2013 Kentucky Derby Pedigree Profile – Verrazano

Verrazano became the latest buzz horse on the Kentucky Derby trail when he finished a time zone ahead of five allowance runners in only his second start. Settling off of the flank of pacesetter Gunderman, the large, bay colt appeared to take one stride for every two of the leader. Roused after a half mile, Verrazano effortlessly pulled away from the allowance field in a Secretariat-like move. Verrazano’s jaw-dropping 16 ¼ length score on February 2 wowed not only racing fans, but the powerhouse Coolmore racing team, who purchased an interest in the colt just days later from Let’s Go Stable. In what amounted to a paid workout, the dark bay colt traveled a mile in 1:34.80, barely a second off of the Gulfstream Park track record of 1:33.71.

It should be noted that Gunderman recently finished second to the well-regarded Bradester(Lion Heart – Grandestofall, by Grand Slam) and beat Cerro, another hyped Derby horse, by over four lengths in that race. Cerro (Mr. Greeley – Ballette (IRE), by Giant’s Causeway) came back to beat allowance foes by 2 /12 lengths in an 1 1/8 mile contest.

VERRAZANO(More Than Ready – Enchanted Rock, by Giant’s Causeway) was purchased for$250K at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale by Let’s Go Stable. Unveiled by Todd Pletcher on New Year’s Day, Verrazano won his debut towering over a full field of maidens by 7 ¾ lengths. He sat about a length off of the pace, zipped three wide around the turn and motored home in 1:16.48 for 6 ½ furlongs, without ever being asked. He’s now 2-2 and has earned $51,300.

Sire:

Verrazano’s sire More Than Ready was an exciting juvenile who won his first five starts. Starting in April of his two year old season, the son of Southern Halo made his announcement on the racing scene with a 7 ½ length victory going 4 ½ furlongs. By the end of July, he had already raced five times, including victories in the Tremont (G-3) and Sanford Stakes (G-2). More Than Ready went off form for his final two starts of the season, finishing third in the Belmont Futurity and fifth in the Champagne Stakes (G-1).

More Than Ready won the Hutcheson Stakes at three and was runner-up in two other Kentucky Derby preps. In the 2000 Kentucky Derby, More Than Ready pressed a swift early pace and was the only pace presser to stick around when the real running started. He finished fourth to Fusaichi Pegasus. More Than Ready raced six more times and recorded one win.

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At stud, More Than Ready has been a useful, but somewhat overlooked sire in the United States and is one of the top sires in Australia. His turf/synthetic track runners don’t have distance limitations. However, More Than Ready’s dirt offspring, especially in the United States, are best up to 1 1/16 – 1 1/8 miles. He’s sired two dirt stakes winners at 1 ¼ miles, the listed winner Ready for Roses and Dixie Ready a Grade 2 winner in Argentina. Similar to Verrazano, Dixie Ready is out of a mare from the Northern Dancer sire line.

MORE THAN READY (Southern Halo – Woodman’s Girl, by Woodman)

Race Record: 17-7-4-1 ($1,026,229)

Career Highlights:

1^st – King’s Bishop (G-1) 7F

1^st – Sanford Stakes (G-2) 6F

1^st – Hutcheson Stakes (G-2) 7F

1^st – Tremont Stakes (G-3) 5.5F

1^st – Flash Stakes 5F

1^st – WHAS-11 Stakes 5F

2^nd – Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G-1) 1 1/6 miles

2^nd – Vosburgh Stakes (G-1) 7F

2^nd – Dwyer Stakes (G-2) 1 1/6 miles

2^nd – Louisiana Derby (G-2) 1 1/16 miles

3^rd – Futurity Stakes (G-1) 1 mile

Female Family:

Verrazano’s dam Enchanted Rock (Giant’s Causeway – Chic Shirine, by Mr. Prospector)finished out of the money in her only start. She’s a young, promising broodmare. Her first foal El Padrino (by Pulpit) created some buzz of his own on last year’s Triple Crown trail. Owned and trained by the same connections as his younger brother, El Padrino raced three times at two, including a third place finish in the Remsen Stakes (G-2). He started his three year old season with a two-length win over eventual Florida Derby hero Take Charge Indy. The large, chestnut colt won the Risen Star, then placed fourth in the Florida Derby. He endured a rough trip in Kentucky and finished 13.

Enchanted Rock has a two year old filly, La Madrina (by Tapit), a yearling filly by Pulpit and is also in foal to Pulpit.

This female family is loaded with talented stars and the mares of this distaff line are excellent producers. Verrazano’s dam Enchanted Rock has six half siblings. Two, full siblings to each other, Tara Roma and Waldoboro, are Grade 2 winners. The aforementioned Tara Roma won a stakes race at 1 ¼ miles and bore Go For Wand (1 1/8 miles) heroine Serra Lake and the multiple Grade 3 winner Cappuccino. Tara Roma is also the grand-dam of Salvadore Mile (G-3) winner Coal Play.

