Of the 1,630 mares entering North America in 2018, a total of up to 34 could start in the respective doors of the upcoming GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks (based on up to 20 Derby starts) top and 14 starts Oaks ). That’s about 2% chance.
So it’s remarkable how this year we don’t have one, not two, but seven The stallion has the potential to win the Derby-Oaks double, something that hasn’t been done since Native Dancer picked the winner of both races 56 years ago? In the 147-year history of the Derby-Oaks, this feat has been accomplished exactly four times.
Of course, it will be another week before the fields are drawn, but Churchill Downs currently has 28 colored horses that qualify by points on the Derby leaderboard and 23 fillings on the Oaks leaderboard. Seven boars have descendants of both and three more have multiple candidates for one or the other of the race. That seems extraordinary. Almost especially not one of the 10 stallions with multiple contenders was Spendthrift’s super stallion Into Mischief, who officially became the first stallion in history to win consecutive Derby when Mandaloun promoted belatedly as the 2021 winner.
It won’t be a surprise when the Three Chimneys destroy Gunman top of the list. Horse of the Year 2017 was a breakout superstar with his first kids 2 years old last year and has simply continued his dominance, so much so that in just one season his 3-year-olds , he’s already ranked among North America’s top 15 stallions leading in 2022, with all the horses above him having older runners to add to their tally. He leads the current second crop of bulls in every major category: class I winner, graded winner, black winner, earnings, earnings per catch head and horse Derby and Oaks.
GunmanThe first 3-year-olds include three potential Derby ponies and two Oaks . fillings | Sarah Andrews
Gunman there are three ponies in Churchill’s top 20 by points: Cyberknife, ‘Rising star TDN’ Taiba and Early Voting. He also has two spots on the Oaks leaderboard by points: champion and ‘Rising star TDN’ Echo Zulu, who is safe in the Oaks field, and Shotgun Hottie, who is currently 15th on the list. It really is a shame of riches.
But Gunman Not the only one who ran out of cups. Airdrie’s young third cultivar Start up could only get favorites for both Derby and the Oaks, a feat that is certainly almost rare to win over both. Start up There may not be an absolute number in each race Gunman yes, but he has Zandon and Kathleen O., and it’s good that Airdrie’s steeds aren’t swapping places for anyone.
Continuing the successful streak of young males, the other two are below Gunman on the second case list there are also potential starters in both Derby and Oaks. Both Coolmore’s Classic Empire and Lane’s End’s Connect there are runners on the leaderboard of both. Classic EmpireHis Morello has enough points to enter the Derby, while ‘Rising star TDN’ Classy Edition and Interstatedaydream are on the Oaks bubble. Opposite, Connect hidden Connection secured a spot in the Oaks field, while his Rattle N Roll was above the Derby bubble by points.
With some of the industry’s top males in their late teens or early 20s, isn’t it comforting to feel the breed’s future lies in the hands of these prolific stallions? Two other flowering stallions, Taylor Made’s third crop of stallions Not this time and Darley’s third cultivar Nyquistalso deserves special mention as each has three contenders, albeit in a single race. Not this time There’s Central, Simplified and On Time for the Derby, while Nyquist potentially Turnerloose, Awake at Midnyte, and Sequist for the Oaks. Also worth mentioning for multiple contenders in a single Classic are Race daywho left Derby to join White Abarrio and Barber Road in this country before moving to South Korea.
Returning to our potential Double Derby-Oaks, although it seems particularly remarkable with these young second and third stallions recently on fire, we also have three horses. Other breeds also had a shot to achieve rare achievement. Coolmore’s Munningswho is demonstrating his male-like versatility, Sightstownended in 2021 with top 2 year olds ‘Rising star TDN’ Jack Christopher and Eda. Classics schools will not create Classics schools on the first Friday and Saturday in May. However, Munnings regroup with ‘Rising star TDN’ Zozos guaranteed a spot at the Derby and ‘Rising star TDN’ Shahama is among the Oaks’ top 14.
The late Nile pioneer can add to his list | Louise Reinagel
WinStar is late Pioneers of the Nile and Coolmore’s Uncle Mowere the males that won the 2015 Derby with American pharoah and 2016 with Nyquist, respectively, could also produce a Derby-Oaks double this year. Pioneerof the Nile has Tawny Port and Pioneer of Medina for the Derby, while Favor is a ranged ranger to create a field of Oaks. Unclo Mo has Mo Donegal and ‘Rising star TDN’ Cocktail Moments sits firmly on their respective race leaderboards.
