Stallion Feature: Discreet Cat

Merely two years of age, nine Thoroughbreds loaded into the gate on the side of the track opposite the famed grandstand on Travers Day, 2005. Like any maiden special weight for juvenile racehorses at Saratoga Racecourse, hopes were high that a future superstar was lurking in the shadows of this six-furlong contest. Lucky for those attending the races that day at the esteemed New York track, they would watch a future superstar capture the race, defeating other eventual stars along the way.

Discreet Cat, a stunning bay colt carrying the maroon and gold silks of E. Paul Robsham, set a brisk pace to capture the race by 3 ½ lengths, completing the three-quarters of a mile in 1:09.76 minutes. Finishing behind him were the future grade one victors Political Force and Thorn Song, the eventual stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Superfly, and the future stakes winner Last Best Place.

The winner would prove to be the richest of the horses that contested in this race. Later purchased privately by Godolphin Racing, Discreet Cat was sent to Dubai, where he made his second start the following March. Preparing for the UAE Derby (GII), Discreet Cat effortlessly won the one-mile Areej Trophy at Nad Al Sheba by 4 lengths. With the same ease with which he seized his sophomore debut, Discreet Cat soared to a 6-length UAE Derby triumph, finding himself as one of the top contenders for the Kentucky Derby (GI).

Discreet Cat
Photo by Madison Scott

But Godolphin chose to keep their talented colt out of the Run for the Roses, instead aiming for important U.S. races in the latter part of 2006. In his return to American soil, Discreet Cat trounced allowance optional claiming foes by 11 lengths at Saratoga nearly a year to the day after his maiden victory. Displaying his trademark scintillating speed, Discreet Cat crossed the wire in a sublime final time of 1:21.53 for seven furlongs.

Discreet Cat had now won four consecutive races in just as many starts. Making his U.S. graded stakes debut in his following start, the Jerome Breeders’ Cup Handicap (GII) at Belmont Park, the bay colt broke sharply, eager to take the lead. Tugging at Garrett Gomez’s hold, Discreet Cat set brisk fractions, his governance never in doubt. With no amount of difficulty, Discreet Cat abandoned his rivals as he coasted to a 10 ¼-length victory under wraps.

The greatest triumph of Discreet Cat’s racing career took place nearly two months later at Aqueduct in the Cigar Mile Handicap (GI). Carrying 124 pounds as the highweight, Discreet Cat initially allowed Sharp Humor – a graded stakes winner that had come within a half-length of Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Barbaro in that year’s Florida Derby (GI) – to open up on the field down the backstretch, but the small group behind the pacesetter gained ground on the leader, allowing Discreet Cat to surpass Sharp Humor alongside Silver Train. Godolphin’s brilliant colt pressured the pace as Garrett Gomez sat stationary, asking him only in the final stages of the race as Discreet Cat dashed to a 3 ¼-length demolition. The final time for the one-mile was an astounding 1:32.46, just .06 seconds off Hall of Famer Easy Goer’s track mark.

Discreet Cat’s 2006 campaign earned him a rating of 128 by the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, thus allowing him to tie with champion Bernardini as top-rated three-year-old. Pointed towards a start in the 2007 Dubai World Cup (GI), Discreet Cat was kept out of a race at Nad Al Sheba that was meant to serve as his prep for the esteemed race due to a fever, instead going straight to the World Cup. But Discreet Cat’s perfect record was tarnished by a last-place finish, though the colt was quickly discovered to have a respiratory tract infection and an obstruction to air flow of his throat.

The bay colt never won again, turning in a pair of third-place finishes in the Vosburgh Stakes (GI) and the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Retired to Darley, Discreet Cat began his stud career in 2008, with his first crop hitting the track in 2011. Among his best runners to date in his young breeding career are the graded stakes winners Mamma Kimbo and Out of Bounds, the black-type winners Discreet Marq and Incredicat, and the speedy, graded stakes-placed Discreet Dancer.

If Discreet Cat’s ancestry is any indication, the stallion has a promising future as a sire, as both of his parents have been very successful producers themselves. His sire, Forestry, has sired such grade one winners as Diplomat Lady, Forest Danger, and Shackleford. His dam, the grade one-winning Pretty Discreet, is a Reine de Course mare, having produced the additional grade one winner Discreetly Mine, as well as the stakes winner Pretty Gold and the dams of the grade one winner Awesome Maria and the stakes winners Chary and Concorde’s Edge.

