Pedigree Query

Since most every owner and trainer wants to win Triple Crown Races, I looked to see which recent sires had multiple horses that finished first, second or third in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness or Belmont from 2008 through 2018. I was surprised at how few sires had multiple placings (13) and how few had multiple winners of TC races (Tapit-3, Curlin-2, Birdstone-2). When it comes to grand-sires, AP Indy wins hands down, with seven different sons siring horses that placed in a Triple Crown race from 2008 through 2018 (Bernardini, Jump Start, Malibu Moon, Master Command, Mineshaft, Pulpit and Stephen Got Even). But only one of AP Indy's offspring has produced a TC race winner, Orb, by Malibu Moon. No other grand-sire has sired more than two sons who sired a horse that placed in an TC race between 2008 and 2018. So if you want to succeed in Triple Crown races, your best choices are Curlin, Tapit or a son of AP Indy. The only bargain in the bunch is Birdstone.

I have a spreadsheet with this and other data re female family, broodmare sires, broodmare class, etc. PM me with an email address if you want a copy of the spreadsheet. It's interesting to sort by the different criteria.



HORSE--------------- SIRE--------------- Wins
Astrology--------------- AP Indy
Commissioner--------------- AP Indy
Paynter--------------- Awesome Again
Oxbow--------------- Awesome Again------------- P
Bravazo--------------- Awesome Again
Mine That Bird--------------- Birdstone--------------- KD
Summer Bird--------------- Birdstone--------------- B
Good Magic--------------- Curlin
Irish War Cry--------------- Curlin
Ride on Curlin--------------- Curlin
Tenfold--------------- Curlin
Exaggerator--------------- Curlin --------------- P
Keen Ice--------------- Curlin
Palace Malice--------------- Curlin--------------- B
Brilliant Speed--------------- Dynaformer
Medal Count--------------- Dynaformer
Pioneer of the Nile--------------- Empire Maker
Bodemeister--------------- Empire Maker
Creative Cause---------------- Giants Causeway
Destin--------------- Giants Causeway
Mucho Macho Man--------------- Macho Uno
Macho Again--------------- Macho Uno
Nehro--------------- Mineshaft
Fly Down--------------- Mineshaft
Classic Empire--------------- Pioneer of the Nile
Social Inclusion--------------- Pioneer of the Nile
American Pharoah--------------- Pioneer of the Nile--------------- KD-P-B
Lookin at Lucky--------------- Smart Strike
Battle of Midway--------------- Smart Strike
Divining Rod--------------- Tapit
Frosted--------------- Tapit--------------- B
Tonalist--------------- Tapit--------------- B
Creator--------------- Tapit--------------- B
Tapwrit--------------- Tapit
Lani--------------- Tapit
Hofburg--------------- Tapit
Dunkirk--------------- Unbridled's Song
Eight Belles--------------- Unbridled's Song

My favourite, Unbridled, figures well in there with Empire Maker/Pioneerofthe Nile and Unbridled's Song and Birdstone (through Grindstone).

Birdstone's sons were 3rd generation TC race winners, an impressive feat I feel hasn't been done much.

AP Indy and Unbridled appear most often in the pedigrees of successful TC runners. Storm Cat is all over the dam sides of successful TC runners, but is pretty much a no show on the sire lines. One stallion that I do not think gets enough credit as an important stallion is Smart Strike. He is a TC sire (Curlin, Lookin at Lucky, Battle of Midway), grand sire (through Curlin and Lookin at Lucky), broodmare sire (Mine That Bird, First Dude) and second dam sire (Gronkowski).