One of the biggest days of the North American racing calendar, the G1 Kentucky Derby kicks off the US Classics on Saturday. The first of seven stakes on the card goes off as Race 6 at 3.14am AEST with the Kentucky Derby closing out the day’s stakes at 8.57am AEST.
Kentucky Derby
A Juddmonte Farms-homebred, G1 Kentucky Derby runner Mandaloun (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) comes from a deep family that includes multiple Australian stakes winner Platinum Kingdom (Magnus). Platinum Kingdom’s dam Miss Rangoon (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) was sent to Australia as a yearling and only trialled before being retired. The mare’s youngest is a full brother to Platinum Kingdom born in 2019 with the mare missing to All Too Hard last year.
China Horse Club and WinStar Farm see their colt Sainthood (USA) (Mshawish {USA}) line up in post position five. Sainthood’s sire Mshawish (USA) shuttled to Australia during his first season at stud and has had two runners in that juvenile Australian-bred crop.
Undefeated Godolphin homebred Essential Quality (USA) (Tapit {USA}) is set to be the Kentucky Derby favourite when he breaks from barrier 14. The colt is out of a half-sister to Champion Folklore (USA) (Tiznow {USA}), the grandam of Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The family also includes Grade 1 winner Come Dancing (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}) as well.
Spendthrift Farm co-owned Keepmeinmind (USA) (Laoban {USA}) is looking for his second Graded stakes win over this track after winning a Grade 2 here as a juvenile. The colt is a half-brother to Grade 2-placed In Jack’s Memory (USA) (Malibu Moon {USA}) out of a half-sister to multiple stakes winners and the grandam of Spendthrift’s Grade 2 winner Secret Message (USA) (Hat Trick {Jpn}).
Benediction descendent among Churchill Distaff Turf Mile entries
A granddaughter of a half-sister to Australian Horse of the Year Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), G2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile runner Blowout (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is trying to break a four-race runner-up streak in this race. The 5-year-old’s dam is G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), whose grandam Benediction (Ire) (Day Is Done {Ire}) was also a two-time New Zealand Broodmare of the Year and is also the dam of multiple stakes winner Matter Of Honour (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}). A pedigree with strong roots in Australasia, others under Benediction’s name include four-time Group 1 winner Mosheen (Fastnet Rock), and multiple Group winners Time For War (Snitzel) and Hiflyer (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
A half-sister to former Australian runner Acclaimed Light (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) is New Approach’s (Ire) 4-year-old daughter New York Girl (Ire). Finishing on the board in her previous two races, the filly is an Irish Group 3 winner and finished fourth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas during her two and 3-year-old seasons in Ireland.
The well-bred Zofelle (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is out of a three-quarter to Champion Sequoyah (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}). That mare is the grandam of Australian Group winner Francis Of Assisi (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) with G1 Caulfield Cup-third Cliffsofmoher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) also under her name.
A half-sister to Grade 1 winners Tamarkuz (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) and Without Parole (GB) (Frankel {GB}), She’s Got You (GB) also hails from the family of Australian Group 3-placed Coins (Hard Spun {USA}). Coins has three named foals in Australia, including the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained 2-year-old The Vault (Shalaa {Ire}).
The Factor daughter looks for stakes win in Derby City Distaff
In a small field of six, former shuttle stallion The Factor (USA) sees his stakes-placed daughter Unique Factor (USA) take on Champion Gamine (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) in the G1 Derby City Distaff S. presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery. Unique Factor is out of a daughter of Grade 1 winner See How She Runs (USA) (Maria’s Mon {USA}), who is also the dam of multiple Graded stakes winner Don’t Leave Me (USA) (Lemon Drop Kid {USA}).
Fiorente relative among Pat Day Mile runners
A grandson of champion Islington (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), G2 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU runner Three Two Zone (USA) (Street Sense {USA}) sees some popular Australian runners in his family. Champion Fiorente (Ger) and Tom Melbourne (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) are among the stakes performers on the page along with Tom Melbourne’s Australian stakes-placed Araaja (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}). Tom Melbourne is out of Fiorente’s half-sister Roshanak (Ire) (Spinning World {USA}).
Godolphin homebred Prevalance (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) is out of a half-sister to the Australian resident Forest City Girl (USA) (Deputy Minister {Can}). Imported to Australia in 2009, Forest City Girl’s foals include the six-time winner Kasharn (All American) and two-time winner City Smart (Smart Missile). Sold at the 2019 Inglis Digital March Sale for $12,000 to Midas Touch, the mare’s youngest foal is an unnamed 2-year-old Scissor Kick colt.
Colt from Tonopah sister among top picks in American Turf
In the widest barrier of the G2 American Turf S. presented by Derby City Gaming is Palazzi (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}). The colt is from a stakes-winning half-sister to Australian Group 3 winner Tonopah (USA) (Rock Hard Ten {USA}). Purchased as a weanling and imported to Australia, Tonopah spent all of his 32 race career in Australia when trained by Craig Ritchie for the first half and Darren Weir for the second half.
From the final US-conceived crop of Artie Schiller (USA) comes Barrister Tom (USA), who was a juvenile stakes winner for his sire. The gelding hails from the family of Champion racehorse and successful sire Speightstown (USA) and his Champion dam Silken Cat (USA) (Storm Cat {USA}). Also among those on his page is one-time Australian resident Closing Bell (USA) (Tapit {USA}), who made three starts in Australia as a Chris Waller trainee.
Spendthrift’s Get The Prize looks for victory in Churchill Downs S.
Co-owned by Spendthrift Farm, Get The Prize (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}) shoots for his first stakes win in the G1 Churchill Downs S. presented by Ford. Among those in his family are the late Australian stakes winner and stallion Northern Plain (USA). The colt is out of a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Nothing But Fun (USA) (Dixie Union {USA}) with US Champion Ajina (USA) (Strawberry Road) under his third dam.
Medaglia D’Oro’s (USA) Endorsed (USA) represents Godolphin here after placing in multiple stakes during his career. The 5-year-old is one of two stakes horses out of Grade 1 winner Dance Card (USA) (Tapit {USA}) with both by Medaglia D’Oro. Endorsed is trying to get his first win of the year at Churchill Downs after a pair of on-the-board finishes at Gulfstream Park in his last two starts.
Digital Age back for title defense in Turf Classic
Invincible Spirit's (Ire) son Digital Age (Ire) is back to defend his title in the G1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic after winning this race last year. The 5-year-old is from the family of the Kris Lees-trained, G2 Crystal Mile winner Chief Ironside (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) and New Zealand Group 2-placed Intrigue (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}). Both Chief Ironside and Intrigue are active in Australasia with Intrigue entered to race in New Zealand this weekend.
Masteroffoxhounds (USA) (War Front {USA}) looks to provide Australian Group winner Francis Of Assisi (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) a Grade 1 update here. The 4-year-old colt’s family also includes G1 Caulfield Cup third Cliffsofmoher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). It could be a big day for the family with Zofelle (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) running earlier on the card in the G2 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile.
Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) comes from the family of Australian stakes winner Rugged Cross (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and G1 Caulfield Cup fourth Blue Monday (GB) (Darshaan {GB}). The winner of four of his five career starts, Domestic Spending is looking for his second straight Grade 1 win after winning the G1 Hollywood Derby to end his 3-year-old season.
