LEXINGTON, Ky. — When evaluating the field for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, one of the most important aspects to look at is the background and bloodlines of each horse.
The sire of a horse can say a lot about the horse’s ability on different surfaces, when racing different lengths and other advantages it could have over the field come race day.
With this in mind, here’s a look at the sire of each 2022 Kentucky Derby contender, including the four horses that have sired multiple horses set to contest this year’s Run for the Roses.
Connect
— Potential Kentucky Derby horse: Rattle N Roll (30-1).
— While Connect’s most noteworthy win may have been in the 2016 Grade 1 Cigar Mile, he also topped Gun Runner — a sire of two 2022 Kentucky Derby participants — in the 2016 Pennsylvania Derby.
— Rattle N Roll is one of two also-eligibles on the outside of the Kentucky Derby field.
Empire Maker
— Kentucky Derby horse: Messier (8-1).
— Empire Maker had his own strong legacy in the Triple Crown, winning the 2003 Belmont Stakes and finishing second in that year’s Kentucky Derby.
— Empire Maker came from strong bloodlines as the son of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled.
— Empire Maker died in January 2020 at Gainesway Farm in Lexington.
Giant’s Causeway
— Kentucky Derby horse: Classic Causeway (30-1).
— Giant’s Causeway was named the European Horse of the Year in 2000 and finished second in that year’s running of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which marked the first time Giant’s Causeway ran on dirt.
— Giant’s Causeway died in April 2018.
Gun Runner
— Kentucky Derby horses: Cyberknife (20-1), Taiba (12-1).
— One of four horses that have sired multiple contenders likely to run in the 2022 Kentucky Derby, Gun Runner finished third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby.
— Gun Runner earned 2017 Horse of the Year honors after winning five consecutive Grade 1 races.
— Gun Runner is also the sire of Echo Zulu, who won the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and is running in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.
Hit It a Bomb
— Kentucky Derby horse: Tiz the Bomb (30-1).
— Hit It a Bomb’s standout win from his racing career was the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in 2015.
— Tiz the Bomb finished second in the 2021 running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and most recently won the Jeff Ruby Steaks in early April at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky.
Keen Ice
— Potential Kentucky Derby horse: Rich Strike (30-1).
— Keen Ice had a decent showing during his Kentucky Derby, finishing seventh in the 2015 race. Keen Ice also finished third in the 2015 Belmont Stakes.
— Rich Strike is one of two also-eligibles on the outside of the Kentucky Derby field.
Munnings
— Kentucky Derby horse: Zozos (20-1).
— Zozos is a fast pacesetter, a quality he undoubtedly gets from his bloodlines. His sire, Munnings, was a champion sprinter who was sired by Speightstown, another sprinter.
Not This Time
— Kentucky Derby horses: Epicenter (7-2), Simplification (20-1).
— Epicenter was the leading qualifying points earner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, while Simplification finished third in the Florida Derby.
— Not This Time shifted his focus to stud in 2017 after recording a win in the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs.
— Not This Time is a son of Giant’s Causeway, which is the sire of another 2022 Derby horse: Classic Causeway.
Oxbow
— Kentucky Derby horse: Happy Jack (30-1).
— Oxbow finished sixth in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, before going on to win the 2013 Preakness Stakes and then finishing second in the 2013 Belmont Stakes.
— Oxbow is also the sire of Hot Rod Charlie, who ran second in last year’s Kentucky Derby following the disqualification of Medina Spirit. Hot Rod Charlie finished second in the 2021 Belmont Stakes, further proving Oxbow’s strong connections to Triple Crown success.
Pioneerof the Nile
— Kentucky Derby horses: Tawny Port (30-1), Pioneer of Medina (30-1).
— Another horse that has sired multiple Kentucky Derby participants, Pioneerof the Nile won the 2009 Santa Anita Derby and ran second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby.
— Pioneerof the Nile is widely known as the sire of American Pharoah, who won the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup Classic in 2015.
— Pioneerof the Nile is a son of former Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker, who was the sire of another 2022 Kentucky Derby horse: Messier.
Quality Road
— Kentucky Derby horse: Ethereal Road (30-1).
— Quality Road was a four-time Grade 1 winner on the dirt surface.
Race Day
— Kentucky Derby horses: White Abarrio (10-1), Barber Road (30-1).
— Another sire with multiple 2022 Kentucky Derby participants, Race Day is a son of Tapit, who has four Belmont Stakes winners in his progeny.
— Race Day didn’t win a race until his 3-year-old season, but developed a serial winning habit that carried into his 4-year-old season. Among his notable victories was the Grade 2 Oaklawn and the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes.
Reach the Crown
— Kentucky Derby horse: Crown Pride (20-1).
— Reach the Crown was mainly a turf racer who finished 10th in his only start on dirt, but there’s still a quality dirt connection for Crown Pride, who will become just the second Japanese-bred horse to compete in the Kentucky Derby.
— Reach the Crown’s sire was Special Week, a Japan Cup winner, who was a son of Sunday Silence, who won both the 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
Runhappy
— Kentucky Derby horse: Smile Happy (20-1).
— Runhappy had a pretty cut-and-dried record during his racing career: He was 7-7 and never lost a race in sprints, but was 0-3 and never won a race when he ran 1 mile or farther, according to Twinspires.
— It’s a curious stat, especially given that Runhappy’s sire was Super Saver, the winner of the 2010 Kentucky Derby.
Summer Front
— Kentucky Derby horse: Summer Is Tomorrow (30-1).
— Summer Front was a turf specialist, and won eight career races. Of those eight wins, seven were stakes races on grass between the ages of 2 and 5.
— Summer Front is a son of War Front, who also counts War of Will (2019 Preakness Stakes winner) and Omaha Beach (second in the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile) among his progeny.
Tapit
— Kentucky Derby horse: Charge It (20-1).
— Tapit has a strong record as a sire in the Triple Crown, and in particular the Belmont Stakes. Tapit has been the sire for the following Belmont Stakes winners: Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), Tapwrit (2017), and Essential Quality (2021), who also finished third in last year’s Kentucky Derby after Medina Spirit’s disqualification.
Uncle Mo
— Kentucky Derby horse: Mo Donegal (10-1).
— Uncle Mo, a race favorite, was scratched the day before the 2011 Kentucky Derby after losing significant weight prior to the race due to a gastrointestinal infection.
— As a sire, Uncle Mo produced the 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and several other Grade 1 race winners on dirt, including Unbridled Mo and Gomo.
Upstart
— Kentucky Derby horse: Zandon (3-1, morning line favorite).
— This could be a big weekend for Upstart, who is also the sire of the undefeated Kathleen O., one of the favorites to win Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.
— Upstart finished 18th in the 2015 Kentucky Derby.
