Kentucky Derby 2015 - International Star Pedigree Profile
During a day filled with international racing, the well-named INTERNATIONAL STAR became the fourth colt since 1992 to sweep the Fair Grounds series of stakes races for three-year-olds on the 2015 Kentucky Derby trail. In capturing the Lecomte, Risen Star and Louisiana Derby, International Star joins an elite group of colts (Line in the Sand-1992, Pyro-2009 and Friesan Fire-2010) to win two or more of these Derby preps without a loss.
In the Louisiana Derby (G-2), the Michael Maker trainee broke an eye blink slow and outward from the far outside post. He quickly got into a good rhythm and Miguel Mena guided International Star to a tactical mid-pack position on the rail, where the colt stayed for much of the race. The pair gradually moved up along the rail, scraping the paint around the far turn. International Star moved to the outside of the leader Stanford just past the eighth pole and the two quickly separated themselves from the pack. International Star had to work to get buy Stanford, but he prevailed by a neck over his rival. It was 4 ½ lengths back to War Story in third, while Keen Ice picked up the pieces for fourth. International Star’s final time of 1:50.67 was comparable to the last six editions and a tick faster than Last year’s winner, Vicars In Trouble (1.50.77).
INTERNATIONAL STAR (Fusaichi Pegasus - Parlez, by French Deputy) was bred by Katharine Voss and Robert Manfuso. He was bought out of the 2013 Fasig Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale by Ken and Sarah Ramsey for $85,000. International Star has a 8-4-2-0 ($560,979) race record.
Sire:
Fusaichi Pegasus is the only son of the legendary sire Mr. Prospector to have won the Kentucky Derby. He’s also the most expensive yearling, at $4 million dollars, to capture the classic race and the first favorite to wear the blanket of roses in twenty one years. Fusaichi Pegasus won or placed in eight of nine starts, his only off of the board finish was in his career finale in the Breeders’ Cup Classic where he was hung out seven wide the entire way.
FUSAICHI PEGASUS (Mr. Prospector - Angel Fever, by Danzig)
1st – Kentucky Derby (G-1) 1 ¼ miles
1st - Wood Memorial Stakes (G-2) 1 1/8 miles
1st - San Felipe Stakes (G-2) 1 1/16 miles
1st – Jerome Stakes ((G-2) 1 mile
2nd – Preakness Stakes (G-1) 1 3/16 miles
Fusaichi Pegasus was sold to Ashford Stud for a reported $70 million dollars and expectations were high for his success. In his first year at stud, the stallion sired 32 blacktype runners, including Grade 1 winners Roman Ruler, Bandini and the Australian-bred Floral Pegasus, winner of the Hong Kong Classic Mile. During his career, Fusaichi Pegasus has sired three champions and 17 graded stakes winners.
The majority of Fusaichi Pegasus’ offspring are best at sprints through middle distances, with the bulk doing their best work as milers. He has sired four stakes winners at 1 ¼ miles or farther, but all except one of those victories came over the lawn. Galavan won the 1 ¼ mile Clasico Jose Celso Barbosa (G-1) over the dirt in Puerto Rico. Over the years, Fusaichi Pegasus has seen his stud fee decline to the current $7,500. Many think of him as a failure at stud. Viewing his hefty price tag and initial stud fee of $150,000 in the U.S., the stallion would have needed to be a super stud along the lines of his own sire, Mr. Prospector, the internationally acclaimed Northern Dancer, or the key stallion Ribot to live up to expectations. Instead, Fusaichi Pegasus is adequate. His own offspring have continued his line in the breeding shed. Roman Ruler produced nine Graded stakes winners, including Belmont Stakes winner Ruler on Ice and the sprinting sensation Artemis Agrotera. Overall, nine of Fusaichi Pegasus’ sons have sired blacktype winners.
Female Family:
International Star is a half brother to the restricted stakes winner Fools in Love (Not for Love), and her full brother, D C Dancer, victor of the Maryland Million Sprint Handicap. International Star is the eighth foal produced by his dam. All of his half siblings have raced and four are winners. International Star has an unnamed two year old half sister by Girolamo and a yearling unnamed half brother by Not for Love.
Parlez (French Deputy - Speak Halory, by Verbatim) was a durable veteran of 15 starts at the allowance class level. She earned $93,360 while compiling a 15-3-6-1 race record. Her dam Speak Halory was stakes placed at 1 1/16 over the lawn. Her most accomplished runner was Parlez’s half sister, the Grade 3 placed Lovely Sage (Gentleman). Speak Halory is the grand dam of three stakes winners, all turf milers.
International Star’s third dam Halory bore five graded stakes winners and two stakes placed runners from 13 foals. Van Nistlerooy, a $6.4 million dollar yearling who won the Irish Group 2 EBF Futurity Stakes and placed in the Irish National (Gr. 1) as a sprinter/miler; His half brother Blue Grass Stakes hero Halory Hunter, who was also third in the Florida Derby, Fountain of Youth and fourth in the 1998 Kentucky Derby; the multiple Grade 3 heroine Brushed Halory; Priory, a multiple graded winner at 1 1/8 miles; and Key Lory, a multiple turf stakes winner at 1 1/8 miles. Halory was the most accomplished broodmare produced by her dam, the unraced Northern Dancer mare, Cold Reply.
Damsire:
French Deputy’s daughters have produced four graded stakes winners at 1 ¼ miles and beyond. Two, Majestic Harbor and Dynamic Host (by Dynaformer) won the Tokyo City Handicap while the other two are Australian and Japanese. Overall, French Deputy is considered a miler type stallion whose offspring, and that of his daughters, are best up to middle distances on dirt, but some can endure longer distances over the lawn.
International Star’s second damsire Verbatim was a son of the Brilliant/Intermediate Chef de Race Speak John. Verbatim competed at the highest levels, winning from seven furlongs to 1 ¼ miles, earning victories in the Gotham, Wood Memorial and Whitney Stakes. As a sire, Verbatim got all types of runners, from the Champion Sprint mare Princess Rooney to Belmont Stakes winner Summing and two time Hollywood Turf Cup hero Alphabatim. The interesting thing about Verbatim was that his versatility was dictated by the distaff lines of the mares two whom he was bred. Therefore, bred to sprinter/milers, he would get sprinter/milers, bred to stayers, he’d sire long winded routers.
Fusaichi Pegasus has four starters, two winners, and one blacktype earner out of French Deputy mares.
Outlook:
International Star’s pedigree indicates that he’ll be best between 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 miles. He benefited by hugging the rail for the majority of the Louisiana Derby, coming out around the leader only in the stretch. This colt likes to win. He’s looked other colts in the eye and pulled away. He may find 1 ¼ miles a bit out of his comfort zone, although, with the proper trip, he has the temperament and running style to win against lesser company or place against top company. Since 2003, the 1 1/8 mile Grade 2 Louisiana Derby has been a good place to find contenders to hit the board at long odds in Kentucky. The top two finishers this year should find a spot on your Kentucky Derby betting slips.