2016 Kentucky Derby - Suddenbreakingnews Pedigree

Making his three-year-old debut, Suddenbreakingnews broadcast his arrival onto the 2016 Kentucky Derby Contender line up with a scintillating victory in the Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

After trailing the field for much of the race, Suddenbreakingnews made a breathtaking run down the middle of the stretch in a move reminiscent of Silky Sullivan. The battling front-running duo of Whitmore and American Dubai never saw the bay gelding breeze by to win by 2 ¾ lengths. He carried jockey Luis Quinonez 1 1/16 miles over a good track in 1:45.

As a two-year-old, Suddenbreakingnews was making his name known at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.  The son of Mineshaft made his debut in a seven furlong race over the lawn with eleven other maidens. Circling the field five wide, Suddenbreakingnews made his way to the front, but ducked at the gap, impeding his rival. He was DQ’ed to second.  Trainer Donnie Von Hemel switched Suddenbreakingnews to the dirt for the gelding’s next start. Switching things up more, Quinonez sent the bay to the front and dueled for the lead. The early fractions were slow, however, Suddenbreakingnews picked it up turning for home, getting his last two 1/8ths in 12:10 and 12.05 and winning by 4 ½ lengths.

In his third start and first against winners, Suddenbreakingnews changed back to what would become his customary position at the back of the pack. He charged five wide around the turn, but missed the victory by a neck.  The gelding continued on to victory in the seven furlong Clever Trevor Stakes and was a nose shy of the win in the Remington Springboard Mile. Allowing for the DQ in his initial start, Suddenbreakingnews has a definite pattern of winning every other race, the gelding has compiled a 6-3-3-0 ($443,032) record and owns ten Derby qualifying points.

Suddenbreakingnews (Mineshaft - Uchitel, by Afleet Alex) was bred by Branch Equine, LLC and sold for a bargain $72,000 to Texas horseman Sam Henderson at the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Sire

Mineshaft (A.P. Indy - Prospectors Delite, by Mr. Prospector) was a mid-May foal and didn’t make it to the races until he was a three-year-old.  The colt made seven starts in Europe. He finished third in the Group 3 Prix Daphnis, but his record over turf was middling. Shipping to the US late in his three-year-old season, Mineshaft immediately took to the dirt, winning two allowance races for trainer Neil Howard by a combined 4 ½ lengths.

The following year, the large, powerful colt raced nine times, conquering his rivals in seven races and finishing second twice. He took home trophies from the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Pimlico Special, Suburban Handicap, Woodward Stakes, and was second by a head in the Stephen Foster. Despite retiring before the Breeders’ Cup Classic due to injury, Mineshaft’s seven victories in nine starts ensured him 2003 Eclipse Awards for Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse. His record upon retirement was 18-10-3-1 ($2,283,402).

Mineshaft has spent his entire stud career at Lane’s End. The established stallion has sired one champion and 15 graded stakes winners in ten racing crops.  In general, his progeny are later maturing.  Some win at short distances if their distaff families are sprinters. However, most prefer running a mile or longer. Mineshaft has sired 17 winners at 1 ¼ miles or farther.  Close to 80% of his offspring race over the dirt and Mineshaft is considered an above average mud sire.

Mineshaft’s most accomplished progeny include Effinex, winner of the Clark Handicap (G1) at 1 1/8 miles and the 1 ½ mile Excelsior Stakes (G3); Multiple Grade 1 heroine It’s Tricky; Florida Derby victor Dialed In and Vosburgh Stakes (G1) winner Discreetly Mine.  Dialed In and Discreetly Mine stand at stud.  None of Mineshaft’s offspring have won a classic race. His son Nehro came closest, bested by 2 ¾ lengths by Animal Kingdom in the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

Female Family

Suddenbreakingnews’s immediate distaff family is filled with stakes winners who prefer running a mile and farther over turf and dirt.   

Uchitel (Afleet Alex - Party Cited, by Alleged) made it to the races as a newly-turned three-year-old. She ran three times, twice on the Turfway Polytrack and once on turf, out of the money in every start. Uchitel is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Composure (Touch Gold), winner of the Oak Leaf Stakes at two, and the Las Virgenes (G1) and Santa Anita Oaks (G1) at three. Composure’s full brother Ready Set captured the West Virginia Derby (G3), and placed multiple times in other Grade 3 events. Uchitel’s half-brother Scandinavia (Fusaichi Pegasus) placed in the prestigious Royal Lodge Stakes (ENG. Gr.2) and her Kingmambo half-sister Palatial Affaire was on the board in three stakes in France.

