Flashy and Fragile: The Unbridled Line

     With the recent retirement of Battle Plan and the re injured Winslow Homer, I thought it would be a good time to talk about Unbridled and passing down unsoundness to future generations. Battle Plan and Winslow Homer have two things in common: they both won a graded stakes this year, and they both had their career/season shortened by injury. Actually make that three things in common, they are both by sons of Unbridled who may hold the key as to why they are unsound. Unbridled, the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic winner has sired some great horses. This includes the very talented Unbridled's Song, 2003 Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker and 2005 Pimlico Special winner Eddington. However, all three of these wonderful Grade 1 winners have something in common: soundness issues.

     Out of the Caro (IRE) mare Trolley Song, Unbridled's Song won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile as a 2yo, and the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial as a 3yo. As a stallion he has sired the likes of Unbridled Elaine, a BC Distaff winner, Midshipman, a BC Juvi winner like his father and Eight Belles who finished second in the Kentucky Derby. He's known for his flashy foals, a perfect example of this is Rockport Harbor who was a graded stakes winner at 2 and 4. Sadly, the four horses I just named as well as Winslow Homer who I mentioned before had their careers/seasons due to injury (I'm not going to get into EB's death, however as UBS' highest finisher in the Derby, I had to mention her). Midshipman was forced to skip the Derby last year after injuring himself in Dubai, he is out again with the same injury I believe. Winslow Homer who just came back from a fracture, is now out for the season with a different fracture in a different leg. Rocky's injury was not his fault, in the Remsen Stakes which he won, he was stepped on at the break. While he did win that race and finished in front of Afleet Alex at 3, he never fully recovered from the injury. Last, but not least is Dunkirk. Second in the Florida Derby and the Belmont Stakes last year, he was injured soon afterward and retired.

     Fans of horse racing like to put blame squarely on Unbridled's Song since he is the most known. He's also known for well selling foals. For example, at the recently concluded Fasig Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings auction, six of his foals went through the ring (with one scratched out of the sale). All six sold for an average of $230,833. This is off a 2009 stud fee of $150,000. However, UBS is far from the only Unbridled stallion who is passing along soundness issues.

     Out of the El Gran Senor mare Toussaud, Empire Maker was a highly regarded 3yo in 2003. As one of the favorites to win the Derby, he won the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial much like Unbridled's Song did in 1995. After the Wood though, he came out with a foot bruise. Nevertheless he went to the Derby as the morning line and post time favorite. He finished second behind Funny Cide who he had previously defeated in the Wood. After skipping the Preakness, he denied Funny Cide the Triple Crown when he won the Belmont on a sloppy race track. After that race, he would race only once more in the Jim Dandy where he finished second. As a sire, he has had G1 winners such as Country Star, Icon Project and Pioneerof the Nile. Much like Unbridled's Song however, he is starting to pass on unsoundness. Icon Project, Pioneerof the Nile and Battle Plan all had their careers shortened due to injury. Battle Plan, this year's Stephen Foster Handicap runner up retired of a suspensory ligament, while Icon Project and Pioneerof the Nile had soft tissue problems. Also thorough his dam Toussaud, Empire Maker passes along temperamental issues.

      Then there is Eddington who is out of Chief's Crown mare Fashion Star. He finished third to Smarty Jones in the 2004 Preakness before finishing uptrack in the Belmont to Birdstone (who is by an Unbridled son himself in Grindstone who won the Derby in 1996.). Eddington won the Calder Derby on grass the same year and in 2005 he won the Pimlico Special. Sadly the Pimlico Special would be his final race as he was injured with a soft tissue injury soon afterward and was retired. While it's too early in his stud career to see where he stands when it comes to injuries (his oldest foals are 3), he could brake the jinx and sire some sturdy horses.

     Despite the problems with Unbridled foals, not all of his sons pass down unsoundness. One of the most underrated stallions in Kentucky (and one of my personal favorites), is Broken Vow. He happens to be a son of Unbridled. Among his foals include Grade 1 winners Unbridled Belle and Cotton Blossom, along with Grade G3 winner Interactif who just participated in the Belmont this year. Broken Vow foals seem to be a bit sturdier side, especially Unbridled Belle who won once, finished second once and finished third three times at a mile and a quarter 3 years in a row (Won the Delaware Handicap once, and finished third twice, finished second in the Personal Ensign once and finished third once).

     No stallion line will be perfect, and of course the female family plays a part into how sound a horse is. However, it seems that more often then not, the Unbridled line tends to be more fragile then others. Lets hope that I'm proven wrong in future generations and that we see more sturdier horses from this line.

The return of Midshipman

The 2yo champion male Midshipman returns today in an Opt. Claimer/Allowance at Belmont. This will be his first start wearing the Godolphin colors after wrapping up the year in the colors of Darley. However, he wasn't always a Darley/Godolphin horse. He was aquired by Darley when they bought most of Stonerside's horses (they did not aquire the stallions or Cowboy Cal). Here is a race where he was wearing the Stonerside colors, the 2008 Del Mar Futurity.



While today maybe his return, I'm not picking him to win. Instead I'm going with the Lael owned Just Ben, who is a very speedy horse as he showed on the Belmont undercard (when he was owned by Zayat).



Juvis rule the weekend with the Matron and Futurity at Belmont, up in Canada it's Woodbine's big weekend (outside of Queen's Plate Day) with the Woodbine Mile. Can Ventura rebound from two heart breaking losses against Gio Ponti and Informed Decideson? Or will Bribon continue his acent to the top of the Older Male Divideson. Also going Sunday defending Eclipse winner F/M turf Forever Together who looks like she is following the same path that she took last year.

The Race Horse Idol has been delayed! When I'll start it up? I'm not sure, but I do appologize for the inconvience. And thank you everyone for your patience.