Enchanted Rock’s half-sister Flying Passage bore the Grade 2 turf router Hungry Island and Hal’s Hope Stakes (1 mile) hero Soaring Empire. Another half-sister, Chic Corrine, gave us the stakes winning fillies Somali Lemonade (Jessamine Stakes (1 1/16 miles), Rasta Farian (H.B.P.A. Stakes 1 mile 70Y) and stakes placed Chic Joy. Still another half-sister is the grand-dam of the multiple Grade 1 winning turf router Al Khali, winner of the 1 3/16 miles Bowling Green and runner-up (three times) in the 1 ¼ miles Sword Dancer Invitational.

Verrazano’s second dam Chic Shirine (Mr. Prospector – Too Chic, by Blushing Groom (FR))won the Grade 1 Ashland. She’s a full sister to the Champion Older Mare Queena, dam of the Grade 1 winning sire Brahms and Grade 2 winner LaReina. Verrazano’s third dam Too Chic was a Grade 1 heroine and equaled the Belmont track record of 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.40. To top off this fantastic female family are Verrazano’s fourth and fifth dams Remedia and Monade, who are blue hens (superior females).

Verrazano is a member of the Lowe’s Female Family 13-d. If he were to win one of the Triple Crown races, he’d be the first horse from this family to succeed in the classics.

Damsire:

Verrazano’s damsire Giant’s Causeway was nicknamed “The Iron Horse,” for his exploits over the English, Irish and French racecourses. The sensational colt came within a flared nostril of winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic in his only start on dirt, racing over a left-handed course in an unfamiliar setting. The 2000 European Horse Of The Year won from about 6 ½ furlongs to 1 5/16 miles (10.5 furlongs). He competed in ten Group 1 Stakes and was victorious in six of them.

Giant’s Causeway has upheld his Iron Horse moniker at stud. He is a son of the world’s most expensive sire Storm Cat out of Maria’s Storm, a Grade 1 winning mare by Rahy. Giant’s Causeway is in demand in both the US and his shuttle country, Australia. He was leading US sire in 2009, 2010 and 2012. In 2010, he was recognized as a Classic chef-de-race, which indicates that he passes stamina attributes to his offspring.

Giant’s Causeway hasn’t yet cracked the top 20 on the Broodmare Sire list as he’s still a young stallion. As a damsire, he’s represented by 18 stakes winners. One, the Irish-bred Planteur, has been successful at 1 ¼ miles. Since Giant’s Causeway is noted for contributing stamina to his offspring, it isn’t a stretch to assume that he will do the same as a broodmare sire.

GIANT’S CAUSEWAY(Storm Cat – Mariah’s Storm, by Rahy)

Race Record: 13-9-4-0 ($3,078,989)

Career Highlights:

1^st – Juddmonte International (G-1) 1 5/16 miles

1^st – Irish Champion Stakes (G-1) 1 ¼ miles

1^st – Eclipse Stakes (G-1) 1 ¼ miles

1^st – St. James Palace (G-1) 1 mile

1^st – Sussex Stakes (G-1) 1 mile

1^st – Prix de la Salamandre (G-1) 1400M (about 6.5F)

1^st – Gladness Stakes (G-3) 7F

1^st – Futurity Stakes (G-3) 7F

2^nd – Breeders’ Cup Classic (G-1) 1 ¼ miles

2^nd – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G-1) 1 mile

2^nd – Irish 2000 Guineas (G-1) 1 mile

2^nd – English 2000 Guineas (G-1) 1 mile

The phenomenal Mr. Prospector is Verrazano’s second damsire. Mr. Prospector is a dual Chef –de-race who passes brilliant speed and classic stamina to his offspring. Similar to Mr. Prospector, Blushing Groom, Verrazano’s third damsire, offers brilliant speed and classic stamina to his progeny.

More Than Ready has been bred to seven daughters of Giant’s Causeway. Four foals have started and two are winners. None own blacktype.

Summary:

Verrazano has a conformation and gait comparable to his older brother El Padrino. He is a large, well-conformed colt with a slanted shoulder and powerful hindquarters. His gait shows average extension with slightly high knee action. Verrazano’s leg extension is about average, his large size enables a high cruising speed. Verrazano has a stamina oriented pedigree. His sire’s offspring win at all distances. Verrazano’s distaff line is a mixture of classic stamina and speed. The colt’s pedigree indicates that he should handle 1 ¼ miles. Of concern is the fact that he didn’t race as a two year old and that he’ll be rushed to compete in the Kentucky Derby. Recently, late-developing colts who didn’t race at two have been instrumental in the Triple Crown races, so perhaps it’s just a matter of time before one of them wins the Kentucky Derby.

Verrazano may follow in the hoofprints of Bodemeister and Nehro, two colts who were unraced at two and were close runner-ups in the Kentucky Derby. The sensational Curlin was unraced at two, yet finished third in the Kentucky Derby, won the Preakness Stakes and finished second in a thriling, historical running of the Belmont Stakes. The courageous Paynter didn’t make his debut until February 18, yet barely missed winning the Belmont Stakes.

It hasn’t been announced where Verrazano will make his next start. He could follow the course of El Padrino to the Risen Star or enter the Fountain of Youth. Both races may come up a little too soon for the Pletcher training regimen. Other options are the Gotham, Tampa Bay Derby, or Rebel Stakes. Whichever path he takes, Verrazano is a colt to add to your watch list.