Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Coal Battle

Sprints and miles are clearly within the wheelhouse of Coal Battle. But can he handle the testing 1 1/4-mile distance of the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1)?

Coal Battle joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a rallying triumph in the one-mile Remington Springboard Mile. This followed a similarly stretch-running win in the 6 1/2-furlong Jean Lafitte S.

Coal Battle’s success racing one mile or less is reminiscent of his sire, Coal Front. While never a Grade 1 winner, Coal Front enjoyed resplendent success at slightly lower class levels, winning half a dozen stakes (five of them graded) over distances from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. His greatest triumph came in the Godolphin Mile (G2), but he also wired the six-furlong Gallant Bob (G2) in the sharp time of 1:08.94.

Coal Front’s first foals reached the races in 2023. Since then, they’ve compiled an average winning distance of 6.3 furlongs, which is indicative of a stallion who passes on speed more than stamina. In addition to Coal Battle, Coal Front is the sire of Xtreme Diva (a two-time stakes winner sprinting six furlongs) and Haulin Ice (dominant winner of the seven-furlong Azalea S.).

This is all a bit surprising when you consider how Coal Front was bred top and bottom to shine over classic distances. His sire, Stay Thirsty, won the 1 1/4-mile Travers (G1) and placed second in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1). And Coal Front’s dam, Miner’s Secret, is a daughter of long-winded 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft, the sire of Kentucky Derby runner-up Nehro, Belmont runner-up Fly Down, and Saudi Cup (G1) winner Senor Buscador.

But it turns out the progeny of Stay Thirsty win at a modest average distance of 6.6 furlongs, so his own stamina notwithstanding, Stay Thirsty is a source of speed more than two-turn prowess. Coal Front followed that formula and is passing it on even further.

The tricky part for Coal Battle is the fact the dam’s side of his pedigree is similarly geared toward speed.

Coal Battle is the first foal produced by Wolfblade, a pure sprinter who recorded eight of her nine wins in 4 1/2-furlong dashes at Charles Town. Her longest win came in a five-furlong sprint, though she did manage to place over 6 1/2 furlongs in the West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders’ Classic S.

Wolfblade is a daughter of Midshipman out of Venice Queen, by Latent Heat. Midshipman was a talented sprinter/miler voted champion two-year-old male of 2008 after winning the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1). The following year, he placed third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

In the U.S., Midshipman is primarily known for siring sprinters and milers, though in Chile he’s responsible for the long-winded multiple Group 1 winners The Goat and Fortino, who have respectively won at the highest level over distances of 2,200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles) and 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles).

Daughters of Midshipman have definitely passed on Midshipman’s speed. In addition to Coal Battle, they have foaled Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) winner Golden Pal, Ladies Turf Sprint (G2) heroine Bay Storm, Amsterdam (G2) conqueror New York Thunder, and Inglis Sires’ (G1) winner Manaal, all of whom achieved their signature wins dashing seven furlongs or shorter.

As for Venice Queen, she was purely a sprinter, recording her lone victory in a 5 1/2-furlong $40,000 maiden claimer in addition to placing in the 5 1/2-furlong Tippett S. and seven-furlong Gin Talking S. That isn’t surprising since her sire, Latent Heat, recorded his biggest wins sprinting seven furlongs in the Malibu (G1) and San Carlos H. (G2).

With few exceptions, the pedigree of Coal Battle is all about speed. Some horses defy their breeding and excel over distances they aren’t bred to handle, but if Coal Battle runs to his pedigree, it’s fair to wonder if the Kentucky Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance is longer than ideal.