Triple Crown winner Justify notched another international accomplishment in his blazing early stallion career as his son City of Troy won the Epsom Derby on Saturday.
The colt was bred in Kentucky by affiliates of the international Coolmore group, and became the first U.S.-bred winner of the English classic since Kris Kin in 2003. Afterward, Aidan O’Brien, who trains for Coolmore, heaped more praise on Justify.
“And when you’re gone,
who remembers your name?
Who keeps your flame?
Who tells your story?”
– Broadway’s “Hamilton”
With every passing year, the depth of the loss of champion Arrogate, who died at age 7 after just three seasons at stud, becomes more pronounced. His first crop was led by Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath; his second by Belmont and Travers winner and champion Arcangelo. His third crop now includes Seize the Grey, front-running victor of last Saturday’s Preakness Stakes – and a candidate for the Belmont Stakes.
Can history repeat itself? That’s one question for Santa Anita Derby runner-up Imagination in the Preakness Stakes. The colt races for many of the same connections as last year’s Preakness winner, National Treasure, and is from the same extended female family as that colt – one that has had a great deal of success throughout racing history.
Uncle Mo is, in less than a decade with runners on the track, already an accomplished classic influence as the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal. With his progeny continuing to produce runners who excel in the second generation, he added another accomplishment to his résumé as the broodmare sire of recent Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna. He has a chance to continue building his reputation in that regard with Muth, one of the favorites for the Preakness Stakes.
Mugatu was foaled in Kentucky and trains at Belterra Park in Ohio. But in some ways, he’ll be coming home when he runs in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. The colt was conceived in Maryland, as he is sired by Blofeld, a prominent young sire in the state who stands at Murmur Farm in Darlington.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Thorpedo Anna dominated last Friday’s Kentucky Oaks as the second betting choice, leading all the way and splashing clear to a 4 3/4-length victory. But in some ways, the filly was the biggest of longshots. Her mere existence is a credit to breeder and co-owner Judy Hicks, as Thorpedo Anna’s dam, Sataves, had a premature and troubled start to life and required painstaking care.
It would be virtually impossible for a broodmare to have two Kentucky Derby starters in the same year; the race is, of course, only for 3-year-olds, and surviving, thriving twins are rare in horses. But the pensioned broodmare Darling My Darling has found a way to get her name into this year’s lineup twice. Two of the mare’s daughters have foals in the race, represented by Sierra Leone and Forever Young.
Gun Runner and Justify were both brilliant on the track, earning Horse of the Year honors. For those accomplishments, they will be inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame this summer. First, though, they’ll try to add another accomplishment to the brilliant start to their respective stud careers, as both have Kentucky Derby entrants this weekend.
The influence of the late, great Storm Cat can’t be overstated. Five of this year’s Kentucky Derby entrants carry his blood via direct male line. One of those is Resilience, by leading sire Into Mischief, a great-grandson of Storm Cat.
The other Storm Cat line Derby horses are Domestic Product, Mystik Dan, Just a Touch, and Just Steel.
