Sire profile: Reliable Midshipman has surprising stats
Midshipman, a Grade 1-winning son of Unbridled's Song, captured the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2008 and earned over $1.5 million during his racing career. The precocious runner also captured the Grade 2 Del Mar Futurity during his championship juvenile season. He finished third in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile before retiring to stud in 2010. Standing at Darley in Kentucky, Midshipman's stud fee was $15,000 for the 2025 breeding season.
Midshipman has established himself as a reliable and consistent sire, with his offspring having accumulated over $61 million in earnings from more than 11,500 starts in North America as of Monday. His progeny have captured 13 graded-stakes victories.
Surface analysis: Dirt dominance with turf competence
Midshipman's offspring show a clear preference for dirt racing, posting their best win percentage and earnings per start on their preferred surface.
| Surface | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt | 8,187 | 1,409 | 17.2% | 81 | $5,267 |
| Turf | 2,393 | 308 | 12.9% | 85 | $6,110 |
| Synthetic | 921 | 136 | 14.8% | 84 | $3,804 |
| Overall | 11,501 | 1,853 | 16.1% | 82 | $5,325 |
On dirt, his runners achieve their highest win rate at 17.2% while maintaining competitive Horse Racing Nation speed figures of 81. Interestingly, turf runners produce the highest average HRN figures at 85 and earn the most per start despite winning at a lower rate. His top 2025 earner is 6-year-old horse Surface to Air, a two-time Grade 3 winner on dirt at Monmouth.
Distance analysis: Balanced sprint and route performance
Midshipman's progeny demonstrate effectiveness at both sprint and route distances, with notably higher earnings in longer races.
| Distance | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 7,799 | 1,320 | 16.9% | 81 | $5,178 |
| Route | 3,702 | 533 | 14.4% | 84 | $5,636 |
Although his offspring win at a higher frequency in sprints, 16.9% vs. 14.4%, they produce better speed figures in routes, 84 vs. 81, and earn about $450 more per start in longer races. Along with Surface to Air, Midshipman's stakes performers Royal Ship and Shipsational also excelled as the distances stretched out.
Surface and distance combinations: Identifying optimal placements
Breaking down performance by surface and distance reveals specific strengths in Midshipman's offspring.
| Surface/ Distance |
Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt sprint | 6,197 | 1,095 | 17.7% | 81 | $4,982 |
| Dirt route | 1,990 | 314 | 15.8% | 81 | $6,157 |
| Turf sprint | 998 | 145 | 14.5% | 78 | $7,465 |
| Turf route | 1,395 | 163 | 11.7% | 89 | $5,140 |
| Synth sprint | 604 | 80 | 13.3% | 83 | $3,416 |
| Synth route | 317 | 56 | 17.7% | 84 | $4,543 |
Dirt sprints and synthetic routes tie for the highest win percentage at 17.7%. Turf-route runners produce the best HRN speed figures at 89, and turf sprinters achieve the highest earnings per start at $7,465. The synthetic form should not come as a surprise, as Midshipman's Breeders' Cup Juvenile win was during the synthetic era at Santa Anita. A lack of stakes opportunities on that surface keeps money earned stats at a minimum.
Distance preferences: Effectiveness across all ranges
Examining specific distance ranges shows Midshipman's offspring maintain competitiveness across various race lengths.
| Distance Range | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 6F | 3,017 | 509 | 16.9% | 75 | $4,886 |
| 6F to 6.5F | 4,024 | 705 | 17.5% | 84 | $5,418 |
| 6.51F to 8F | 2,783 | 395 | 14.2% | 83 | $4,638 |
| 8.01F to 9F | 1,620 | 237 | 14.6% | 86 | $6,746 |
| Greater than 9F | 57 | 7 | 12.3% | 99 | $15,257 |
The six-furlong to 6 1/2-furlong range produces the best win percentage at 17.5%. At distances greater than nine furlongs, his offspring achieve outstanding average speed figures of 99 and earn $15,257 per start, though this is based on limited sample size. Midshipman's top dirt sprinter is Special Reserve, winner of the Phoenix (G2) at Keeneland and the Maryland Sprint Cup (G3).
Gender differences: Slight edge to females
Midshipman's offspring show relatively balanced performance between males and females with minor variations.
| Gender | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 5,408 | 898 | 16.6% | 78 | $5,414 |
| Male | 6,093 | 955 | 15.7% | 85 | $5,247 |
Female offspring post a slightly higher win percentage, 16.6% vs. 15.7%, and males achieve better HRN speed figures, 85 vs. 78. Lady Shipman is probably his most famous progeny, a multiple stakes winner in turf sprints from five to six furlongs, though her sweet spot was 5 1/2 furlongs. She won nine listed stakes and one Grade 2, the Royal North. She was runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in 2015. Other top females are Naval Laughter, winner of the Modesty (G3); Princess Warrior, a Grade 2 winner on turf; and Fun and Feisty, winner of the Pocahontas (G3) on dirt. Midshipman has a juvenile filly stakes performer in 2025, Matron (G3) runner-up Royal Testament.
Wet track performance: Strong on off going
Midshipman's progeny demonstrate solid performance on wet surfaces across different distances.
| Surface/ Condition |
Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt sprint wet | 1,036 | 202 | 19.5% | 82 | $5,537 |
| Dirt route wet | 405 | 63 | 15.6% | 80 | $6,334 |
| Turf sprint wet | 154 | 27 | 17.5% | 80 | $10,534 |
| Turf route wet | 216 | 27 | 12.5% | 90 | $6,271 |
His offspring excel on wet dirt sprints with a 19.5% win rate, and wet turf sprinters earn the highest per start at $10,534. This is a very strong betting angle as the wet winter season approaches tracks on the East Coast.
Development pattern: Steady improvement with experience
Midshipman's offspring show the typical pattern of improvement as they gain racing experience.
| Experience | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First start | 652 | 87 | 13.3% | 64 | $4,882 |
| Second start | 627 | 105 | 16.8% | 71 | $6,590 |
| Third start | 593 | 96 | 16.2% | 73 | $6,678 |
Win percentage improves from 13.3% on debut to 16.8% by the second start. Speed figures also show steady progression from 64 in first starts to 73 by the third outing.
Age comparison: Peak performance at 4
Analyzing performance by age reveals when Midshipman's offspring tend to reach their peak effectiveness.
| Age | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2YO | 1,305 | 189 | 14.5% | 65 | $7,474 |
| 3YO | 3,524 | 557 | 15.8% | 79 | $5,441 |
| 4YO | 3,060 | 525 | 17.2% | 86 | $4,811 |
| 5YO+ | 3,612 | 582 | 16.1% | 87 | $4,873 |
Four-year-olds achieve the highest win percentage at 17.2%, and older horses (5+) produce the best speed figures at 87. Two-year-olds earn the most per start at $7,474, likely reflecting stakes earnings at that level. In 2025, Midshipman has four 2-year-old stakes winners and a Grade 3-placed runner, Royal Testament.
The word on Midshipman
Midshipman has developed into a solid sire of race horses and stakes performers. Despite his longevity on the sires list, he has not yet sired a Grade 1 winner in North America. He has nine Grade 1 winners in South America, with two in Brazil and seven in Chile. Midshipman colts aren't usually seen on the Kentucky Derby trail, though he was represented by Frammento in the 2015 running. Despite these gaps in his performance review, Midshipman is still one of the most productive stallions in Kentucky.