Pedigree Insights: Thunder Snow

With the Kentucky Derby's history dating all the way back to 1875, it has featured just about every conceivable twist and turn in its storylines. For example, the 1971 contest produced a shock when the Santa Anita Derby winner Jim French was totally outpointed by Canonero II, a raider from Venezuela. The Canonero story could hardly have been more colorful. Although foaled at Claiborne, the colt was sent by breeder Edward B. Benjamin to the Keeneland Fall Yearling Sale because his twisted off-foreleg raised doubts about his ability to race. After selling for only $1,200, the youngster became part of a wedding present to Edgar Caibett.

Canonero proved to have no soundness problems, making 12 starts before the Kentucky Derby, and he promptly added the Preakness. Although he could finish only fourth in the Belmont, picking up a hock injury which ended his three-year-old campaign, Canonero was later sold for a reported $1 million.

Canonero's Triple Crown triumphs had been made all the more unpredictable by his pedigree, as his parents–the Epsom Derby second Pretendre and the minor winner Dixieland II–had both been turf performers in Britain. Then there were the logistical problems the colt had to overcome. His flight from Caracas to Florida was described as “harrowing.” He then had to complete a lengthy stay in quarantine in Florida, followed by the long road trip to Kentucky.

I mention all this simply to remind everyone that internationalism is nothing new to the Kentucky Derby. Even so, there is a good chance that an exciting international aspect will be added to this year's race, following the G2 UAE Derby on the World Cup undercard. The race featured a desperately close finish between Godolphin's admirable colt Thunder Snow and the very determined Japanese raider Epicharis, whose pedigree I reviewed in the February 21st issue.

The Meydan classic took place just days after Thunder Snow had been added to the Triple Crown nominees at the late nomination phase. He now has 100 points in the bag, and is unbeaten on dirt, having also won the G3 UAE 2,000 Guineas by nearly six lengths. It remains to be seen, though, whether Sheikh Mohammed's team considers his dirt form to be on a par with his excellent exploits on turf, which include a five-length success in the G1 Criterium International over seven furlongs.

As a dirt specialist, Epicharis has far fewer alternatives to the Kentucky Derby, for which he earned a ticket with his Hyacinth S. success. However, it has been suggested that Epicharis will aim for the Belmont S., rather than the Derby–an understandable move when the Gold Allure colt has already faced a demanding international challenge.

An added international aspect to Thunder Snow's background is that his sire Helmet carries the (AUS) suffix after his name, as does Helmet's sire Exceed And Excel. While both these top performers made their name in Australia neither has any Australian bloodlines as Exceed And Excel has two American-bred parents and Helmet is out of a British-bred Singspiel mare from a top German female line.

Incidentally, both Helmet and Exceed And Excel demonstrated how difficult it can be for a horse to produce its best form after traveling halfway around the world. Exceed And Excel faded to finish in the rear after trying to lead throughout in the 2004 July Cup on his only European start. Helmet also failed to reproduce anything like his best Australian form when sent to the UAE and then Britain in 2012. Coincidentally, he also contested the UAE Derby, then run on Tapeta, but he was beaten after seven furlongs.

This effort was in sharp contrast to some of his displays in Australia, where he had been a Group 1 winner over seven furlongs and a mile as a two-year-old. He also won the G1 Caulfield Guineas at three. It is worth mentioning that two of this free-running colt's poorer efforts came on the only occasions that Helmet ventured beyond a mile. Clearly he had inherited plenty of speed from Exceed And Excel, rather than stamina from his broodmare sire Singspiel, but Thunder Snow was still running on strongly at the end of 1 3/16 miles at Meydan.

Although Helmet didn't inherit all of Singspiel's stamina, Thunder Snow possibly owes his ability to handle dirt to Singspiel. A son of Halo's famous daughter Glorious Song–a 14-time winner on dirt–Singspiel repelled a strong American challenge in the 1997 Dubai World Cup on fast dirt. Of course, Singspiel was also a Group 1 winner on turf in three other countries. This versatility was also displayed by Glorious Song, whose career also included three wins on turf, and by her very smart son Rahy.

Thunder Snow also comes from an American female line which has flourished on both sides of the Atlantic, on both surfaces. His fourth dam, Morning Has Broken, was a half-sister to Mr Prospector's first champion, the juvenile filly It's In The Air, who went on to plenty more Grade I success at three and four. It's In The Air's numerous talented descendants included her grand-daughter Music Note, winner of the GI Mother Goose S. and GI CCA Oaks on dirt.

The branch of the family descending from Thunder Snow's third dam, Morning Devotion, has become a very reliable source of classic performers. Morning Devotion herself produced Storm Bird's outstanding daughter Balanchine, winner of the Epsom Oaks before defeating the colts in the Irish Derby. Balanchine was by one son of Northern Dancer and Thunder Snow's second dam, the Group 2 winner Red Slippers, was by another in Nureyev. Red Slippers' brother Romanov was good enough to finish third in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Epsom Derby and Red Slippers became the dam of West Wind, winner of the Prix de Diane.

Thunder Snow's dam, the Dubai Destination mare Eastern Joy, was just an ordinary winner but she too is proving a worthy member of this excellent family. Her first four foals–each by a different –have all enjoyed stakes success. Thunder Snow follows Ihtimal (UAE 1,000 Guineas and Oaks and third in the 1,000 Guineas), Always Smile (a G1-placed Listed winner) and First Victory (a G3 winner as a two-year-old). The mare also has a two-year-old sister to Ihtimal.

Eastern Joy is playing her part in transforming Dubai Destination from failed stallion to highly respected broodmare sire. The former Darley stallion sired the dams of those top European middle-distance colts Golden Horn and Postponed. Silent Sedition, an Australian-bred filly by War Chant, became the latest Group 1 winner out of a Dubai Destination mare when she won the William Reid S. last Friday.