Breeders’ Cup Juvenile 2018 Pedigree Profiles

by Dick Powell

CODE OF HONOR is from the first crop of Noble Mission, a full brother to superstar Frankel. Noble Mission is off to a decent start at stud but only has nine winners from his first crop. Code of Honor, by far the best runner Noble Mission has sired, is out of the Dixie Union mare Reunited, who captured the 2005 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G3) and earned more than $326,000 on track. She has already produced Big League, who as a two-year-old in 2016 ran second in the Best Pal Stakes (G2).

COMPLEXITY looked great in his first start at Saratoga then came back in Belmont Park’s Champagne Stakes (G1) and showed it was no fluke with a front-end score in a fast time going a mile. His sire, Maclean’s Music, was amazingly fast and won in 1:07 and change in his lone start going six furlongs at three. That stallion has also sired a Preakness Stakes (G1) winner in Cloud Computing and one other graded winner, 2018 Gulfstream Park Sprint (G3) victor Classic Rock, from three crops to race. Complexity’s unraced dam, the Yes It’s True mare Goldfield, has produced four winners from four foals to race including Grade 3 winner Valadorna, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) two years ago.

DUELING is a son of Violence, who improved as his two-year-old season went on, winning the CashCall Futurity (G1). Violence is off to a great start at stud and his progeny excel at sprints to middle distances. Dueling’s dam is the Seattle Slew mare Seattle Qui, who has also produced Know More, victor of the Best Pal Stakes (G2) as a two-year-old in 2012, and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Classic Slew, who was never able to stretch out and kept sprinting for most of his career.

GAME WINNER just keeps rolling along and the son of Candy Ride is very much like his sire: fast and can carry his speed. His unraced dam, the A.P. Indy mare Indyan Giving, is herself a daughter of champion older mare and dual Grade 1 queen Fleet Indian. Costing only $110,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, Game Winner is the bargain of the year.

GUNMETAL GRAY won his first start going two turns at Del Mar and then ran well when second in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1). His sire, Exchange Rate, is mostly known for siring sprint types but gets the occasional route winner. Gunmetal Gray’s dam is the Include mare Classofsixtythree, who finished third in the nine-furlong Ruffian Invitational Handicap (G1) in 2010 at Saratoga. She has produced a couple of modest two-year-old winners, and there is not much black-type under the second dam.

KNICKS GO is by Paynter, who won the 2012 Haskell Invitational (G1) at three and just missed by a neck in that year’s Belmont Stakes (G1). Knicks Go is the best horse Paynter has sired from two crops to race. The colt’s dam, the Outflanker mare Kosmo’s Buddy, is a multiple stakes-winning sprinter who has not produced much. There is stamina on the top side of Knicks Go’s pedigree and he has already won at this distance against Grade 1 company.

MIND CONTROL is by Stay Thirsty, who won the Cigar Mile (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1). He has sired a couple of other graded winners from three crops to race. Mind Control’s dam is the Lightnin N Thunder mare Feel That Fire, a minor stakes winner who is a full sister to a stakes scorer. She has produced two multiple winners.

MR. MONEY is by Goldencents, who won two straight runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and he has sired 22 winners from his one crop to race, including two minor stakes winners. Mr. Money’s dam is the Tiznow mare Plenty O’Toole, whose other foal to race won at two.

SIGNALMAN is by General Quarters, who has sired two minor stakes winners from four crops to race. Signalman’s dam is the unraced Trip South, who is by South African top sire Trippi but has not produced much herself.

STANDARD DEVIATION is by Curlin, whose Good Magic won this race last year as a maiden. Standard Deviation’s dam is the A.P. Indy mare False Impress, who was a winner at two on the turf and only has one other stakes-placed runner from five foals to race despite being bred to top sires.

TIGHT TEN is a Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred by Tapit. His dam is the Distorted Humor mare Devils Humor, who is a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Fleet Renee and won twice at six furlongs. Devils Humor’s first foal to race, a stakes-placed full sister to Tight Ten named All In Fun, earned $311,000 and was mostly a turf runner, though she did win on the sloppy main track at Gulfstream Park as a sophomore.

TOPPER T is by Bellamy Road, whose best race ever was going two turns on the dirt and he has sired many graded winners going two turns on the dirt. Topper T’s dam is the Evansville Slew mare Des Moines, a Canadian stakes winner who earned more than $246,000 in her time on track. The mare’s first two foals to race are multiple winners without black-type.

TROPHY CHASER is by Twirling Candy, who has had four crops to race with many winners on turf and dirt sprints. Trophy Chaser’s unraced dam, European Union, is by Successful Appeal and only has one winner from three other foals to race. The average winning distances for her sire and broodmare sire, Seeking the Gold, only adds up to 13.3 furlongs, which is below average.

WELL DEFINED is a Florida-bred son of With Distinction, who has sired only one graded winner from nine crops to race. Well Defined’s unraced dam is the Medaglia d’Oro mare Fru Fru, and there is not a lot of black-type in the female side of the family.