Discreet Cat's pedigree
From pedigreequery.com

 Notably, Forestry’s sire – Discreet Cat’s grandsire – is Storm Cat, one of the greatest sires to ever live. The very successful stallion was also very effective as a sire of sires, producing such sires as Bluegrass Cat, Giant’s Causeway, and Hennessy. This certainly augurs well for Discreet Cat, as Storm Cat is the grandsire of such productive stallions as Johannesburg and Shamardal.

The Northern Dancer sire line from which Discreet Cat descends is certainly among the most influential ones of the breed. In the 1970s, the Canadian-bred champion was the leading sire once in North America and four times in the United Kingdom, as well as the twentieth century’s most successful sire. Northern Dancer’s stud record was astounding, as the son of Canadian Hall of Famer Nearctic was an incredible producer of successful racehorses, sires, sires of sires, and broodmares. Among his best sons were the champions Nijinsky and Sadler’s Wells, both of which became leading sires, the latter of which was the leading sire in the United Kingdom for an astonishing thirteen consecutive years and for a total of fourteen years.

As aforementioned, Discreet Cat’s dam, Pretty Discreet, was an outstanding broodmare, earning her the title of a blue hen. The mare descends from a potent dam line, her third dam being the black-type-placed Reine de Course mare Christmas Wishes, who was a daughter of another Reine de Course mare in Acorn Stakes (GI) victress Happy Mood, who yielded several stakes winners that were successful producers themselves, including the dam of a Canadian Broodmare of the Year. Happy Mood herself was also a daughter of a Reine de Course mare, La Reigh – a multiple stakes-winning mare who foaled several black-type horses.

The sire of Pretty Discreet, Private Account, is best-known for siring the great champion Personal Ensign. The son of Damascus has served as a terrific broodmare sire, producing the dams of the likes of grade/group one winners Aldebaran, Good Journey, Menhoubah, Miner’s Mark, My Flag, Panty Raid, Pompeii, and Traditionally. Sons of Private Account mares have proven themselves as sires, as evident in the stallions Miner’s Mark and Our Emblem.

The Northern Dancer/Damascus sire line cross on which Discreet Cat is bred has yielded the likes of the leading sires Johannesburg and Medaglia d’Oro. Discreet Cat has had success with mares from a wide variety of sire lines, but seems to cross with mares from the Mr. Prospector sire line best. His offspring Out of Bounds, Discreet Marq, and Discreet Dancer all are out of mares from the Mr. Prospector line. This is no surprise, as Forestry has crossed well with mares from the Mr. Prospector line, as Shackleford is out of a dam from this line and Diplomat Lady is out of a mare from the Raise a Native – the sire of Mr. Prospector – line. 

Juvenile Spotlight: Jocosity and Fortify

The Distorted Humor sire line has proven to be a very productive one. Not only has it provided us with numerous grade one victors, but it has given us two of the most impressive maiden winners at the Saratoga meet yet in Jocosity and Fortify. Both two-year-old colts dominated their races, coasting to imposing victories and instilling racing fans with hope that they could be future superstars.

Jocosity

Yet Todd Pletcher juvenile to win in remarkable fashion at Saratoga, Jocosity dominated a two-year-old maiden special weight at the Spa on Friday, August 3. Though his name relates to humor, there was nothing humorous regarding his impressive victory on Friday. With his win, Jocosity displayed that he could very well join the likes of the champions Big Brown and Uncle Mo – horses that strikingly broke their maidens at Saratoga prior to becoming a champion. Those are large shoes to fill for Jocosity, but he could certainly become a top racehorse.

Jocosity broke extremely sharply, going immediately to the lead beneath John Velazquez. With his outside post, Jocosity was forced to race wider than the others, but stayed near the lead as the juveniles continued down the backstretch. First-time starter Judge Wiley pressured him from the inside, but by the time a quarter of a blistering 21.79 had been set, Jocosity had opened up a one-length advantage that was widening.

As Velazquez remained stationary aboard him, the bay colt approached the homestretch with a blossoming lead on the six others. As Jocosity neared the conclusion of the far turn, Solis glanced behind him to evaluate the advancement of their rivals. But there were no real threats.

Velazquez set down on him as they reached the stretch, but it was only a learning experience for Jocosity. The others had no chance. Despite running a tad greenly, Jocosity continued to open up on the field, sailing to the wire with ease. Crossing the wire 7 ½ lengths in front, Jocosity posted an impressive final time of 1:02.85 – just 0.34 seconds off the track record.

