2016 Kentucky Derby - Exaggerator Pedigree Profile

Next week’s San Vicente Stakes (G2) pits Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) winner Exaggerator against last year’s 2yo champ Nyquist. Contested at seven furlongs, the San Vicente is not a Kentucky Derby qualifier, but it is the season debut for both colts. Exaggerator finished fourth behind Nyquist in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the San Vicente is an opportunity for the Delta Downs Jackpot hero to turn the tables. Racing fans won’t learn anything new about the distance capabilities of either colt, but we will see if the two 2016 Kentucky Derby contenders have improved, or at least run back to their two-year-old form. 

Exaggerator’s status was boosted when Delta Downs Jackpot runner-up Sunny Ridge captured the Withers Stakes in New York.  Before his fourth place finish behind Nyquist in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Exaggerator was second to Brody’s Cause in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.  Last summer, Exaggerator earned a gutsy victory in the 6 ½ furlong Saratoga Special (G2). 

Exaggerator (Curlin - Dawn Raid, by Vindication) was bred by Joseph B. Murphy and sold to Big Chief Racing for $110,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He’s campaigned by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his brother, Kent Desormeaux.  Exaggerator has compiled a 6-3-1-0 ($983,120) race record and 16 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Derby.

Sire

Curlin (Smart Strike - Sherriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister) was a bargain buy as a yearling, costing just $57,000. Curlin was a late developer. He didn’t race until February of his three-year-old season.  Just a few months later, he finished third in the Kentucky Derby and then won the Preakness Stakes. Then, in a historic rendition of the Belmont Stakes, Curlin was on the losing end of a photo finish in an epic stretch battle against Rags to Riches, who refused to let the large Chestnut colt pass her.  The son of Smart Strike showed the ability to win multiple times at 1 1/4 miles, and he missed by the narrowest of margins in the 1 1/2 mile Belmont Stakes. Curlin’s exploits earned him back-to-back Eclipse Awards for Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008, plus Champion 3YO in 2007 and as Older Horse in 2008.  

Curlin’s fee for his first year at stud was set at $75,000.  By the time his first crop hit the races, the Chestnut’s fee was only $25,000, but due to the success of his progeny, Curlin’s stud fee has risen to a present day $100,000.  In just four crops to race, Curlin has sired Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice, 3YO Champion Filly Stellar Wind, Travers Stakes upsetter Keen Ice and CCA Oaks (G1) heroine Curalina.  

Curlin’s offspring win from 5F to 1 ½ miles, mostly over dirt, but a quarter of his offspring point to the lawn.  Curlin is undoubtedly Smart Strike’s best son at stud.  Other sons of Smart Strike include two-time Champ Lookin' At Lucky, Champion Turf Horse English Channel, Square Eddie, and Papa Clem.

Female Family

Exaggerator’s immediate female family is filled with speed.  Farther back in the line, some noteworthy names can be found.

Exaggerator’s dam Dawn Raid (Vindication - Embur Sunshine, by Bold Ruckus) raced for two years and placed in four of nine starts all at sprint distances. Her only blacktype is from a third place finish in the Fanfreluche Stakes. The filly retired as a three-year-old with $98,525 in earnings. 

Dawn Raid is a good producer.  Her first two foals, both fillies, are by Any Given Saturday and Pioneerof the Nile. One hit the board in 8 of 13 starts while the other was in the money in 7 of 11 tries.   She has a 2014 Pioneerof the Nile filly named Rose Garden, who sold for $150,000 at last year’s September Yearling Sale.   Exaggerator is Dawn Raid’s only colt.

Dawn Raid’s half-sister Embur’s Song (Unbridled’s Song) was 2011 Canadian Champion Older Mare.  She’s a multiple graded stakes winner from 6 ½ furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.  Dawn Raid’s half-brother Ten Flat (Meadowlake) won a listed sprint stakes and another half sibling, Embattle (Phone Trick) is a multiple stakes placed sprinter.

Exaggerator’s second dam Embur Sunshine was a multiple stakes placed sprinter over dirt and turf. Her full brother Intercool was also a multiple stakes placed sprinter.

