Each day of Kentucky Derby week, we'll take a look at the pedigrees of some Derby contenders and how those pedigrees might factor into their ability to succeed at 1 1/4 miles.
Pedigree analysis for the rest of the Kentucky Derby field can be found below.
Winning Impression
Paynter x Unbridled Sonya, by Unbridled's Song
Paynter is best known for his dramatic comeback from a life-threatening illness, but he was also a decorated two-turn runner. His biggest win came in the G1 Haskell Invitational Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, and he finished second in the 2012 Belmont Stakes. At age four, he turned in runner-up efforts in the G1 Awesome Again Stakes (1 1/8 miles) and G2 San Diego Handicap (1 1/16 miles).
He has an average progeny winning distance of 6.95 furlongs, putting him in the lower-mid pack among this year's Derby sires. His star runner is Knicks Go, who won the G1 Breeders' Futurity and finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, both at 1 1/16 miles. Lazy Daisy took the G2 Pocahontas Stakes at the same distance. Ms Peintour has arguably done the most to boost her sire's distance credentials, notching a win in the G3 Astra Stakes going 1 1/2 miles over the turf.
Winning Impression would be Paynter's first Derby starter.
Unbridled Sonya went one-for-nine during her racing career, graduating in her second start, a Belmont Park maiden special weight going 7 furlongs on the turf.
She is also the dam of Queen Arella, a 2-year-old of 2020 who became the first winner for sire Speightster when she took a 5 furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. Unbridled Sonya was sold to continue her broodmare career in Korea at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Necker Island
Hard Spun x Jenny's Rocket, by Mr. Greeley
Hard Spun finished second in his own Kentucky Derby try in 2007, but he proved himself to be a versatile runner, taking the G1 King's Bishop Stakes at 7 furlongs and the G2 Lane's End Stakes and Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. He also finished second in the Breeders' Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles.
His own foals post an average winning distance of 7.64 furlongs, which is near the top of the list for this year's Derby sires. His most notable runner on the classic stage is Wicked Strong, who won the G1 Wood Memorial Stakes at 1 1/8 miles en route to finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
Stonestreet Farm homebred Jenny's Rocket went winless in four career starts in South Florida, but she was never worse than third in any of those efforts, all of them around one turn.
The two foals to race out of Jenny's Rocket are both winners. Joining Necker Island is the Super Saver colt In the Loop, who won on debut in a six-furlong Gulfstream Park maiden special weight, and later won a waiver claiming race at Belmont Park at the same distance.
Money Moves
Candy Ride x Citizen Advocate, by Proud Citizen
Candy Ride was a turf star in his native Argentina, taking a pair of Group 1 races at a mile. He then moved to Southern California where he proved his mettle on both surfaces, winning the G1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles on the dirt, and the G2 American Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.
Those looking for Candy Ride's classic credentials as a sire need look no further than 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby, and went on to win six G1 races, including the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. Champion Shared Belief was also a Pacific Classic winner at the same distance as his sire. Game Winner ran a solid fifth in last year's Derby.
Citizen Advocate rolled off a diverse four-race winning streak as a 2-year-old, breaking her maiden at six furlongs on the dirt, then taking the Catcharisingstar Stakes over five furlongs on the turf at Calder Race Course. She then won at 6 furlongs over the all-weather Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs before shipping to Delta Downs to win the My Trusty Cat Stakes over 7 furlongs.
She never won again, but she finished second or third in five additional stakes races in Florida and Louisiana, highlighted by a runner-up effort in the G3 Azalea Stakes at 6 furlongs. Her longest black-type earning effort came at 7 1/2 furlongs over the turf.
Money Moves is the second starter out of Citizen Advocate, joining Remarqued, a daughter of Arch who was a maiden special weight winner at Saratoga, going 1 mile on the turf.
The post Kentucky Derby Pedigree Corner: Winning Impression, Necker Island, And Money Moves appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
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