Prior to breaking his maiden, Jocosity had contested twice – both starts coming twice over Woodbine’s all-weather track. In his first start, which came this June in a four and one-half-furlong maiden special weight, Jocosity did not come away from the gate well, breaking inward abruptly. He sat off of the pace set by Bear’s Fur while racing wide and was unable to catch that horse in the stretch, finishing second by 1 ½ lengths.

Interestingly, Jocosity already has stakes experience. In his second start, the colt finished second in the Clarendon Stakes at Woodbine in a trip that saw him stumble and come in contact with another horse at the start. Despite the troubled he endured, Jocosity crossed the wire in second. The fact that Jocosity’ s connections had enough confidence in her ability to send him into a stakes race in just his second start and before he had even won is very encouraging.

Not only has Jocosity been impressive on the track, but he is remarkably bred as well. Bred on a cross similar to that on which the graded stakes winners Cowtown Cat and Shumoos were bred, Jocosity has a pedigree fit for a gifted Thoroughbred.

Jocosity’s sire is Sharp Humor, a graded stakes-winning son of Distorted Humor who came within a half-length of defeating the late, great Barbaro in the Florida Derby (GI). In his rather young career, Sharp Humor has sired the graded stakes-winning Hero of Order, as well as such black-type winners as Angelica Zapata, Glint, Mildly Offensive, and Princess Cecilia. Sharp Humor’s sire, Distorted Humor, is one of the best sires in the nation, being last year’s leading sire in North America and the sire of such grade one winners as Commentator, Don Dandy, Drosselmeyer, Flower Alley, Funny Cide, Hystericalady, and Pathfork.

Sobhy’s Gal, Jocosity’s young unraced dam, has also produced the winning filly Tell Her. Her own dam produced Miss Lola, an earner of over $175,000 who contested in three stakes races. The sire of Sobhy’s Gal is Stormy Atlantic, a son of the great Storm Cat. Though relatively new as a damsire, Stormy Atlantic’s future in that department looks bright, as Storm Cat is the broodmare sire of the champions Folklore and Speightstown.

The sire of Jocosity’s second dam is Carson City, the broodmare sire of Barbaro and Havre de Grace. Jocosity is a descendant of the prolific female family four, which has produced the Triple Crown winners Assault and Gallant Fox, as well as the champions Proud Spell, Real Quiet, and Zenyatta.

Perhaps Jocosity’s jaw-dropping maiden victory on Friday was an indication of what the future holds, or maybe we will never see the same brilliance from him again. But with what he has shown on the track thus far, combined with his excellent pedigree, Jocosity could become an intimidating top racehorse that thrills and delights racing fans with his performances. Only time will tell.

Fortify

A regally bred colt, this Darley homebred is a son of Distorted Humor, who, as aforementioned, is the sire of such grade one winners as Commentator, Don Dandy, Drosselmeyer, Flower Alley, Funny Cide, Hystericalady, and Pathfork. Distorted Humor has been ranked as one of the top five leading sires on the continent six of the past seven years, peaking at number one last year.

Fortify’s dam is the English mare Kotuku, who is a result of the mating between the great A.P. Indy and the group one-winning highweight mare Flagbird. This makes Kotuku a full sister to the graded stakes-winning Anasheed, as well as a half-sister to the listed-placed horses Dubai Belle and Marhoob. Flagbird is a daughter of the Reine De Course mare Up the Flagpole, the graded stakes-winning dam of three grade/group one winners, one grade two winner, and four stakes winners. Interestingly, one of those grade one winners is Prospectors Delite, the dam of the champion Mineshaft and the grade one winner Tomisue’s Delight.

Up the Flagpole herself is a daughter of a Reine De Course mare in The Garden Club, who also produced the multiple graded stakes-winning Nostalgia, the stakes-winning Blushing Cathy. This dam line is full of Reine De Course mares, as it is the Baby League branch of the La Troienne dam line. La Troienne, one of the greatest broodmares of all-time, can be found in the dam lines of such horses as the Kentucky Derby winners Go for Gin, Sea Hero, Smarty Jones, and Super Saver, as well as the champions Busher, Caerleon, Easy Goer, Folklore, Mineshaft, Pleasant Tap, Prairie Bayou, Princess Rooney, Rhythm, and Woodman.

Fortify’s broodmare sire, A.P. Indy, only adds to the excellence of this colt’s pedigree. The son of the great Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew has yielded the dams of many top racehorses, including such grade one winners as Bluegrass Cat, Mr. Sidney, Plum Pretty, Royal Delta, Super Saver, and Wait a While. A.P. Indy has been among the top twenty-five damsires on the continent for the past six years, peaking at number four last year.