Historically speaking, the Native Dancer is the most recent stallion to be named a winner in both the Derby and the Oaks, something he achieved in 1966 with Kauai King and Native Street. It can be challenging to find a pedigree in America today without the Native Dancer buried somewhere as without him, there would be no Northern Dancer or Mr. Prosecutor, leaving he is said to be one of the – if not the– America’s most important stallions of the past century. The “gray specter of Sagamore,” whose only career was ironically lost in the 1953 Kentucky Derby, has appeared in much of the Derby and Oaks winning pedigree over the past 50 years.
Calumet’s one-of-a-kind Bull Lea also scored a Derby-Oaks double in 1952 with Hill Gail and Real Delight. Bull Lea won the Derby three times in a decade with Citation (1948) and Iron Liege (1957) with Hill Gail on the Derby podium. He also had two Oaks wins, in which Bubbley combined Real Delight with an Oaks win in 1953. While Into Mischief was the only male to win the Derbies in consecutive years, Bull Lea was one of only four to do so. got it on the Oaks team, along with Sir Ivor (1976-77), Prince of Spain II (1924-25), and King Alfonso (1882-83).
Going further back in time, McGee had a legendary Hall of Fame Exterminator victory in the 1918 Derby and his compatriot Viva America also won the Oaks Championship that same year. He’s an incredible story: an average sprinter on the track and the only pony raised after he was conceived, McGee is also another Derby winner in Donerail (1913).
Before that was still King Alfonso in 1885, who scored the Derby-Oaks masculinity with Joe Cotton and Lizzie Dwyer. Apparently, stallions had much smaller crops than they do today, which makes King Alfonso’s achievements even more impressive. From 17 reported stake winners, the Phaeton (GB) steed has Derby winner Joe Cotton, Derby winner Fonso (1880) and three Oaks winners in four years: in addition to 1885 Lizzie Dwyer, he there are also Katie Creel (1882) and Vera (1883).
Native Dancer was the last horse to warn the Derby and Oaks winner in the same year | Coglia
Many of the great stallions throughout our sport have never had a Derby nor an Oaks winner. Some other people – for example the aforementioned Northern dancer and Mr. Prosecutor, as well as Tapit, Storm Cat, Raise a Native, Tom Fool, Nasrullah and dozens more – have won either Derby or Oaks, but not both. Some, like Medaglia d’OroAP Indy, Alydar, Exclusive Native, Sir Gallahad III (Fr), and even the legendary Man o’ War and Lexington, had two (or more) winners of one of the races, but no races. any other.
Several stallions have come close to achieving the rare double, with people winning both races in different years. Seattle Slew is thought of with Swale’s Derby in 1984, and the Oaks won with both Seaside Attraction (1990) and Flute (2001). Halo came even closer, with Sunday Silence (1989) and Goodbye Halo (1998) in consecutive years, plus Sunny’s Halo (1983) lining up well. Blenheim II is another prime example, with the Derby wins of Whirlaway (1941) and Jet Pilot (1947) combined with Nellie L.’s Oaks win (1943).
There are also some intriguing results for the sire lines. In 1993, Danzig won his only Oaks victory in the Dispute, while his son, the Polish Navy, picked the Sea Hero to win the Derby. A similar thing happened in 1940, when Sir Gallahad III (Fr) selected the Derby winner Gallahadion and his son, Insco, won the Oaks winner in Inscolassie; and again in 1933, when Black Toney chose Brokers Tip (Derby) and his son, Black Servant, chose Barn Swallow (Oaks). In 1902, Hanover’s sons Halma and The Commoner chose the Derby winner Alan-a-Dale and Oaks winner Wainamoinen. Last year’s King Leamington, had a son, Reform, son of the 1892 Derby winner in Azra, and a grandson, Falsetto, winner of Oaks’ son, Miss Dixie that same year. The final Falsetto will feature three Derby winners and two Oaks winners. Leamington was confident that it was first the Derby winner, Aristides, as well as Longfellow, who won the Derby in 1883 with Leonatus and in 1890 with Riley, and the Oaks winner in 1880 with Longitude and in 1887 with Florimore.
Will the young gunmen? Start up, Gunman, Connector Classic Empire add their names to the very short list of stallions to get a Derby-Oaks double? Or will MunningsPioneerof the Nile, or Uncle Mo addition to their sire extraction? Or perhaps Arrogate’s late Vow of Secrets will triumph over Oaks and Japan will continue its recent international domination with Reach the Crown (Jpn)’s Crown Pride (Jpn) taking part in the Derby, prompting the whole discussion This argument became a point of contention.
That’s part of the allure surrounding the Derby and Oaks each year. It’s always fun to wonder and speculate about the Classics and what might have worked for the miracle.
