Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress became the biggest winner yet for her sire, Pin Oak Stud’s homebred stallion Alternation, who continues to perform consistently from his relatively small numbers at stud.

Alternation, by Distorted Humor, was bred and raced by Pin Oak, which also bred and raced his dam and granddam. The millionaire won four graded stakes, taking the Grade 2 Peter Pan as a 3-year-old before winning the Grade 3 Razorback, Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap, and Grade 2 Pimlico Special in 2012.

Spendthrift Farm has reached a deal to stand Omaha Beach, the likely favorite in this year's Kentucky Derby, upon his retirement from racing.

Omaha Beach is a son of popular international sire War Front, the most expensive stallion in North America with an advertised stud fee of $250,000. The colt races for owner Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm, which privately purchased him as a yearling after he was a buyback at the Keeneland September yearling sale. He will continue to race in Porter's colors.

The Kentucky Derby Sire Future Wager, which ran concurrently with the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool from Nov. 22- 25, may have provided an opportunity for pedigree-savvy handicappers to cash in.

Omaha Beach is the expected Derby favorite off victories in the Arkansas Derby and a division of the Rebel Stakes. Both he and multiple graded stakes winner War of Will are certain to go off at odds lower than that of their sire War Front, who closed at 41-1 in the future wager.

Master Fencer will become the first Japanese-bred to start in the Kentucky Derby. But the colt, who is looking to become the first non-North American-bred to win the classic since British-born Tomy Lee in 1959, is not without Kentucky connections.

Horsemen would go anywhere to find a Kentucky Derby horse, and this year’s prospective runners come from many avenues – homebreds born as close as Kentucky or as far away as Japan; runners purchased at major North American auction houses such as Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton; and even claiming races.

Among those, War of Will’s journey has been roundabout. The colt was born in Kentucky but took a side trip to France, where bloodstock agent Justin Casse, brother of trainer Mark Casse, purchased him on behalf of owner Gary Barber.

Quality Road made a statement in April when he sired the winners of the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks on the same day. Currently the nation’s leading sire by earnings, he’ll get a chance to widen his margin in emphatic fashion when Roadster is among the favorites in the Kentucky Derby and Bellafina starts as the heavy choice in the Kentucky Oaks.

:: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales

While 2019 Kentucky Derby week is in full swing at Churchill Downs, perhaps there’s already some thoughts of the 2020 Kentucky Derby, as an exceptionally strong class of freshman sires will be represented by some of their first 2-year-olds this week under the twin spires.

Champion Honor Code is expected to be represented by his first starter on Wednesday on a card that features several freshmen. One day later, Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who is off to an encouraging start with his stud career, has a well-bred filly in a maiden race.

Six years after starting in the Kentucky Derby, Goldencents will have a first-crop Kentucky Derby starter in Louisiana Derby winner By My Standards.

Despite being a European champion in his own right, Noble Mission has always lived in the shadow of his brother, the unbeaten two-time European Horse of the Year Frankel.

Claiborne Farm has won the Kentucky Derby only once in its century-plus history, when the star-crossed Swale carried its famous gold silks beneath the twin spires. But that doesn’t mean the farm hasn’t had ties to other Derby winners – or that the Hancock family’s influence isn’t all over this year’s race despite its lack of ownership.

“We have a lot of interest,” said farm president Walker Hancock, the great-grandson of Arthur B. Hancock, who founded Claiborne in 1910.