2016 Kentucky Derby Pedigrees: Suddenbreakingnews

Southwest (G3) winner Suddenbreakingnews is bred for the classics, top and bottom. Both grandsires were Belmont (G1) winners, and his second dam is by two-time Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) legend Alleged.

His sire is 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft, winner of such major events as the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), Woodward (G1), Suburban (G1) and Pimlico Special (G1) during his championship campaign.

As a blueblood son of Hall of Famer A.P. Indy and multiple Grade 1-winning Broodmare of the Year Prospectors Delite, Mineshaft was entitled to transmit that genetic gold at stud. His progeny include reigning Clark H. (G1) and Suburban winner Effinex, an earner of more than $2 million who was runner-up to American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1); multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire It’s Tricky; 2011 Florida Derby (G1) victor Dialed In, eighth as the lukewarm favorite in that year’s Kentucky Derby (G1); and 2010 Belmont and Travers (G1) near-misser Fly Down.

Suddenbreakingnews is out of Uchitel, a daughter of Preakness (G1) and Belmont romper Afleet Alex. The champion 3-year-old male of 2005, Afleet Alex has gone on to sire 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) hero Texas Red, last year’s Florida Derby victor Materiality, Travers winner Afleet Express (who edged the aforementioned Fly Down), and millionaire Iotapa.

Uchitel is herself a half-sister to 2003 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Las Virgenes (G1) winner Composure, the dam of Grade 1-placed Centring and Tranquil Manner as well as recent Royal Delta (G2) queen Penwith. Uchitel’s dam, Grade 3 scorer Party Cited, is a multiple Grade/Group1-placed mare by Alleged. She is responsible for three other stakes performers, chief among them Grade 3 winner Ready Set, a full brother to Composure.

This maternal line descends from the influential Idle Fancy, ancestress of Broodmare of the Year Hildene (dam of Hall of Famer Hill Prince and champion First Landing), Hall of Famer Dark Mirage, Silent Screen, Timely Writer, Bluebird, Java Gold, Indian Skimmer, and more recently, Henrythenavigator and Magician.

Suddenbreakingnews has a nifty pedigree pattern: his paternal granddam, Prospectors Delite, is bred along the same lines as his dam, Uchitel. Prospectors Delite is by Mr. Prospector and out of a royally bred mare by Hoist the Flag. Uchitel is by a Mr. Prospector-line stallion and out of a mare by Hoist the Flag’s son Alleged. Thus Suddenbreakingnews sports inbreeding to “Mr. P” and Hoist the Flag.

You know who else has inbreeding to Hoist the Flag? Zenyatta.

Pedigree information courtesy of Brisnet (products 105E and 750).

Photo courtesy of Coady Photography.