Kentucky Derby Context: Ottinho

A late runner, Ottinho has placed in a pair of stakes attempts, closing belatedly for third in the Withers at Aqueduct in early February and punching his Kentucky Derby (G1) ticket with a non-threatening second in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland. Neither race had much pace, and Ottinho was beaten 11 lengths in both, but the bay colt projects to receive a better setup in the Kentucky Derby. He appears to appreciate longer distances, making the last three starts at 1 1/8 miles, and Ottinho will seek to keep progressing by offering a strong late run in the Kentucky Derby.

OWNER: Three Chimneys Farm (Goncalo B. Torrealba) will have their second Kentucky Derby starter since being purchased by the Torrealba family, finishing third in partnership with Gun Runner (2016), who went on to be named Horse of the Year the following season and has established himself as a top-class stallion at Three Chimneys.

TRAINER: Since making his first Kentucky Derby appearance in 2013, Chad Brown has saddled Good Magic (2018) and Sierra Leone (2024) to runner-up finishes and Zandon (2022) to a third, recording an overall 9-0-2-1 record. He trained Klaravich Stables’ Preakness (G1) winners, Cloud Computing (2016) and Early Voting (2022), and is a five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer. A native of upstate New York, Brown served as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel before starting his own stable in late 2007. He will also be represented by Emerging Market in the Kentucky Derby.

JOCKEY: TBD

BREEDER: Bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm (Goncalo B. Torrealba), Ottinho will be their first Kentucky Derby runner as a breeder.

SIRE: Ottinho is from the 12th crop of four-time Grade 1 winner and $2.2 million earner Quality Road, a Virginia-bred son of Elusive Quality, the sire of 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones. Quality Road has produced multiple champions, and he’s responsible for 2023 Preakness winner National Treasure and 2020 Belmont (G1) runner-up Dr. Post.

DAM: A half-brother to $13.9 million earner Gun Runner, Ottinho is out of the Grade 2-winning Quiet Giant, a daughter of Giant’s Causeway. She’s also the producer of Grade 3 winner Pretty Ana, and Quiet Giant is a half-sister to 2005 Horse of the Year and sire Saint Liam. By Storm Cat, Giant’s Causeway proved to be a terrific sire. As a broodmare sire, he has yet to make a mark on the Triple Crown, but Giant’s Causeway is making a significant impact on bloodlines as the sire of Not This Time and broodmare sire of Gun Runner.