Fortify’s spectacular pedigree shone through on Saturday, August 4 when he made his debut at Saratoga. Going six and one-half furlongs over the dirt, Fortify was restless in the gate, but broke well, joining a contingent that went to the lead. He took the lead for a short moment, but Boss Man Rocket – the only horse with experience in the eight-horse field – shot up his inside, leading the way as the two-year-olds raced down the backstretch.

Fortify settled beneath Joe Bravo, allowing Boss Man Rocket to lengthen his advantage to a length and one-half as an initial quarter of 21.73 was recorded. The Darley homebred loomed on Boss Man Rocket’s outside, overtaking him as the far turn began. As Bravo sat still aboard him, Fortify commanded the field as the track began to curve. Nearing the conclusion of the turn, Bravo began to urge the bay colt he was aboard, keeping several lengths between his colt and the others as they swept into the homestretch.

With a half-mile time of 44.93 appearing on the toteboard, Fortify galloped into the homestretch with overwhelming ease and dominance, frolicking down the straightaway while the others failed to keep up with him. Bravo kept to work aboard him, but Fortify had the race in hand, galloping to a 5 ½-length victory, leaving racing fans commending his debut as excitement grew within them regarding this colt’s future.

Fortify certainly has future superstar stamped next him in my books. With one of the most impressive, regal pedigrees you could come across and a debut that could not have been much more remarkable, Fortify is a name racing fans should get used to saying, hearing, and reading about. I could rave not only about his bloodlines all day long, but also his racing talent. Though just a two-year-old with only one race under his belt, this Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is a special Thoroughbred.

Derby Hopeful: Alpha

It was a bumpy ride that led to many forks in the road, but the end of the trip is near. The destination looms in the form of a dirt oval below the Twin Spires in Louisville, Kentucky. The rough trip is the road Alpha took to the Kentucky Derby (GI), a journey that was full of confusion and many decisions. But finally, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is less than two weeks from contesting in the Run for the Roses.

Alpha was among the most impressive juvenile maiden special weight winners at the prestigious Saratoga meet, settling off the leaders before going to the lead in the stretch and drawing away to a remarkable 6-length victory. With his imposing win, he defeated the future graded stakes-placed Timely Tally and the Sham Stakes (GIII) second-favorite Hierro.

His breathtaking debut convinced McLaughlin to send the Darley homebred to the esteemed Champagne Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park, in which the colt was sent off as the second choice behind the talented graded stakes-winning Union Rags. Settling near the back of the pack, the colt made an impressive move around the far turn before swinging wide in the homestretch to close in on the leaders. However, he could not keep up with the spectacular Union Rags, finishing 5 ¼ lengths behind the then-undefeated colt. In defeat, Alpha beat the stakes-winning horses Laurie’s Rocket and No Spin, as well as the multiple graded stakes-placed Power World.

Alpha continued along the trail many top juveniles take, finding himself at Churchill Downs in November for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI). As the final horse, Optimizer, loaded into the starting gate, Alpha reared and caused much ruckus in the gate. Once jockey Garrett Gomez climbed back aboard, the thirteen-horse field broke from the gate. Despite finding a good stalking position, the colt faltered to finish eleventh, beating just two horses in the very contentious race. However, it was discovered that the colt had bled. In spite of his terrible luck, Alpha still managed to defeat the future grade two winners Daddy Long Legs and Prospective.

Alpha before the Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Photo by Mary Cage

Alpha had a turn of luck when he began his sophomore career, making his first start of 2012 over the inner oval at Aqueduct in the ungraded Count Fleet Stakes. Going a mile and seventy yards, Alpha had a bit of a rough break from the gate, but recovered to garner a position in third before making a move on the outside to waltz to a 2 ½-length victory. Finishing behind him was a half-brother to a classic winner, the winners of one graded stakes race and two ungraded stakes, and runners that would go on to place in three graded stakes and one ungraded stakes altogether.

The Darley homebred continued his winning ways at Aqueduct next out, effortlessly winning the mile and one-sixteenth Withers Stakes (GIII) over many of the same horses he had defeated in the Count Fleet. Yet again, the bay colt performed with a stalking position.

