Following is the third in a series of articles written by Edwin Anthony examining the pedigrees of leading contenders for this year’s Kentucky Derby. Previously, he looked at Louisiana Derby winner Friesan Fire and Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth winner Quality Road (who runs in this Saturday’s Florida Derby).
This week, Anthony examines the bloodlines of West Coast-based Pioneerof the Nile, who has won his last three starts, most recently the San Felipe at Santa Anita. Anthony, who spent six years as the staff pedigree consultant for Three Chimneys Farm and has contributed to numerous publications, is the author of a newly published book, “The American Thoroughbred (Volume I).” Click here to learn more about the book. – Ray Paulick
By Edwin Anthony
PIONEEROF THE NILE (Empire Maker—Star of Goshen, by Lord At War)
There is really no quicker pathway to success in a Thoroughbred breeding program than to utilize three-time-proven axioms in the selection of breeding stock: 1. Use a stallion with a very high quality pedigree (and with a proven track record if possible). 2. Breed this stallion to a stakes-winning mare or one that is at least closely related to high-class performers. 3. Utilize inbreeding and crossing patterns that have repeatedly been found in the pedigrees of important performers.
If a breeder is able to apply these simple concepts on a “numbers” basis, he or she is almost guaranteed to achieve some level of success, assuming he or she has access to good land and competent trainers.
Ahmed Zayat certainly made a big splash on the American sales and racing scene when he started spending large sums of money on yearlings a few years ago. And he most definitely made a fortuitous purchase in the form of the stakes-winning mare Star of Goshen, who was carrying G1 winner Pioneerof the Nile at the time of the private transaction. His interest in the mare sprang from the fact that he already owned the colt Forefathers out of Star of Goshen, and he was showing unusual ability on the track (he was second in the G2 Jerome Handicap and G2 Swale Stakes). Zayat had paid a hefty sum for that colt ($680,000), so you can imagine the numbers involved in the purchase of his dam, considering that she was carrying a foal by a $100,000 stallion (Empire Maker).
Although Cobra Farm (Gary and Betty Biszantz) deserve credit for the mating that produced Pioneerof the Nile, Mr. Zayat owned Star of Goshen when Pioneerof the Nile was foaled and is listed as the colt’s official breeder. And thus this consistent colt has become the first stakes winner for the Zayat Stable’s breeding program. Considering the investment that Mr. Zayat has made to date, we are likely to see many more stakes winners bred and raced in his name over the years. He certainly has discovered the right formula, as was spelled out in the opening paragraph.
Star of Goshen had an abbreviated racing career, but she displayed brilliance on at least one occasion—when she simply ran away with the La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs. One would have to classify her as a classy sprinter, and the fact that she was a half-sister to the very good sprinter/miler Powis Castle (Malibu Stakes—G2) confirms the tendency toward speed in her family.
This speed displayed by Star of Goshen is balanced with the fact that her sire, Lord at War, won the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at 1 π miles and sired a number of important runners at a distance. In addition, Lord At War is the damsire of important classic-distance performers like War Emblem (Kentucky Derby, Preakness), Raven’s Pass (Breeders’ Cup Classic), and E Dubai (Suburban Handicap). One should also note that all three of these important runners out of mares by Lord At War (War Emblem, Raven’s Pass, and E Dubai) were sired by Mr. Prospector or by stallions from his sire line. Pioneerof the Nile falls into this pattern as well, being sired by a grandson of Fappiano (Mr. Prospector).
Star of Goshen’s dam was sired by Key to the Kingdom, a colt bred like Triple Crown winner Secretariat (Bold Ruler/Princequillo combination) who was a half-brother to champions Key to the Mint (champion 3-year-old colt) and Fort Marcy (co-Horse of the Year, a gelding)—neither of which had any problem negotiating 10 furlongs or further. Key to the Kingdom’s best runner as a sire was the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Great Communicator (a gelding), who not only excelled at 1 ∏ miles but won a running of the 1 ≤-mile San Juan Capistrano (G1) to boot. So, you can see that while Star of Goshen displayed speed, she may have been able to negotiate a distance of ground if her racing career had not been cut short by injuries (she won 3 of 5 starts).
