Belmont Stakes pedigree profile: Crudo

Crudo is a late addition to the Triple Crown scene. After dominating an April 19 maiden special weight at Keeneland and the May 17 Sir Barton S. at Pimlico, he’s taking a shot at the spring classics in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont (G1) at Saratoga.

Since Crudo has yet to race farther than 1 1/16 miles, stretching out another three-sixteenths of a mile for the Belmont is a question mark for the inexperienced colt. However, his pedigree suggests the longer trip won’t be an obstacle.

Crudo is a son of Justify, the 2018 Triple Crown winner whose perfect blend of speed and stamina carried him to triumphs in the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby (G1), 1 3/16-mile Preakness (G1), and 1 1/2-mile Belmont. At stud, Justify is emerging as a source of stamina, with his progeny compiling a lofty average winning distance of 7.7 furlongs.

Many of Justify’s most accomplished runners have starred on turf, including 1 1/2-mile Epsom Derby (G1) winner City of Troy, multiple Group 1 winner Opera Singer, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) heroine Hard to Justify, and recent 2000 Guineas (G1) conqueror Ruling Court. But Justify has also proven capable of siring high-quality dirt horses, such as champion and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Just F Y I, Woody Stephens (G1) victor Arabian Lion, and Kentucky Derby starters Verifying, Just a Touch, Just Steel, and American Promise.

There’s a good chance Justify will sire a U.S. classic winner (or multiple) in the coming years, and the dam side of Crudo’s pedigree offers similar potential for success racing 1 1/4 miles on dirt.

Crudo is the fifth stakes winner produced by Blossomed. Though she never raced, Blossomed has turned into a stellar broodmare. In addition to Crudo, her stakes-caliber foals include:

• Awesome Result, a daughter of Justify and a full-sister to Crudo. Awesome Result has won eight out of nine starts running long on dirt in Japan, including three races over 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) or longer.
• Bodacious Babe, winner of the seven-furlong Margate S. sprinting seven furlongs over the Gulfstream Park main track. Bodacious Babe achieved a graded stakes placing when finishing second in Gulfstream’s six-furlong Sugar Swirl.
• Saayedd, winner of the Jebel Ali S. racing 2,000 meters on dirt in Dubai. 
• Sippican Harbor, winner of the seven-furlong Spinaway (G1) on dirt at Saratoga.

Blossomed’s tendency to produce dirt racers has likely impacted Crudo, ensuring he stars on the main track instead of developing into a turf horse like many of Justify’s best runners.

Digging deeper into Crudo’s pedigree, Blossomed is a daughter of Deputy Minister out of Texas Cinema. Deputy Minister was a high-class juvenile dirt racer, winning the 1 1/16-mile Young American (G1) and 1 1/16-mile Laurel Futurity (G1). He later developed into a top-tier stallion, siring Hall of Fame inductees Go for Wand and Open Mind plus Belmont winner Touch Gold and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Awesome Again, to name only a few of his best runners.

Running long on dirt was a strong suit for the progeny of Deputy Minister, and the same has been true of the horses produced by his daughters. Deputy Minister’s stellar record as a broodmare sire includes Belmont winners Sarava, Jazil, and Rags to Riches, plus two-time Horse of the Year and Preakness winner Curlin, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Tapizar, Breeders’ Cup Marathon star Man of Iron, and champion two-year-old filly Halfbridled.

As for Texas Cinema, she failed to win in six starts, but she’s proven more successful as a broodmare. She’s the dam on Cinemine, an eight-time stakes winner best known for nabbing the six-furlong Thoroughbred Club of America (G3) over the Keeneland dirt, and Flick, a dirt sprinter who won the 5 1/2-furlong Pontalba S. at Fair Grounds.

The dirt prowess and stamina found in the bottom half of Crudo’s pedigree, when mixed with the versatile but similarly stamina-laden profile of Justify, should ensure that Crudo handles 1 1/4 miles without issue.

Join us on June 7 for a rematch that will shake the stands. Many top Kentucky Derby contenders return for the Belmont S. (G1) to fight for the finish, including probable contender Journalism, winner of Preakness 150, and Sovereignty, winner of Derby 151. Who will stand in the winner's circle for Belmont?

Stay with us throughout Belmont Day during stakes races as we bring you the latest horse racing news, live odds, expert picks, and more. It is sure to be an exciting day of racing!

Also, come chat with our expert panel regarding Friday and Saturday racing during Saratoga's Friday card, including the Acorn Stakes!