Then came the chaos. It was decided that the colt would not make his next start until either the end of March or early April, but that put many possible races into the picture, including the Florida Derby (GI) at Gulfstream Park, the Louisiana Derby (GII) at the Fair Grounds, and the Wood Memorial Stakes (GI) at Aqueduct. Since he was training in Florida, it appeared as if Alpha’s final prep for the Kentucky Derby would come in the Florida Derby, but then it was announced that he would likely go to the Louisiana Derby. His connections changed their minds again and finally it was decided that his final start before the Kentucky Derby would come in the Wood Memorial.

In the Wood, Alpha faced the toughest field he’d faced yet in 2012. After breaking from the rail, the colt was forced to steady slightly around the far turn when squeezed, but then comfortably settled off the leaders. Meanwhile, the undefeated graded stakes winner Gemologist rated in third for the majority of the race. Around the far turn, both colts made their move, but it was Gemologist that hit the front first. Alpha was then taken off the rail and swung wide by Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez and as Gemologist appeared to draw away from the field, Alpha dug in on the outside and drew even with the undefeated colt and just when it seemed as if he would accelerate past him, Gemologist found more and denied him. Nonetheless, Alpha displayed an incredible amount of heart, determination, and acceleration.

The colt suffered a minor setback due a laceration he received in the Wood, but he soon returned to training and will mostly train up to the Kentucky Derby at Belmont Park before shipping to Churchill Downs. Though it was originally planned that Alpha would have two works over the Churchill surface prior to the Derby, he will perform his penultimate breeze at Belmont before shipping to Churchill on April 30 to have his final work there.

Beyond just his obvious racing talent, Alpha is certainly bred for Triple Crown distances as well. By the winner of three grade ones at a mile and three-sixteenths or longer in the classic-winning son of A.P. Indy, Bernardini, Alpha has the same sire as the Travers Stakes (GI, 10F)-winning Stay Thirsty and the grade one-winning Pennsylvania Derby (GII, 9F) victor To Honor and Serve.

The dam of Alpha is the eleven-furlong Oaks Trial Stakes-winning Munnaya. The chestnut mare is by the 1970 English Triple Crown winner, Nijinksy II, who is also the damsire of the Belmont Stakes (GI, 12F)- and Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI, 10F)-winning Colonial Affair, the Epsom Oaks (GI, 12F)-winning Jet Ski Lady, and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (GI, 10F)-winning Archipenko. Munnaya, out of the group stakes-winning Hiaam, is also the dam of the multiple graded stakes-winning Lavender Sky, the stakes-winning and multiple group stakes-placed Mystic Melody, and the listed stakes-placed Numaany.

Featuring two crosses of Northern Dancer, Alpha possesses the same inbreeding that occurs in the pedigrees of the Derby victors Mine That Bird and Big Brown, as well as 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and the recent Belmont winners Ruler on Ice, Drosselmeyer, and Summer Bird.

The fifth dam of Alpha is the Reine De Course mare Nangela, a stakes-winning daughter of Nearctic. She is the dam of the champion Square Angel and the second dam of the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Dancing on a Cloud, the grade one-winning Love Smitten, and the graded stakes-winning Minutes Away. Other direct descendants of Nangela include the multiple group one-winning champion Swain, as well as the grade one-winning horses Cuddles, Gorgeous, and Swift Temper. This strong dam line stems from female family fourteen, which has yielded such horses as the champions Artax, Invasor, Foolish Pleasure, and Skip Away.

This year’s running of the Kentucky Derby features one of the toughest fields we’ve seen in years, but Alpha is certainly part of the elite group pointing towards the Run for the Roses. Not only is he clearly a colt with immense racing talent and the important qualities of determination and the ability to settle off the pace, but his pedigree is full of stamina. He appears to be a colt that will be successful throughout the entire Triple Crown should all go well. Alpha has proved himself to be one of the very top contenders for the one hundred thirty-eighth running of the Kentucky Derby.

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Stallion Feature: Unbridled's Heart

Unbridled’s Heart: New for 2012 at Keen Farms in Texas

John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rasheed al Maktoum’s bloodstock manager, is possibly the most famous bloodstock agent in the industry. You can find his name next to many of the highest-priced racing prospects sold at the most prestigious sales in the world, such as the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. After all, he is employed by one of the most well-known owners in all of horse racing.

At the 2006 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, you could find Ferguson’s name next to ten of the twenty-three highest-priced colts in the sale. Six colts sold for exactly one million dollars and of those colts, Ferguson was listed as the buyer for four of them. Among those colts was a son of Unbridled’s Song consigned by Taylor Made.

