Classic Causeway: Kentucky Derby contender profile
Classic Causeway winning the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs (Photo by SV Photography)
April 27th, 2022
Classic Causeway appeared well on his way to the Kentucky Derby when opening the year with a pair of convincing wins in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Sam F. Davis (G3), but the speedy colt faltered when stretching out to 1 1/8 miles in the Florida Derby (G1), weakening to last among 11 runners after setting the early pace. As a result, the chestnut Kentucky-bred initially was targeting the Pat Day Mile (G2) at a one-turn mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard, but connections have changed course and will give Classic Causeway the opportunity to rebound in the Kentucky Derby. He projects to be part of the pace.
Our local Aussie 🐨 @TheBrownAndrew caught up with @KentuckyDerby 148 runner Classic Causeway's trainer from down under 🦘@BLynchRacing this morning.
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 26, 2022
"I just got to put a line through his last race." -B. Lynch 📽️ ⬇️
P.S. - It's International hug an 🇦🇺 Australian day pic.twitter.com/jzmvAU4cf3
Classic Causeway Speed Figures
Top Brisnet Speed: 99, Sam F. Davis
Top Brisnet Late Pace: 98, Sam F. Davis
Classic Causeway Pedigree
Sire: Giant’s Causeway
Classic Causeway is from the final crop of late three-time leading sire Giant’s Causeway, a champion in England and Ireland who also finished a neck second in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs. Giant’s Causeway has never sired a Triple Crown race winner, his best result coming via 2016 Belmont S. runner-up Destin, who finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby. Eskendereya, a son of Giant’s Causeway, was the overwhelming Kentucky Derby favorite in 2010 before sidelined by a career-ending injury days before the race, and Giant’s Causeway is also the sire of Not This Time, a young sire responsible for Epicenter and Simplification in this year’s Run for the Roses.
Dam: Private World
Classic Causeway is the first stakes winner from multiple stakes-winning Private World, a daughter of 1995 Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch.
Classic Causeway Connections
Owner: Patrick O’Keefe’s Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper
A homebred for Patrick O’Keefe’s Kentucky West Racing and Clarke Cooper, Classic Causeway will be their first Kentucky Derby runner. Homebreds have won 11 of the last 18 runnings of the Kentucky Derby.
Trainer: Brian Lynch
A former assistant for Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, Brian Lynch will make his Kentucky Derby debut with Classic Causeway.
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Julien Leparoux, who is making his 14th Kentucky Derby appearance, will pick up the mount aboard Classic Causeway. Since making his first appearance in 2007, Leparoux’s best finish was a fourth on Classic Empire in 2017.
Learn about all of the Kentucky Derby Contenders and the lead up to the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports here on TwinSpires.com
