Ghostzapper the Stallion to Beat
This year’s Kentucky Derby is still a few months off, but there is one stallion’s name that fans and horseplayers alike are seeing more often than any other.
The Adena Springs bred and raced stallion stands next to his sire, Awesome Again, as one of four Breeders’ Cup Classic winners on the farm. Ghostzapper has made a name for himself as being one of the most versatile stallions on the market today.
Ghostzapper was a versatile racehorse, winning races from distances of six to 10 furlongs, all on the dirt. In his four-year-old season, Ghostzapper raced four times, never once losing. He even marked a historic battle for the wire in the Woodward against Saint Liam. In the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he defeated horses like Pleasantly Perfect, Roses In May, Perfect Drift, Azeri, Birdstone, and Funny Cide.
As a stallion, he is even more versatile. He has sired graded stakes winners on both turf and dirt, going short and long, including Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner, Judy the Beauty, as well as Brooklyn Handicap winner, Shaman Ghost.
While this versatility plays a vital role in his stallion career, there is one thing missing from Ghostzapper’s resume; a Kentucky Derby winner.
This year, the Adena Springs stallion has two chances, thus far, to earn a Kentucky Derby win. His sons McCraken and Iliad are on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
McCraken recently made his three-year-old bow in the Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. The colt registered another win, keeping his perfect record intact. McCraken is out of a Seeking the Gold mare, which is the exact cross that has produced Better Lucky, a quality turf runner and a runner up in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. McCraken is proven at Churchill Downs, now all he has to do is repeat his performances on the first Saturday in May.
Iliad, on the other hand, is out of a You and I mare, and recently made his three-year-old debut in the one turn, seven furlong San Vicente, the exact spot trainer Doug O’Neill debuted 2016 Kentucky Derby winner, Nyquist. Iliad seemed to have plenty in the tank when winning the San Vicente, so time will tell where O’Neill will send him next.
Additionally, Ghostzapper is also influential in the gelding, Guest Suite, who is by Quality Road. Ghostzapper is the broodmare sire of the gelding, who won the LeComte at Fair Grounds, and is entered in the upcoming Risen Star. Guest Suite does have a quality speed pedigree behind him, but likes to do his running late, so he should have no problem as distances increase.
Overall, 2017 is going very well for Ghostzapper, as he currently sits in second place on both the National and Kentucky sire lists behind Unbridled’s Song, the sire of Arrogate.