Since 1990, the Florida Derby has produced 5 horses who have gone onto win the Run for the Roses, however there have been several horses who have come out of this race to do some great things. Lets take a look at a few of them. (Note: Yes I'm skipping a few of them, but that's because I have some features on those horses coming up in the next few weeks leading up to the Derby).
1964: Northern Dancer (Nearctic)- What can be said about him. Lets see after his FL Derby win he won almost every race he ran in. KY Derby, Preakness, came up short in the Belmont, but also won the Queen's Plate (Canada's most important race). He was named Champion 3yo in both the US and Canada, as well as HOY in Canada. Of course he became one of the most important sires in the world with such horses as Danzig, Saddler's Wells, Storm Bird and many others.
1967: In Reality (Intentionally)- There are not that many horses that carry the great Man O' War on their sire's side, he is one of them. After winning the FL Derby, he went to the Preakness finishing second to Damascus. As a four year old, he won both the Carter and the Met Mile. He would go onto to sire BC Sprint winner Smile, multiple champion Desert Vixen, and Relaunch who keeps the line alive through his grandson 2 time BCC winner Tiznow.
1986: Swale (Seattle Slew)- A life taken too soon. While he won the KY Derby (after a runner up finish in the Lexington) and Belmont, he passed away only 8 days later after his bath. He would be honored posthumously wth the 3yo Championship, and Gulfstream would name a race after him. The Swale Stakes was won this year by Trinniburg.
1987: Cryptoclearence (Fappiano)- He had the unfortantence of being born in the same year as Alysheba (whose sire Alydar won this race in 1978). 4th in the Derby, 3rd in the Preakness and 2nd in the Belmont. He won the Hawthorne Gold Cup three times, and finished fifth in the BCC three times. As a sire, he would finally find the winners circle in the TC with Victory Gallop (98 Belmont). He also sired Volponi who shocked everyone by winning the 2002 BCC.
1990: Unbridled (Fappiano)- Just 3 years after Cryptoclearnence, he would give his sire his second FL Derby win. Of course, his KY Derby win is memorable with his trainer Carl Nafzger describing his win to his owner Francis Genter who was blind. He followed up that Derby win with a win in the BCC. Much like Northern Dancer, he became an excellent sire. Unbridled's Song, Empire Maker, Eddington, Banshee Breeze, and Halfbridled are just a few of his great foals.
1998: Cape Town (Seeking the Gold)- His dam was a KY Oaks winner and his sire was one of the best. His TC run was okay with a 5th in the Derby and 9th in the Preakness, but he never ran again after that. As a sire, he has KY Oaks winner and 3yo Champion Filly Bird Town.
2003: Empire Maker (Unbridled)- He was the one that would break the streak. The one that finally gave Bobby Frankel his KY Derby win. The beautifully bred colt would follow up his FL Derby win with a win in the Wood Memorial. Of course when it came to the big dance, the Wood runner up Funny Cide would spoil the party, but even with a bad foot he was able to hold off his stablemate Peace Rules for the runner up spot. He would turn the tables on the Gutsy Gelding with a win in the Belmont before finishing his career with a runner up finish in the Jim Dandy. While he hasn't produced a big horse for his owners who sent him to Japan recently, he has several solid horses. They include KY Derby runner up Pioneerof the Nile, Country Star, as well as BC Ladies Classic winner and 3yo Champion Filly Royal Delta.
2006: Barbaro (Dyanaformer)- In only his second race on dirt, he was able to hold off a challenge from Sharp Humor to win the FL Derby. That sent him into the KY Derby off a 5 week layoff, to try to do something that no horse since Needles could, win the race. Oh boy did he did, pulling away from the field to win by a comfortable margin. Of course his Preakness was struck by tragedy and his gallant battle through laminitis remains an inspiration to many around the world. His little brother Lentenor finished fourth in the 2010 edition.
Showing posts with label Unbridled. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unbridled. Show all posts
March 29, 2012
August 4, 2010
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.
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.
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