This text initially appeared within the April problem of BloodHorse Journal together with statistics by submit place for the Kentucky Derby, and complete racing statistics for trainers, jockeys, and sires at Churchill Downs. This part is out there on BloodHorsePlus. The article beneath has been up to date to incorporate this yr’s Derby contenders.
BloodHorse MarketWatch: Into Mischief Kentucky Derby Insights
When Into Mischief  retired to stud in 2009, few might have imagined he would grow to be the primary to sire back-to-back Kentucky Derby (G1) winners, whereas main the North American normal main sires checklist for seven straight years. Prior to now century, solely Daring Ruler has matched this main sire streak, from 1963 to 1969. No different stallions are even shut.
One of many keys to Into Mischief’s success can possible be attributed to the absence of Mr. Prospector in his pedigree. Increase a Native, the sire of Mr. Prospector, could be discovered on the damside of Into Mischief’s sire Harlan’s Vacation, however he comes by means of Unique Native and Affirmed, who’s Harlan’s Vacation’s broodmare sire.
In latest many years the blood of Mr. Prospector has grow to be the mainstream of American bloodlines. Not solely has he led the main broodmare sire checklist 9 instances, however his male line prospers by means of a number of of his prime sons. Consequently, lots of immediately’s greatest racehorses and stallions present inbreeding or linebreeding to Mr. Prospector.
This has created a sort of subspecies within the breed: stallions with a number of doses of Mr. Prospector of their pedigrees, and people reminiscent of Into Mischief who’ve none. Uncle Mo and Medaglia d’Oro are two different elite sires who might have benefited from their absence of Mr. Prospector blood.
Into Mischief has certainly proven to be a super cross for the various broodmares loaded with Mr. Prospector, which embody the dams of his three Kentucky Derby winners. Spendthrift Farm’s marquee sire is now tied because the main sire by variety of Kentucky Derby winners, and has three possibilities this yr to make Derby historical past by changing into the only main sire.
Into Mischief was evenly raced with three wins from six begins, together with his wins together with the 2007 Futurity (G1) at Hollywood Park. He additionally was runner-up within the 2008 Malibu Stakes (G1) on his approach to incomes $597,080. Harlan’s Vacation gained three grade 1 stakes and earned a hefty $3.6 million after which went on to sire 95 stakes winners. Into Mischief’s grandsire Harlan (by Storm Cat) additionally gained a grade 1 within the 1994 Vosburgh Stakes (G1), however earned a extra modest $403,174. Harlan died younger after siring solely 102 foals.
Expectations for Into Mischief at stud have been thus pretty modest, as he entered stud at $12,500 in 2009 and can be priced at $7,500 three years later. However his first crop of 42 foals produced 37 runners (88%), 29 winners (69%), and 7 black-type winners (17%). This crop included Goldencents  , who gained the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Filth Mile (G1) at 3, and once more at 4.
Into Mischief rose up the stallion ranks as he attracted extra, higher-quality mares, breaking into the highest 12 main sires in 2017 and capturing his first main sire title in 2019. He made historical past together with his eighth and ninth crops, which included consecutive Kentucky Derby winners Genuine   and Mandaloun  , respectively.Â
Genuine went on to win the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Traditional (G1) at 3 in gate-to-wire style in a observe file of 1:59.60 at Keeneland. His performances earned him Eclipse Awards for champion 3-year-old male in addition to Horse of the Yr. For the season, he gained 5 of seven begins, good for $7.17 million.
Genuine hails from a surprisingly modest feminine household. His second and third dams produced no stakes winners from their 18 foals. His dam Flawless gained one in all solely two begins and $40,600, and she or he has not produced another stakes winners from her different 9 foals of racing age. However her sire, Mr. Greeley, might maintain the important thing. He is a grandson of Mr. Prospector and inbred 4×3 to Daring Ruler and 4×4 to Native Dancer. These two bloodlines have crossed extraordinarily properly all through historical past, together with the golden cross of A.P. Indy x Mr. Prospector (Mineshaft, Malibu Moon, Flatter, Pulpit, and so forth.). So Genuine exhibits linebreeding to Daring Ruler and Native Dancer each prime and backside in his pedigree.
