Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Flying Mohawk

Flying Mohawk has shown talent competing on turf and synthetic, so much so that he qualified to compete in the 2025 Kentucky Derby (G1) via a runner-up finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on Tapeta at Turfway Park.

But dirt racing is a different ballgame. Can Flying Mohawk successfully switch surfaces for the Kentucky Derby? His pedigree suggests it’s not a guarantee.

Flying Mohawk’s sire, Karakontie, was a top-notch turf miler. He earned a French classic win when he took the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1), and later on he nabbed the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) with a powerful late rally.

It’s not hard to find the sources of Karakontie’s turf prowess. His sire, Bernstein, was a talented turf horse who sired 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and Hall of Fame inductee Tepin. Also, Karakontie’s third dam is Miesque, a two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile heroine who foaled Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Kingmambo, among others. All throughout the pedigree of Karakontie, turf influences can be found.

Since retiring to stud, Karakontie has sired almost exclusively turf horses. The vast majority of his graded stakes winners have done their best work on grass, including three-time Grade 1 winner She Feels Pretty, Del Mar Oaks (G1) heroine Spendarella, multiple graded stakes winner Princess Grace, Del Mar Derby (G2) conqueror None Above the Law, and Louisville (G3) heroes Sugoi and Foreign Relations.

So far, only one horse sired by Karakontie has managed to win a graded stakes on dirt: Sole Volante, who scored his signature win in the Sam F. Davis (G3) before finishing sixth in the Belmont (G1) and 11th in the Kentucky Derby. And even Sole Volante won as many races on turf as he did on dirt, including the Pulpit S.

Since Karakontie is unlikely to sire a dirt horse on any given day, Flying Mohawk will have to rely on his female family if he’s going to handle dirt in the Kentucky Derby.

Flying Mohawk is the first foal produced by Bonbons Fleur, a daughter of Twirling Candy out of America’s Blossom. Bonbons Fleur failed to factor in three career starts, but there’s some class in her immediate pedigree. America’s Blossom is the dam of Change of Control, a talented turf sprinter with victories in the Franklin County (G3), Intercontinental (G3), and four other stakes on her record.

As for Twirling Candy, he was an accomplished campaigner over a variety of distances and surfaces. His biggest win came in the Malibu (G1) on dirt, in which he clocked seven furlongs in the track-record time of 1:19.70. But he also won the 1 1/8-mile Californian (G2) over synthetic and the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby (G2) on turf.

Twirling Candy’s versatility is evident among his progeny. Some, like Preakness (G1) winner Rombauer and Santa Anita H. (G1) conqueror Gift Box, have starred on dirt. Others have excelled on turf, including Belmont Oaks (G1) heroine Concrete Rose, Hollywood Derby (G1) winner Beyond Brilliant, and Shoemaker Mile (G1) winner Exaulted. All told, Twirling Candy has sired five Grade 1 dirt winners and four Grade 1 turf winners, close to an even split. And Rombauer showed synthetic prowess when taking the El Camino Real Derby.

Meanwhile, Twirling Candy’s developing record as a broodmare sire is highlighted by Sixpence, winner of the Nakayama Kinen (G2), Mainichi Okan (G2), and Spring (G2) on turf in Japan; Accomplished Girl, winner of the Presque Isle Downs Masters (G2) on synthetic plus two ungraded stakes on turf; Pounce, conqueror of the Lake George (G3) and Herecomesthebride (G3) on grass; and Good Sam, winner of the Tempted S. on dirt.

Clearly the genetics of Twirling Candy can yield successful dirt, turf, and synthetic runners, depending on the individual horse. Crossing the Twirling Candy mare Bonbons Fleur with Karakontie seems likely to tip the genetic scale toward turf, the surface over which Flying Mohawk has secured both his wins to date. Thus, switching to dirt for the Kentucky Derby could be challenging for Flying Mohawk.