Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Burnham Square

Burnham Square caught eyes in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull (G3) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, rallying from last place to prevail in the good time of 1:43.60.

Now handicappers must answer an important question: can Burnham Square handle the testing 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby (G1)? Or are shorter routes likely to be his strong suit? Perhaps an analysis of his pedigree can reveal the answer.

Burnham Square is a son of Liam’s Map, a high-class speedster best known for winning the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1 and 1 1/8-mile Woodward (G1). Liam’s Map never ran farther than 1 1/8 miles, so we don’t know how he would have fared over classic distances.

Liam’s Map’s own pedigree suggests 1 1/4 miles could have been within reach. Sire Unbridled’s Song is responsible for top-tier route racers like champions Arrogate and Will Take Charge, while dam Miss Macy Sue—though a sprinter herself—has foaled 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up Not This Time, the sire of champion and Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter.

However, as a stallion, Liam’s Map has tended to pass on speed more than stamina. His progeny win at an average distance of 7.0 furlongs, suggesting a stallion who primarily sires miler types. Some of Liam’s Map’s runners have thrived running long, including 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) winner Colonel Liam and 1 3/8-mile Mac Diarmida (G2) winner Starting Over, but they’ve tended to be grass horses. Liam’s Map’s best dirt runners have been sprinters and milers like Alcibiades (G1) winner Juju’s Map, Hopeful (G1) hero Basin, and Frizette (G1) conqueror Wicked Whisper.

Liam’s Map has actually sired a healthy number of graded stakes winners on grass, which is notable since the dam of Burnham Square—Linda—was a talented turf miler who recorded top-four finishes in seven graded stakes. Most notably, she won the 1 1/16-mile Mrs. Revere (G2) and placed second in the 1 1/16-mile Valley View (G3).

Burnham Square is the first stakes winner produced by Linda, but she’s already proven to be a source of winners. Her first three foals to reach the races—Lindsey, Hatch, and English Charm—have recorded a minimum of five wins apiece. English Charm has proven effective as a miler on synthetic tracks, while Hatch is primarily a dirt sprinter and Lindsey a dirt sprinter/miler.

At first glance, Linda looks like a source of miler speed more than classic stamina. But take note, she’s a daughter of Scat Daddy, who is best known as the sire of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. If Scat Daddy can sire a Triple Crown winner, then there’s potential for Linda to pass on some stamina to Burnham Square.

As a racehorse, Scat Daddy was best in short routes, winning the one-mile Champagne (G1) and 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby (G1). But at stud, he proved capable of siring major winners across an incredibly wide variety of distances and surfaces. Scat Daddy’s versatility helped his progeny accumulate a middle-of-the-road average winning distance of 7.2 furlongs.

Similar versatility can be found in Scat Daddy’s record as a broodmare sire. His daughters have foaled Whitmore, winner of the six-furlong Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) on dirt; Curren Bouquetd'or, runner-up in the Japan Cup (G1) racing 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) on turf; Integration, winner of the 1 3/8-mile Red Smith (G2) on turf; Pappacap, winner of the six-furlong Best Pal (G2) and runner-up in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) on dirt; Lotus Land, winner of multiple group stakes as a sprinter/miler on turf; and Reincarnate, who has placed in the Santa Anita H. (G1), Pacific Classic (G1), and Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) racing 1 1/4 miles on dirt.

It’s also worth noting that Linda’s dam, Beautiful Noise, was a classy turf horse who counted a win in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Ana H. (G2) and a second in the 1 1/4-mile Santa Barbara H. (G2) among her seven top-three finishes in graded stakes.

A quick glance at the breeding cross that produced Burnham Square—by dirt miler Liam’s Map out of turf miler Linda—might lead to the conclusion Burnham Square will follow suit as a miler. However, there are enough examples of stamina in Burnham Square’s family to suggest handling 1 1/4 miles is a distinct possibility.

That may prove especially true if Burnham Square switches to turf at some point down the road. If his Kentucky Derby aspirations don’t pan out, Burnham Square may have a bright future (with arguably greater long-distance potential) on grass.