2018 Kentucky Derby: Flameaway pedigree profile

The 2018 Sam F. Davis Stakes was a thriller. Flameaway and Catholic Boy displayed their best impression of the famed Affirmed/Alydar dual to the wire. On the outside, the dark bay Catholic Boy poked his head in front briefly, but Flameaway, the white-blazed Chestnut in tight on the rail, came back and outlasted his rival by a half-length, setting a new stakes record of 1:42.44 in the process.

Before proving his adaptability over fast dirt, the brilliant Flameaway showed a fondness for the turf and mud. He captured two stakes events that had been rained off the turf; the listed Skidmore Stakes and Bourbon Stakes (G3). Flameaway entered the Sam F. Davis Stakes off a close victory in the listed 7 1/2-furlong Kitten’s Joy Stakes over the Gulfstream Park turf.

Flameaway picked up 10 qualifying points for the 2018 Kentucky Derby but isn’t currently nominated. That will change soon.

Flameaway (Scat Daddy - Vulcan Rose, by Fusaichi Pegasus) was bred by Phoenix Rising Farms, a small breeding farm in British Columbia, and brought $150,000 at the 2016 Keeneland Mixed January Sale as a short yearling. A little more than six months later, the Canadian-bred colt attracted the attention of John Oxley, who took the son of Scat Daddy home with a winning bid of $400,000. Flameaway has won five of seven starts and has earnings of $434,834, plus 10 Kentucky Derby points.

Sire

Flameaway is a member of the last crop sired by the Coolmore stallion Scat Daddy (Johannesburg - Love Style, by Mr. Prospector). The young stallion was popular with breeders in the Northern and Southern hemispheres before his demise as an 11-year-old in 2015, at Coolmore Australia. In North America, the stallion is represented by 93 blacktype winners with earnings of almost 58 million dollars.

Scat Daddy’s progeny inherited their sire’s precocious genes and the ability to carry their speed. The bulk of his offspring are best as middle-distance runners. However, seven of his babies have won stakes at 1 1/4 miles or farther, the majority over turf. The Chilean bred Tu Brutus became Scat Daddy’s only representative as a classic distance winner on dirt in last July’s Flatter Stakes at 1 3/8 miles over dirt.

Female Family

Flameaway has a classy turf lineage. Some of his dam’s half-siblings have won a race here or there on dirt or mud, but overall, their best form is displayed on the lawn or Polytrack. The stakes-winning distance averages a mile to 1 1/8 miles, although some family members have placed going farther.

Flameaway’s dam Vulcan Rose (Fusaichi Pegasus - Rose of Tara (IRE), by Generous (IRE)) managed one win in seven starts but is proving herself a valuable broodmare. She bore Flameaway’s restricted stakes-winning half-sister Ellan Vannin (Spring at Last) who has proven capable at 1 1/16 miles. Flameaway has a 2-year-old half-brother named Seguimi (Victor’s Cry) and an unnamed yearling half-brother by Flat Out.

Vulcan Rose’s only blacktype earning half sibling Essential Edge (Storm Cat) was a game competitor when edging out Canada’s Champion Grass Mare Sealy Hill in the 1 1/8-mile Canadian Stakes (G3). On dirt, Essential Edge managed to place third in a 1 1/6-mile restricted stakes at Ft. Erie.   

Jumping back a generation, Flameaway’s third dam Flame of Tara (Artaius) was a Group 2 earner of $165,970 in 21 starts. The Rene-de-Course (superior female) bore two notable winners, Salsabil (Sadler’s Wells), the first filly to win the Irish Derby (Ire-1) in almost a century, and Group 1 winner and sire Marju (Last Tycoon). Salsabil bore the G2 winner and sire Sahm (Mr. Prospector).   

Fusaichi Pegasus was a $4 million dollar yearling and ran like one. He captured six of nine starts, including the Kentucky Derby. He placed in the Preakness, but was off the board only once, in his final start, the 2000 Breeders’ Cup.

Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr. Prospector - Angel Fever, by Danzig) is the damsire of 43 stakes winners, globally. The majority are sprinter/milers and best over the lawn. None of his daughter’s offspring have successfully navigated 1 1/4 miles or farther in the U.S., but four have won at 1 1/4 miles or farther over the lawn in Australia, Chile, and New Zealand. Fusaichi Pegasus is the damsire of 17 listed or graded stakes winners in the US, including Lane’s End Spiral Stakes winner, We Miss Artie (Artie Schiller), Fayette Stakes heroine Pick of the Litter, and Grade 2 earner High Dollar Woman. 

Expectations

Flameaway has the pedigree of a miler/middle distance runner, and his pedigree is borderline for classic distances. Some horses can run over any surface, and Flameaway proved that he’s in this class. So far, his distance scope is 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. He’s successful over all surfaces: fast dirt, mud, turf, and Polytrack.

Flameaway is a well-balanced Chestnut colt with the conformation of a miler. He runs straight with no paddling but has high knee action. His movement on dirt is slightly choppy, yet he moves smoothly with greater extension over turf. 

Flameaway is tractable in his turf races, winning from on or off the lead. However, trainer Mark Casse mentioned that Flameaway didn’t like kickback in the colt’s initial start over a fast track, the Iroquois Stakes (G3), prompting the front-running style that earned the Same F. Davis trophy.

Winners of the Sam F. Davis haven’t fared well in the Kentucky Derby, but three have won or placed in the Belmont Stakes. Bluegrass Cat (2006) placed second in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont. Destin (2016) was second to Creator by a bare nose in the Belmont. Last year’s Sam Davis runner-up Tapwrit wore the carnations in June.

There’s no doubt that Flameaway loves a good fight, and his rivals back off. He will target the Tampa Bay Derby as his next goal, while his beaten rival Catholic Boy may return in the Florida Derby. Flameaway has promise, but there are a few chinks in his armor. Perhaps with maturity, he’ll learn to handle the dirt kickback. Otherwise, Flameaway will be dependent on forward placement, or taking the far outside in future starts. He’ll also have to face the best of his generation at longer distances to be considered a top Kentucky Derby contender.

Flameaway conformation photo used by gracious permission of Laura D. Richard.