Derby pedigrees: Tappan Street can cruise in Kentucky

On Saturday, Tappan Street emerged victorious in a thrilling stretch drive in Gulfstream Park's Grade 1 Florida Derby, outlasting the favorite, Sovereignty, by 1 1/4 lengths. His triumph solidified his reputation as a top contender for Kentucky Derby 2025.

The $1 million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling lived up to his purchase price as the only Florida Derby contender to win from post nine since the track was reconfigured to a 1 1/8-mile circumference in 2004. Gulfstream extended the run-up 53 feet in February to a total of 123 feet, which might have aided Tappan Street in procuring his early fourth-place position.

Tappan Street settled three to four wide on the outside, 3 1/2 lengths behind the pace. He took aim at the tiring pacesetters, Madaket Road and Neoquos and zoomed by them in deep stretch, holding off Sovereignty, who closed with each stride. Tappan Street completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.27 and his final furlong in a solid 12.68 seconds. In fact, each of Tappan Street's nine furlongs was clicked off in the 12-second range, indicating a steady, high cruising speed.

Tappan Street (Into Mischief - Virginia Key, by Distorted Humor) was bred by Bonnie Baskin's Blue Haven Farm and is campaigned by WinStar Farm, CHC and Cold Press Racing. Tappan Street earned trainer Brad Cox his first Florida Derby trophy.

The bay colt won at first asking in a Maiden event at Gulfstream last December. He returned to finish second in the Holy Bull (G3) in his first sophomore start.

Sire

Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday - Leslie's Lady, by Tricky Creek) continues his seven-year reign as the leading general sire. Besides his 83rd graded winner, Tappan Street, his 2025 Kentucky Derby hopefuls include Sovereignty, San Vincente (G2) winner Barnes, and 2-year-old champ Citizen Bull.

Into Mischief is the mainstay of Spendthrift Farm's breeding program. He also is the first sire to produce back-to-back Kentucky Derby champions, Authentic in 2020 and Mandaloun in 2021. But Mandaloun, also conditioned by Cox, benefitted from the disqualification of Medina Spirit, who crossed the finish line first.

The number of black-type winners sired by Into Mischief out of Distorted Humor daughters surpasses those produced by the dams of any other broodmare sires. From 67 starters, the cross has produced 53 winners and 12 blacktype winners.

Each of his 12 stakes winners is out of a different dam and includes Grade 1 winners Life is Good, a multiple winner at 1 1/8 miles, Practical Joke, who was successful up to 1 1/16 miles and last year's Champion 2-Year-Old, Citizen Bull.

Female family

Tappan Street's distaff line is filled with black-type earners who competed in sprints to classic distances, and his first five dams own black type.

Tappan Street is the second foal out of Virgina Key (Distorted Humor - Our Khrysty, by Newfoundland). The mare was bred and campaigned by Blue Heaven Farm and earned two wins and two third-place finishes, including the 1 1/8 mile Gazelle Stakes (G2), in four starts. Her daughter Distorted d'Oro (Medagila d'Oro) captured three of eight starts and finished third in the one-mile, off-the-turf Searching Stakes at Laurel Park. She also was fourth in the 1 1/16-mile Tom Benson Memorial, beaten 2 1/4 lengths on the Fair Grounds lawn.

Tappan Street has a 2-year-old brother named Weekend Glory (Curlin), who brought $1.4 million as a Keeneland yearling. He has an unnamed half-sister by Quality Road, and Virginia Key is in foal to Cody's Wish.

Virginia Key is a half-sister to Del Mar Debutante (G1) heroine Grace Adler (Curlin) and Pyrenees (Into Mischief), winner of the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special (G3) and placed in a pair of Grade 1 events, the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup and Stephen Foster at 1 1/8 miles, plus stakes-winning sprinter American Smooth (Malibu Moon).

Another half-sister bore stakes winner and Grade 3-placed sprinter Miuccia (Mitole)  

Graded 3 winner Our Khrysty (Newfoundland) was a stakes winner from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. Her half-brother Bullsbay (Tiznow), a veteran of 27 starts, including the Whitney (G1) and Alyshiba Stakes (G3)..

Our Khrysty is also half to multiple black-type earners Vegas No Show (Hard Spun) and Hidden Expression (Yonaguska).

Tappan Street is a member of Lowes Family 13-c. Two other Derby winners, Ferdinand and the legendary Seattle Slew, are members of the family, but they are all distant relations.

Damsire

In three years, Distorted Humor (Forty Niner - Danzig's Beauty, by Danzig) compiled a 27: 8-5-3 record and $769,964 in earnings as a multiple-graded winning sprinter-miler. 

An anchor stallion at WinStar Farm, Distorted Humor sired 173 stakes winners, a 9%. Despite his distance limitations on the track, Distorted Humor's offspring were capable from sprints to classic distances over all surfaces. He produced two classic winners, 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness hero FunnyCide, 2011 Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer, and Travers (G1) winner Flower Alley.

Distorted Humor's daughters are pure gold. According to Equibase, they have yielded 161 stakes winners, ranging from sprinters to classic winners, including champion 3-year-old colt Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), last year's champion 2-year-old, Citizen Bull, and multiple Grade 1 winners Art Collector, Elate, Guarana and Constitution.

Kentucky Derby contender or pretender?

The Florida Derby has produced a record 25 Kentucky Derby heroes, so pay attention to the pedigrees, running styles and race forms of the winner and runners-up.

Although Tappan Street's sire and damsire have a history of producing Kentucky Derby winners, the cross between Into Mischief and Distorted Humor has yet to produce a graded winner beyond 1 1/8 miles.

But Tappan Street has classic conformation and excellent leg extension without excessive movement, such as high knee action or paddling. He is professional, switching leads properly and keeping a straight path. Tappan Street breaks cleanly with the field from the gate, and although he has enough speed to set or press the pace, he settles about two to four lengths off the lead.  

Tappan Street is comfortable targeting and passing other horses. Although he passed by Burnham Square after gaining the lead in the Holy Bull, Tappan Street eyed his rival and didn't give in or quit. He simply ran out of oats and needed the race.

Tappan Street was three to four wide throughout the Florida Derby. Despite this, he clicked off steady internal fractions and finished full of run, further hinting that 1 1/4 miles won't pose a problem. Make sure to include him in your Kentucky Derby picks.