Pedigrees of Hold Me Back and Friesan Fire
Bloodlines of Northern Dancer and Past Derby Champs Still Present
Apr 8, 2009 BarbaraAnne Helberg
Taking a further look at the backline pedigrees of Thoroughbreds can be an engaging activity for the horseplayer, or for persons who simply find enjoyment, or fascination in locating the ancestry of horseracing's many interesting champions.
This year's Kentucky Derby-bound class of three-year-old competitors have sires that achieved powerful racing victories in the Derby, the Breeders' Cup races and the Dubai World Cup races, as well as dams who were sired by great champions from many track battles of the past.
Northern Dancer Often Shows Up
The Canadian champion Northern Dancer, who raced in the American Triple Crown races in 1964, and prominent sire Nasrullah are revealed as great-great grandsires in numerous bloodline traces of modern Derby contenders.
Tracing back to long ago family members even can reveal ancestry links to War Admiral, Man o' War's most accomplished son. The Admiral was unbeaten in 1937 when he swept the Triple Crown races. He became the fourth Triple Crown champion and the third Thoroughbred to win the Triple Crown in the 1930s. His value to the Thoroughbred gene pool still shines through.
Likely 2009 Kentucky Derby Starters
A smorgasbord of past champions exists in the pedigree of Friesan Fire, winner this season of three Kentucky Derby prep races, and in that of Lane's End Stakes victor Hold Me Back. One of today's most consistent and prolific sires, A.P. Indy, has his hoof strongly embedded in the 2009 contender pool, as he has almost every season in the last decade.
Also prominent this year are past champions Unbridled's Song and Empire Maker. As stallions, both are producing their share of stakes runners.
Hold Me Back sired by Giant's Causeway---Restraint, by Unbridled's Song
- HMB's sire's sire ----- Storm Cat
- Storm Cat's sire and dam ----- Storm Bird---Terlingua
- Storm Bird's sire and dam ----- Northern Dancer---South Ocean
- Terlingua's sire and dam ----- Secretariat---Crimson Saint
- HMB's sire's dam ----- Mariah's Storm
- Mariah's Storm's sire and dam ----- Rahy---Immense
- Rahy's sire and dam ----- Blushing Groom---Glorious Son
- Immense's sire and dam ----- Roberto---Imsodear
- HMB's dam's sire ----- Unbridled's Song
- Unbridled's Song's sire and dam ----- Unbridled---Trolley Song
- Unbridled's sire and dam ----- Fappiano---Gana Facil
- Trolley Song's sire and dam ----- Caro (IRE)---Lucky Spell
- HMB's dam's dam ----- Avowal
- Avowal's sire and dam ----- L'Enjoleur---Well In Hand
- L'Enjoleur's sire and dam ----- Buckpasser---Fanfrelche
- Well In Hand's sire and dam ----- Bold Ruler---Bull Poise
Friesan Fire sired by A.P. Indy---Bollinger (Aust.), by Dehere
- FF's sire's sire ----- Seattle Slew
- Seattle Slew's sire and dam ----- Bold Reasoning---My Charmer
- Bold Reasoning's sire and dam ----- Boldnesian---Reason to Earn
- My Charmer's sire and dam ----- Poker---Fair Charmer
- FF's sire's dam ----- Weekend Surprise
- Weekend Surprise's sire and dam ----- Secretariat---Lassie Dear
- Secretariat's sire and dam ----- Bold Ruler---Somethingroyal
- Lassie Dear's sire and dam ----- Buckpasser---Gay Missile
- FF's dam's sire ----- Dehere
- Dehere's sire and dam ----- Deputy Minister---Sister Dot
- Deputy Minister's sire and dam ----- Vice Regent---Mint Copy
- Sister Dot's sire and dam ----- Secretariat---Sword Game
- FF's dam's dam ----- Bint Marscay
- Bint Marscay's sire and dam ----- Marscay---Eau d'Etoile
- Marscay's sire and dam ----- Biscay---Heart of Market
- Eau d'Etoile's sire and dam ----- Sir Tristram---Fille d'Etoile
The influences of Seattle Slew, a Triple Crown winner (1977) and the great Northern Dancer in the above pedigrees, respectively, plus the presence of 1973 Triple Crown champion Secretariat and his sire, Bold Ruler, in both colt's pedigees well demonstrates the efforts made by Thoroughbred breeders to keep the best of the best genes flowing.
Latest Articles