2016 Kentucky Derby Pedigrees: My Man Sam

Record-setting North American sire Tapit, who has Mohaymen, Lani, and Creator in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is now exerting his influence into the second generation with My Man Sam. The closing runner-up in the Blue Grass (G1), My Man Sam gives the Tapit stallion Trappe Shot a Derby runner in his very first crop.

Best known as a sprinter, Trappe Shot won the 2011 True North H. (G2) and missed by a nose in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1). But he’d performed well around two turns as a 3-year-old at Monmouth, when capturing the Long Branch and finishing best of the rest behind Lookin at Lucky in the Haskell Invitational (G1).

And of greater interest for his propensities at stud, Trappe Shot wasn’t bred to be a one-dimensional sprinter. He was produced by the Private Account mare Shopping, who’s also responsible for millionaire Miss Shop, winner of the 1 1/4-mile Personal Ensign (G1) in 2007. Trappe Shot’s also closely related to Power Broker, successful in the 2012 FrontRunner (G1) and 2013 Indiana Derby (G2). His third dam is the noted matron Lady Be Good, ancestress of numerous high-class runners including Wavering Monarch (whose champion son Maria’s Mon sired Derby winners Monarchos [2001] and Super Saver [2010]).

My Man Sam is the only graded stakes performer so far for Trappe Shot. He has sired two other stakes-placed runners in Fish Trappe Road, runner-up in the Sleepy Hollow for New York-breds, and Kalabaka, second in the Ruthless. Both appear to be more suited to one turn at this point.

But unlike them, My Man Sam can call upon a strong maternal half of the pedigree to boost his distance capacity.

My Man Sam is the second foal from the smart turf filly Lauren Byrd, runner-up in the 2010 Jessamine during a limited career spanning just four races as a juvenile. Her first foal, Hakam, recently broke his maiden on Wolverhampton’s Tapeta.

Lauren Byrd was bred to stay much farther than she had an opportunity to race. She’s by the blueblood Arch, who captured the Super Derby (G1) (back in 1998 when it was still 1 1/4 miles) and the Fayette (G3) in track-record time for 1 3/16 miles at Keeneland.

Arch has sired champion Blame, famous for inflicting the only career defeat upon Zenyatta in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); Canadian Horse of the Year Arravale; 2006 Alabama (G1) victress Pine Island; 2011 Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Archarcharch; a couple of top turf sprinters in English-based Les Arcs and South Africa’s Overarching; current Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) star Grand Arch; and such long-winded types as English highweight older mare Pomology and 2013 Breeders’ Cup Marathon (G2) winner London Bridge.

With Arch as his broodmare sire, My Man Sam is in very good company. Arch mares have produced the likes of champion and record-setting freshman sire Uncle Mo (responsible for Derby favorite Nyquist, Outwork, and Mo Tom in his first crop); 2012 Derby and Preakness (G1) winner I’ll Have Another; Canadian Horse of the Year Uncaptured; and Lines of Battle, the 2013 UAE Derby (G2) victor who earned his signature win in last year’s 1 1/2-mile Champions & Chater Cup (G1) (in his new Hong Kong name of Helene Super Star).

Lauren Byrd is herself a half-sister to Grade 2 turfer Hudson Steele. Their dam, Strike the Sky, is by leading sire Smart Strike, the sire of Hall of Famer Curlin and turf champion English Channel.

Further back, My Man Sam counts as his sixth dam What a Treat, the champion 3-year-old filly of 1965. Thus he hails from the same family as Derby rival Tom’s Ready, who claims What a Treat as his fourth dam. They are more distant relations of Mohaymen as well. As noted in their pedigree profiles, other prominent descendants of this line include Derby winners Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) and Orb (2013) and the late, great Ruffian.

 

Pedigree information courtesy Brisnet.com.

Photo courtesy Rickelle Nelson/Horsephotos.com.