It was obvious why the colt had sold for seven figures. His sire had landed sixteenth on the leading sires list in 2005, which had been his fifth appearance in the top one hundred sires since 2001. The winner of the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) and the 1996 Florida Derby (GI) had sired the 2001 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) winner in Unbridled Elaine, the 2001 Wood Memorial Stakes (GI) victor in Buddha, and the 2001 Fountain of Youth Stakes (GI) champion in Songandaprayer. Furthermore, the gray colt’s dam, Wild Heart Dancing, was a four-time graded stakes winner who was a half-sister to the grade one-winning Man from Wicklow.

Unbridled's Heart
Photo: Terri Cage

The colt, who was eventually named Unbridled’s Heart, made his debut on May 10, 2008 at Belmont Park. Sent off at odds of nearly 14-1, the colt led from start to finish under Darley’s silks to take the mile and one-sixteenth maiden special weight by ten lengths in a final time of 1:42.12 over a track labeled ‘good.’ With that victory, the gray colt earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.

Next out, he finished third after an awkward start in the Postponed Stakes at Belmont. Crossing the wire ahead of him was Mint Lane, eventual winner of the Dwyer Stakes (GII), and finishing behind him was the graded stakes-placed Trust N Dustan and the future multiple graded stakes-placed Spurrier.

Unbridled’s Heart made six more starts at four of the nation’s most prestigious tracks on the east coast – Belmont, Saratoga, Gulfstream, and Aqueduct – before making his first start for trainer Dallas Keen and owners Brent Gasaway and Ian Yarnot at the premier racing venue in the south, Fair Grounds Race Course.

He raced at the New Orleans track four times and at Keeneland once before running in the Dallas Turf Cup Stakes at Lone Star Park, in which he ran third behind the graded stakes-winning and multiple grade one-placed horses Dean’s Kitten and Expansion. Finding the finish line after Unbridled’s Heart was the stakes-placed Alwayswithapproval, the graded stakes-winning Schramsberg, the eventual stakes-winning McKenna’s Justice, and the stakes-winning J J’s Indy.

Unbridled’s Heart’s final career victory came in a mile and one-sixteenth turf allowance optional claiming at Lone Star Park, in which he finished ahead of six others in 1:40.98 – just . 93 seconds off the course record. Together, the six horses that finished behind him earned $628,000. One of the horses that Unbridled’s Heart defeated in that race was Backstabber, a half-brother to the 2011 Florida Derby (GI) winner Dialed In.

Unbridled’s Heart was a very versatile racehorse, winning on a good dirt track at Belmont and a firm turf course at Lone Star Park. He won at a range from seven and one-half furlongs to a mile and one-sixteenth and was stakes-placed on both dirt and turf. He exited his racing career with $151,893 in earnings from three wins, five seconds, and four thirds in twenty starts.

In just his first six generations, Unbridled’s Heart traces back to five Kentucky Derby (GI) winners: Unbridled, Foolish Pleasure, Seattle Slew, Swaps, and Native Dancer. He hails from female family number five, the same family from which some of the greatest sires to ever live descended from: Hoist the Flag, Native Dancer, Nureyev, Pleasant Colony (who also won the Kentucky Derby), and Sadler’s Wells. Other descendants from female family five include the 1938 Horse of the Year Seabiscuit, the 2004 Epsom Derby (GI) victor North Light, and the 2008 Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Big Brown.

Not only does Unbridled’s Heart possess a magnificent pedigree and a racing career marked by versatility, but he also has very correct conformation. It is difficult to take your eyes off his handsome face and dark, thick forelock, but once you do, you will see that he has a beautifully built seventeen-hand frame. He has a slender neck that ties in well to his sloping shoulder. The angle of his shoulder allows him to be very evenly balanced, having a short topline in comparison to a long underline. As a result of this proportionality, the gray stallion can easily be divided into thirds. He is also very structurally correct, possessing short, sturdy cannon bones and angular pasterns. His hip is long and rounded, allowing him to drive more from the hindquarters and propel himself forward. Unbridled’s Heart is also very adequately muscled, displaying delineation in his forearms and gaskins. His conformation only adds to his validity.

Unbridled’s Heart has all the makings of a sire: value, pedigree, racing talent, and correct conformation. He will stand at Keen Farms in Burleson, Texas for an introductory stud fee of $1,500. The Keens are offering an incentive of a $10,000 bonus to the breeder of the first foal to win an allowance race. With all the qualities that Unbridled’s Heart brings to the table, I would not be astounded in the least if he became one of the leading sires in Texas.

Unbridled's Heart
Photo: Donna Keen

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