Exaggerator’s third dam Bon Debarras (Ruritania) was unraced, however, she was an excellent broodmare.  She bore Eternal Search, who was the 1981 Champion Canadian Sprinter and earned honors in 1982 and 1983 as Older Mare. Other descendants of Bon Debarras include Queen’s Plate hero Nigon, Island Sand, who won the CCA Oaks (G1) and was a runner-up in the Kentucky Oaks. Other descendants of Bon Debarras include the hard-knocking stakes veterans Jiggs Coz, Giant Moon, Gone to Royalty and This One’s For Phil.

The third generation and back in the pedigree and distant relatives have no bearing on Exaggerator’s distance abilities.  However, the information is worth noting for general interest and an indication of the colt’s overall class.  

Damsire

Vindication (Seattle Slew - Strawberry Reason, by Strawberry Road (AUS)) is a story of great promise unfulfilled.   The dark bay, almost black yearling sold for $2,150,000 as a yearling.  Seattle Slew’s son was undefeated in his four starts at two, and was named 202 Champion 2YO Colt.  Vindication was made the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, but the brilliant colt injured his left front suspensory ligament during the winter and never raced again. 

Vindication was popular with breeders and his progeny proved the breeders right. Vindication was ranked #9 as a first crop sire and #5 as a second crop sire.  Sadly, the young stallion never got to fulfill his promise in the breeding shed either. He died suddenly of colic in 2008, leaving behind only five crops of foals and 24 blacktype winners.

Vindications sired a few winners at 1 1/8 miles and even one at 1 ¼ miles, but his offspring were overwhelmingly sprinter/miler types. His daughters started bearing foals in 2010 and so far, the majority of the blacktype earners are sprinter/milers. They include Malibu Stakes (G1) winner Shaken It Up, last year’s Southwest Stakes winner Far Right, and this year’s Jerome Stakes hero Flexibility.  One stakes winner, Solemn Tribute (Medaglia D’Oro) won a listed race at 1 1/8 miles.   Although Vindication is a young broodmare sire, so far, his daughters are passing along their speed. 

Exaggerator’s second damsire Bold Ruckus (Boldnesian - Raise a Ruckus, by Raise a Native) was a ten-time leading sire in Canada and his offspring included Kentucky Oaks winner Gal In a Ruckus, Champion Grass Mare Bold Ruritana, two Sovereign Award winners and Canadian Champion Sprinter King Ruckus. His son Beau Genius was a veteran stakes winner and sire. In 2008, Bold Ruckus was designated an Intermediate/Classic Chef-de-Race. 

Outlook

Since the Delta Downs Jackpot was inaugurated in 2002, only one horse who finished in the money in the Jackpot did the same in the Kentucky Derby.  That was Closing Argument in 2004.  Two Jackpot winners, Big Drama and Goldencents, carved out careers as multiple graded stakes winning sprinter/milers, although Goldencents did win once at 1 1/8 miles.  But overall, 98% of the horses who finished in the top three in the Delta Downs Jackpot were distance challenged beyond 1 1/16 miles.

Exaggerator may inherit some stamina from Curlin, but how much is anybody’s guess. His damsire and distaff family are pure sprinter/milers. Pedigree can tell us a lot about distance capabilities, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Exaggerator has proven to be a tough competitor who loves a fight.  He’s won his races by a nose, neck and ¾ length.  Exaggerator has good leg extension and a smooth gait with no wasted motion. He’s a beautiful, athletic colt, and seems to favor Vindication in the looks department. Exaggerator appears to be a good-sized, powerful colt, but not overly muscled.

The main questions surrounding Exaggerator are class and distance.  His only losses were in Grade 1 company at 1 1/16 miles. In the Breeders’ Futurity, Exaggerator had the lead in the stretch, but was passed by Brody’s Cause. In the Breeders’ Cup, Exaggerator had a better trip than the top three, but flattened out in the stretch. He finished fourth behind Nyquist, Swipe and Brody’s Cause. Yes, Exaggerator won the Delta Jackpot, barely, in 1:46.48, which was the slowest time since the track was resurfaced in 2006.  Yes, the track was muddy, however, it was muddy in 2013 when Rise Up set a new stakes record in 1:44.71.  Based upon his pedigree, athletic ability and running style, Exaggerator might handle 1 1/8 miles with maturity and the right company, but his ability to win at 1 ¼ miles is very suspect.  Whether he can step up to the level of Mor Spirit and Mohaymen plus be competitive at longer distances remains to be seen.

Photo of Dawn Raid courtesy of Kimberly McCormack.