Try to name reliable classic lines in the United States, and a couple immediately come to mind: Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled, who has founded a strong branch of the family tree for his grandsire, the prolific Mr. Prospector, and Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy, who represents Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew’s branch of the Bold Ruler line. Both are solidly represented in a Kentucky Derby field that is extremely hard to pick apart on pedigree.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Two successful classic sires – including one of the most successful stallions in the modern history of the Kentucky Oaks – are among those whose progeny should not be bothered by the expected wet track for Friday’s filly classic.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – They say breed the best to the best, and hope for the best. Mandy Pope began seriously upgrading her broodmare band about a decade ago in order to follow that maxim, and has established one of the best in the country. That has led her to Kentucky Derby week, where she’s hoping for the best with her lightly raced Charge It.

It often takes longer for a stallion to prove himself as a broodmare sire than as a sire of sires. With no expensive stud deals in the offing, fillies sometimes race longer than colts – and, of course, once retired, they only have one foal a year to begin building their resume, as compared to a stallion, who will have dozens of shots at stakes victories in each crop.

Ron Winchell and David Fiske know what it’s like to see a young sire start from modest beginnings and raise his game in meteoric fashion. After all, the Winchell colorbearer Tapit entered stud for a $15,000 fee in 2005, and is now one of the nation’s perennial leading sires and influential classic sires.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The month of April marked the start of 2-year-old racing in North America, and the first starters for the freshman sire class. As the calendar turns to May, Mo Town has stepped forward as the early leader of this class, and has the ability to make a statement this week at Churchill Downs.

Eclipse Award champions Arrogate and Gun Runner were rivals on the racetrack, both taking their turn in the spotlight, with Arrogate starting a streak of momentous performances in the summer of their 3-year-old season, and Gun Runner nearly unbeatable from that fall onward – only defeated by Arrogate.

MIDWAY, Ky. – Less than a day old, the dark gray filly tottered beside her mother on stilt-like legs, a near carbon copy of her half-brother Zandon at that age in these paddocks at Airdrie Stud. Looking at Memories Prevail and her newest foal on an April morning less than three weeks before Zandon’s Kentucky Derby run, Airdrie vice president Bret Jones couldn’t help reminiscing.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Dortmund died of a bowel torsion on April 18 while at stud in Korea, Great Hill Farm of Jeju posted on its Instagram page.

Zandon

Upstart – Memories Prevail, by Creative Cause

Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones ($170,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Mike Ryan, agent)