birdstone, a Grade 1-winning juvenile who went on to take the 2004 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes. Birdstone, in turn, got a pair of classic winners from his first crop in 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and Belmont winner and Eclipse Award champion Summer Bird. The latter, who sired just three crops prior to his death, is the sire of Florida-bred Second Summer.

In addition to siring a Kentucky Derby winner in Grindstone, Unbridled, who died in 2001 at Claiborne Farm, was represented by 2000 Preakness Stakes winner Red Bullet and 2003 Belmont winner Empire Maker. The latter’s branch of the line is responsible for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah via Pioneerof the Nile.