Let’s Win the Kentucky Derby

Just for a moment let’s throw value out the window. Let’s assume that I have an unlimited supply of money. Which 10 yearlings from the Keeneland 2020 sale would I select to win the Kentucky Derby in 2022.

1. Quality Road – Chapel by AP Indy – $600,000 – nick A+ – Of all the fancy sires I guess my favorite would be Quality Road. QR is out of a Strawberry Road mare. Here we combine him with an unplaced AP indy mare, but the second dam is the best daughter of Harlan (the father of Into Mischief). The 3rd dam was by Sham. This is a Starlight horse.
2. Pioneerof the Nile – Temple Street by Street Cry – $450,000 – PON would be my second favorite fancy sire. The mare by Street Cry was second in the G1 Humana Distaff and produced an $800,000 winner and a $400,000 winner.
3. Curlin – Glinda the Good by Hard Spun – $1,200,000 – A++ nick – Curlin is a great source of stamina, and here the mare is by Hard Spun, a source of precocity and stamina I am gaining respect for. The mare also producer BC Juvenile winner Good Magic by Curlin. I am surprised Repole only had to pay $1.2 million.
4. Gun Runner – Fun House by Prized – $750,000 -A+ nick – Gun Runner could be the next superstar, but I am not an Asmussen fan. Here the mare brings the Prized/Kris S stamina, and has already produced Untapable and Paddy O’Prado. Should really be my top choice, but I hesitate until GR is more proven.
5. Uncle Mo – Peppy Rafaela by Bernardini – $775,000 – A+ nick – If you must buy an Uncle Mo, best to combine it with a Bernardini mare that produced $900,000 multiple graded winner Mopotism. Liz Crow picked this one out. The 2nd dam produced G2 winner Songster.
6. Candy Ride – Draw It by Tapit – $760,000 – A+ nick – Candy Ride is more than just a miler, and here is combined with a mare by Tapit that was 2nd in the G2 Gazelle. The mare already produced a horse the was 2nd in the G2 Rebel. Another Starlight selection.
7. Medaglia d’Oro – Dame Dorothy by Bernardini – $650,000 – A nick – Combine MdO with a G1 winning Bernardini mare and you almost can’t miss. The 2nd dam adds Woodman. Juddmonte has this one.
8. Arrogate – Star Act by Street Cry – $350,000 – A+ nick – If Baffert says Arrogate was the best he ever saw, let’s believe him. The mare was a solid daughter of Street Cry, but 2nd dam was Dynaformer’s best daughter Starrer. My old nemesis Randy Hill bought this one.
9. Classic Empire – Victory Party by Yankee Victor – $350,000 – A++ nick – CE could be next year’s top freshman sire. Here the 2nd dam produced Beholder, Mendelssohn, and Into Mischief.
10. Into Mischief – Divine Heart by Divine Park – $875,000 – A nick – A want to combine IM with as much stamina as I can find. Here the dam is a granddaughter of the great stamina source Chester House, and the 2nd dam produced an $800,000 winning router and a $400,000 winning router. Demi O’Brien has this one.
11. Nyquist – Invitation by Vindication – $650,000 – A++ nick – Nyquist worries me a little, but West Point convinced me of the magic of Vindication as a broodmare sire. Vindication was the last great son of Seattle Slew. First horse off the bench.

It is entertaining and mildly educational to see how the rich people live. For about $8 million, I guess I have about a 2% chance of winning the Kentucky Derby.

Build your own top 10 from the Keeneland website, it’s a fun game.