Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Built

Built joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a gate-to-wire triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds.

Even after setting the pace, Built had enough stamina left to accelerate his fourth quarter-mile in :23.50 and his final sixteenth in :06.26 to dominate by 6 3/4 lengths.

It’s easy to see where Built gets his combination of speed and stamina. His pedigree contains both in a mixture that suggests stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the Kentucky Derby (G1) is within reach.

Built’s speed can be attributed to his sire, Hard Spun. Certainly Hard Spun was fast, securing his signature victory in the seven-furlong King’s Bishop (G1) on dirt at Saratoga. But he also won twice over 1 1/8 miles on synthetic, taking the Lane’s End (G2) and Kentucky Cup Classic (G2).

Furthermore, Hard Spun performed admirably over classic distances while competing against one of the deepest crops of three-year-old males in memory. He finished second in the Kentucky Derby to champion Street Sense, third in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness (G1) to two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, and second in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) to Curlin.

At stud, Hard Spun has passed on his versatility. His progeny have excelled over a wide variety of distances and surfaces. Some, like Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Aloha West and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) conqueror Spun to Run, have excelled racing one mile or less. But others have demonstrated their prowess over 1 1/4 miles, including champion and Alabama (G1) winner Questing, Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1) hero Hard Aces, Arlington Million (G1) winner Hardest Core, and Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil’s.

Even more impressive from a stamina standpoint, Hard Spun’s son Rocketry won over 1 3/4 miles in the Marathon (G2) and over 1 5/8 miles in Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2). All told, the progeny of Hard Spun win at an average distance of 7.4 furlongs, indicating a stallion who consistently sires route runners with speed to balance their stamina.

If anything, the bottom half of Built’s pedigree is geared even more toward success over classic distances.

Built is the first foal produced by Sea Garden. Sea Garden didn’t achieve much on track, with a third-place finish in a one-mile maiden special weight at Ellis Park ranking as her best effort. But her pedigree—by Curlin out of Navy Gardens—is packed with potential.

We’ll start with a quick look at Navy Gardens. Although she never raced, she’s enjoyed some success as a broodmare. Her best runner to date is Glenville Gardens, winner of the Play the King (G2) and three other stakes over distances from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles on turf and synthetic.

Moving on to Curlin, we’ve already mentioned he’s a two-time Horse of the Year who won the Preakness, but his racing record—and stud career—warrant further attention.

Curlin was a standout performer over classic distances. He won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Dubai World Cup (G1), and two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) over 1 1/4 miles, and in addition to his Preakness win, he placed third in the Kentucky Derby and second in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1), giving him top-three placings in all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Amazingly, Curlin has matched his racing success as a stallion. He’s the sire of eight U.S. champions: Cody’s Wish, Elite Power, Good Magic, Idiomatic, Malathaat, Nest, Stellar Wind, and Vino Rosso. The latter six were top-tier route racers; to sample a few of their exploits, Vino Rosso won the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Idiomatic took the 1 1/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), Malathaat nabbed the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and 1 1/4-mile Alabama (G1), Nest won the Alabama, and Good Magic placed second in the Kentucky Derby.

Good Magic’s runner-up Derby finish is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the success of Curlin’s progeny in the spring classics. He’s also the sire of Preakness winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Exaggerator, Belmont hero Palace Malice, Preakness runner-up Ride On Curlin, Belmont runner-up Irish War Cry, Belmont third-place finisher Keen Ice, and Preakness third-place finisher Tenfold.

All told, the progeny of Curlin win at an average distance of 7.6 furlongs. The cross of Curlin with a Hard Spun mare produced the above-mentioned champion and Kentucky Derby runner-up Good Magic, and the opposite cross—Hard Spun with a Curlin mare—may prove similarly productive with Built.