Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profile: Soup and Sandwich

What do you get when you cross the bloodlines of the two most successful U.S. stallions of the last decade? You get Soup and Sandwich, runner-up in the Florida Derby (G1) and an up-and-coming contender for the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Speed and stamina combine in the pedigree of Soup and Sandwich, which is typically a recipe for success on the first Saturday in May. The speed comes courtesy of Soup and Sandwich’s sire, Into Mischief, a Grade 1-winning sprinter/miler who counts Breeders’ Cup winners Beholder and Mendelssohn among his half-siblings.

Into Mischief has been a sensation at stud, siring a seemingly endless number of elite sprinters and milers. But that’s not to say the son of Harlan’s Holiday is incapable of siring long-winded types; his son Authentic won the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) racing 1 1/4 miles, earning Horse of the Year honors in the process.

Suffice to say, 2020 was a banner season for Into Mischief. For the second consecutive year, he ranked as North America’s leading sire by progeny earnings, with his foals combining to earn a record $22.5 million. Can you guess who held the previous record of $19.9 million? That would be none other than Tapit, the damsire of Soup and Sandwich.

Whereas Into Mischief is generally regarded as a source of speed, Tapit is all about stamina. His daughter Souper Scoop, the dam of Soup and Sandwich, is one such example. Her two career victories came running one mile or farther against maiden special weight and allowance company at Monmouth Park.

Ranked as North America’s leading sire three times from 2014-2016, Tapit is best known for siring early-maturing juveniles and high-class three-year-olds, though it’s not uncommon to see Tapits excel as older runners as well. In any case, pure sprinters are rare among Tapit’s progeny; their average winning distance is a lofty 7.6 furlongs. Furthermore, 24 of Tapit’s 27 North American Grade 1 winners (through April 16) have secured their signature victories running one mile or farther, including 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) heroes Tonalist, Creator, and Tapwrit.

Tapit’s record as a damsire is also impressive, albeit still developing. Two-turn stamina is widely evident among the runners produced by Tapit’s daughters, including 2018 Preakness (G1) third-place finisher Tenfold and runaway Rebel (G2) winner Concert Tour.

With just three starts under his belt, Soup and Sandwich heads to Churchill Downs as one of the most lightly-raced horses in the Kentucky Derby field. Can he join Big Brown (2008) and Justify (2018) as only the third horse in the last century to win the Derby off such a brief racing schedule? Only time will tell, but there’s no reason think Soup and Sandwich’s pedigree will stand in the way.