Picture: Anne M. EberhardtAuthentic wins the 2020 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
Mandaloun gave Into Mischief his second Derby winner in 2021. Albeit a win by way of disqualification, Mandaloun gave a valiant efficiency and simply missed on the wire by half a size. Not like Genuine, he comes from a robust feminine household. His dam Brooch (by Empire Maker) was a gaggle 2 winner of $217,059. Moreover she is inbred 4×4 to Mr. Prospector, a key ingredient within the mates of Into Mischief. Second dam Daring Diva (by Dansili) was a stakes winner in France who produced two stakes winners and a gaggle 3-placed winner, whereas third dam Aspiring Diva (by Distant View) was stakes-placed in France and produced three stakes winners. As soon as once more, this household is loaded with Native Dancer blood and exhibits 11 generations of stakes winners. Along with his Kentucky Derby, Mandaloun gained the Haskell Stakes (G1) additionally by disqualification, however once more missed much more narrowly by a nostril on the wire. He has different outright wins within the 2021 Risen Star Stakes (G2) and 2022 Louisiana Stakes (G3) for profession totals of seven wins in 12 begins and $3,356,052.
In 2025, Sovereignty gave Into Mischief his third Derby winner prior to now six years and was named Horse of the Yr and champion 3-year-old male. Along with the Kentucky Derby, he gained the Belmont Stakes (G1), Travers Stakes (G1), and the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), and has returned to racing this yr, ending second within the April 18 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in his first begin because the Aug. 23 Travers. His dam Topped (by Bernardini) was unraced, and Sovereignty is her first stakes winner from three foals to race. Nonetheless, she is inbred 3×4 to Seattle Slew, 4×4 to Fappiano, and 5x5x4 to Mr. Prospector (the sire of Fappiano).
Second dam, Mushka (by Empire Maker), was a grade 1 winner of $1,096,125, and is inbred 4×3 to Mr. Prospector, however produced no stakes winners from 5 foals. Third dam Sluice (by Looking for the Gold), was a minor stakes winner of $202,453, however produced just one stakes winner from 12 foals. Fourth dam Lakeway (by Seattle Slew) was a four-time grade 1 winner of $965,330, however produced just one stakes winner from her 14 foals. Sovereignty exhibits three stakes winners from his first 4 dams, however they produced these stakes winners from 34 foals.
Into Mischief’s three Kentucky Derby starters this yr are morning-line favourite Renegade , Commandment , and Potente .Â
Renegade, who gained the Arkansas Derby (G1) by 4 lengths, is out of the Curlin  mare and grade 3 winner Spice Is Good , who’s a daughter of grade 1 winner Dame Dorothy . This colt is Curlin’s first consultant within the Kentucky Derby as a broodmare sire. Renegade shouldn’t be inbred, however Spice Is Good is inbred 3×4 to Mr. Prospector.
Commandment gained the Florida Derby (G1) and the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). He’s out of grade 1 winner Sippican Harbor , who’s a daughter of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb . Commandment can also be not inbred by means of the primary 5 generations, however Orb is inbred 3×4 to Mr. Prospector and 5×5 to Daring Ruler.
Picture: Anne M. EberhardtCommandment coaching April 24 at Churchill Downs
Potente, who was runner-up to So Joyful within the Santa Anita Derby (G1), is out of the Superior Once more stakes-placed winner Candy Sting. The mare is a daughter of 2000 champion grass mare and a number of stakes producer Good Sting (Pink Ransom). Potente’s solely inbreeding is 5×5 to Hail to Purpose. He does have one line of Mr. Prospector in his pedigree because the broodmare sire of Superior Once more’s dam Primal Pressure. Candy Sting is inbred 5×5 to Nearctic by means of his son Northern Dancer, who’s the great-grandsire of Superior Once more, and thru Christmas Wind, the second dam of Good Sting’s sire Pink Ransom.
One other Kentucky Derby starter with ties to Into Mischief is Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) runner-up Intrepido , who’s by Into Mischief’s son Maximus Mischief  . Intrepido is out of the Pleasantly Good daughter Overly Indulgent, who’s inbred 3×5 to Mr. Prospector and 4×5 to Increase a Native, the sire of Mr. Prospector. Increase a Native within the fifth era carries on by means of his son Unique Native, the sire of 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed. This makes Intrepido inbred 5×4 to Affirmed, the broodmare sire of Harlan’s Vacation.
BloodHorse bloodstock editor Eric Mitchell contributed to this text.