Suddenbreakingnews’ second dam Party Cited (Alleged - Dream Play, by Blushing Groom (FR)) was slow to find the winner’s circle. Racing in Europe, the mare started four times at two, but she didn’t round into form until June of her three-year-old season. Once she got the hang of it, Party Cited reeled off three straight wins.  In 15 subsequent starts, she was out of the money only four times. The mare won over turf and dirt from a mile to 1 3/16 miles. She was third twice against colts at the Grade 3 level traveling 1 3/16 miles to 1 ¼ miles.   All of Party Cited’s blacktype earners competed in stakes races ranging from a mile to 1 1/8 miles.  

Blacktype earners aren’t as prevalent in preceding generations of Suddenbreakingnews’ family. His second dam is a half-sister to three moderate blacktype earners who were turf routers. Most are European-based turf runners. A distant relative, Irish Fighter was third in the 1985 Arkansas and Louisiana Derbies.

Uchitel and Composure’s sires have dissimilar pedigrees, yet the half-sisters are showing affinity for the A.P. Indy sire line.  Composure has foaled three blacktype earners; Multiple Grade 1 placed Centering (A.P. Indy), her full brother Tranquil Manner, who was third in the Woodward Stakes (G1), and Grade 2 winner Penwith (Bernardini).

Uchitel’s first foal Virginia Hill, a daughter of A.P. Indy’s grandson Sky Mesa, was in the money twice in four starts in her only year of racing.  Suddenbreakingnews is a year younger. He has a 2015 Bernardini half-sister.

Damsire:

Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet - Maggy Hawk, by Hawkster) had a racing career of what might have been.  With better race trips, the courageous bay colt could have won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Tripe Crown. A competitor brought Afleet Alex to his knees in the 2005 Preakness, but the colt regained his footing and powered to a 4 ½ length victory.  Afleet Alex had his greatest accomplishment in what would be the final start of his career, the Belmont Stakes. The bay demolished a field of ten rivals, including Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, by seven lengths. His exploits earned Afleet Alex Three-Year-Old Championship honors. After a thwarted attempt at a return to racing for the 2005 Breeders’ Cup due to injury, Afleet Alex retired to stud at Gainsway Farm. During his two-year career, Afleet Alex compiled a 12-8-2-1 ($2,765,800) race record.

Afleet Alex’s offspring aren’t noted as win-early types. His babies are slower developing types and although the occasional sprinter will crop up, shorter distances really aren’t their forte. The bay stallion’s progeny are most competitive at seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, and four of his offspring have won stakes races at classic distances, including new sires, Travers hero Afleet Express and Belmont Stakes winner Dublin. Afleet Alex’s babies are at home on dirt, mud and to a lesser extent, turf and various synthetics.   

Suddenbreakingnews’ second damsire Alleged (Hoist the Flag - Princess Pout, by Prince John) won back-to-back editions of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1977-1978. The stallion lost only once in his career, finishing second. He was declared top rated European horse in 1977 – 1978.  At stud, Alleged sired four champions, including Champion Turf Mare, Miss Alleged.  The stallion was a leading broodmare sire in France in 1988.  

Suddenbreakingnews is Afleet Alex’s first stakes winner as a broodmare sire.

Outlook:

Suddenbreakingnews has the pedigree to handle 1 ½ miles and should improve with maturity.  In all but one of his races, the gelding has settled at the back of the pack and taken the scenic route around the far turn. In his second start, Suddenbreakingnews dueled through glacial early fractions before drawing off by 4 ¼ lengths, getting a mile in 1:38.56.  On the bright side, the last 1/8 mile was timed in 12:05.

An early May foal with a classic pedigree, Suddenbreakingnews has plenty of room to improve. He hasn’t been tested by top competition, but he’s shown that he’s better than the average runner.  I’ve observed that the gelding physically resembles his damsire.  He’s of average height, with a lean frame. He appears well-balanced and athletic.  Suddenbreakingnews has good extension when running. He has slightly high knee action, but very little wasted movement. 

Other than a class test which Suddenbreakingnews will get in the Rebel and Arkansas Derby, should he make it that far, is the gelding’s running style. He has faced full fields, and Luis Quinonez wisely takes the colt around the field to avoid traffic. Looking forward to the Kentucky Derby, this running style seldom earns the victory, but closers have a good record for finishing second.  In the last 15 years, 4 colts and a gelding won from the back of the pack. All except two won over a sloppy track. Unless he proves that he can’t compete with the big boys, Suddenbreakingnews is a serious gelding to watch through the Triple Crown trail.