Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Poster

After opening his career with a pair of turf wins, Poster switched to dirt and joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a triumph in the Remsen (G2).

Held over 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct, the Remsen is the longest Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifier for two-year-olds. Having prevailed over such a challenging distance as a juvenile, you might assume Poster will relish stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the Kentucky Derby. But then again, he was all-ought to win the Remsen by a diminishing nose, which suggests running a furlong farther in the Derby might not be ideal.

With conflicting evidence to analyze, perhaps a review of Poster’s pedigree can help us determine whether or not 1 1/4 miles is within his distance capability.

Poster is a son of Munnings, a seven-furlong specialist who won the Woody Stephens (G2), Tom Fool H. (G2), and Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship (G2) over his preferred distance. He also placed in the Carter H. (G1), King’s Bishop (G1), and Hopeful (G1) sprintng seven furlongs.

Now, Munnings wasn’t completely lacking in stamina; he finished third in a strong renewal of the 1 1/8-mile Haskell (G1) and second in the one-mile Champagne (G1). But sprinting was his strong suit, and his progeny have tended to follow suit, winning at a speed-oriented average distance of 6.4 furlongs. The best of them include the Grade 1-winning sprinters Jack Christopher, Kimari, and El Deal, as well as the Grade 1-winning sprinter/miler Eda.

One daughter of Munnings did manage to shine at a high level over 1 1/4 miles, that being three-time Grade 1 winner I’m a Chatterbox, whose exploits over the Kentucky Derby distance included a win in the Delaware H. (G1) and a runner-up finish in the Alabama (G1). But so far, I’m a Chatterbox is an exception among Munnings’ top progeny.

Munnings’ reputation for speed isn’t surprising, considering he’s a son of champion sprinter and Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Speightstown. Some offspring of Speightstown have excelled over 1 1/4 miles, but on the whole his progeny win at a modest average distance of 6.6 furlongs.

All this doesn’t sound encouraging for Poster’s chances of handling the Derby distance. But on the bright side, the bottom half of Poster’s pedigree is much stouter. It’s likely the reason he was able to handle 1 1/8 miles in the Remsen.

Poster’s dam is Pin Up, a beautifully bred daughter of three-time leading North American sire Tapit out of the Quiet American mare Cara Rafaela. Tapit is renowned for siring four winners of the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) (Tonalist, Creator, Tapwrit, and Essential Quality), while Cara Rafaela is the dam of long-winded champion and Preakness (G1) winner Bernardini.

Pin Up herself started only four times, but that was enough to showcase her stamina. Her lone victory came in a maiden special weight racing 1 3/16 miles on dirt at Keeneland, the same distance over which Bernardini recorded his classic win in the Preakness.

Poster is the second winning foal produced by Pin Up. Her first winner, Stately Order (by Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense), won a $25,000 maiden claimer racing one mile on dirt.

The fact both of Pin Up’s winning foals have achieved their success in route races isn’t unexpected. Other daughters of Tapit have foaled accomplished route racers like Belmont winner Arcangelo, Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Pretty Mischievous, Pacific Classic (G1) conqueror Tripoli, and Stephen Foster (G1) winner Kingsbarns.

Some bettors will examine Poster’s pedigree, see Munnings as his sire, and conclude racing 1 1/4 miles is out of reach. They’ll look at his diminishing advantage in the Remsen, conclude he takes after Munnings, and assume 1 1/8 miles is the upper limit of his distance range.

That may well be the case. But there’s also a chance the abundant stamina evident in the racing record and pedigree of Pin Up will prove sufficient to carry Poster over classic distances, particularly as he gains experience and maturity. A blend of speed and stamina is often a recipe for success in the Kentucky Derby, and the cross of Munnings with Pin Up definitely mixes the two in bold doses.