Empire Maker certainly hasn’t cut short Pioneerof the Nile’s ability to run two turns. He was, of course, a winner of the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes (G1) himself, and chalked up wins in the nine-furlong Florida Derby (G1) and nine-furlong Wood Memorial (G1, over Funny Cide) with style. His sire, Unbridled, was named champion 3-year-old colt after winning the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), leaving little doubt that he was a classic horse. And when Unbridled went to stud, he certainly stamped himself as a classic influence, with runners like Banshee Breeze (champion 3-year-old filly, Coaching Club American Oaks, etc.), Smuggler (champion 3-year-old filly, Coaching Club American Oaks, etc.), Grindstone (Kentucky Derby), Red Bullet (Preakness), Unshaded (Travers), Unbridled’s Song (Florida Derby), and many other distance specialists to his credit.
All that Empire Maker inherited in the name of class and stamina from Unbridled was reinforced in the pedigree of Empire Maker’s dam, Toussaud. She was a G1 winner on turf in California, and in addition to Empire Maker, produced Arlington Million (G1T) winner Chester House (a very good sire who died young), Honest Lady (a G1 winner and the dam of Saratoga G1 winner First Defence), Cheselling (G1T), and Decarchy (G2T, G1T-placed). Toussaud was named Broodmare of the Year in 2002 (and that was BEFORE Empire Maker became a classic winner).
Empire Maker retired with a $100,000 stud fee and although he stands at $75,000 now, that is more of a product of the economy than his prospects of success. With runners like Country Star (2 G1 wins), Mushka (G2), Acoma (G2), and of course Pioneerof the Nile (G1) to his credit in two crops, he is justifying the confidence of breeders, which is reflected in his extremely high mare Comparable Index (3.94), which ranks him higher in that category than A.P. Indy (3.73), Giant’s Causeway (3.48), Unbridled’s Song (2.62), and much higher than 2007 and 2008’s Leading Sire Smart Strike (1.95). (Comparable Index ranks the relative producing abilities of mares to whom he’s been bred.)
Pioneerof the Nile does not carry much inbreeding within the first six generations of his pedigree, as we see only two sons of Bold Ruler (inbred 6 x 4 to Bold Ruler) and three crosses of Native Dancer (6,6 x 5) present. The most interesting things about Pioneerof the Nile’s pedigree stem from connections to the families of the important stallions In Reality and Alibhai. Empire Maker is inbred 4 x 3 to In Reality, who traces to the foundation mare Clonaslee. Pioneerof the Nile traces directly to Clonaslee, coming from the Dog Blessed (1942, by Bull Dog) branch of the family that produced Indian Charlie (G1) and Prince Blessed (in the pedigrees of Tiznow and Unbridled’s Song). The Preakness (G1) winners Deputed Testamony and Tank’s Prospect also hail from the Clonaslee family.
Empire Maker traces to the mare Teresina, she being the dam of the important stallion Alibhai. Alibhai appears in the pedigree of Star of Goshen as the damsire of the stallion Kanumera, a horse closely related to Preakness (G1) winner Elocutionist. Thus, while Pioneerof the Nile shows little inbreeding of note close-up, he does carry connections and linebreeding to two notable foundation mares.
With wins in the CashCall Futurity (G1), Robert B. Lewis (G2), and San Felipe (G2), already to his credit on synthetic surfaces, the million-dollar question remains whether or not Pioneerof the Nile can handle a conventional dirt surface. With his next start scheduled to be in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) also on a synthetic surface, interested parties will have to watch his training leading up to the Kentucky Derby (G1) with a keen eye. In closing, I would like to salute the Lavin family in Goshen, Kentucky who bred Castle Eight and Star of Goshen, the first two dams of Pioneerof the Nile—they laid the foundation for a top class performer to emerge and always do a great job of raising racehorses at their Longfield Farm.
Edwin Anthony was the staff pedigree consultant at Three Chimneys Farm for six years and has penned dozens of articles on pedigree research. He recently published the reference book, The American Thoroughbred (Volume I). Click here to learn more and order your copy today
