Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Al Haram

Al Haram, an unbeaten colt based in Saudi Arabia, brought his record to 4-for-4 with a late-charging triumph in the Saudi Derby (G3).

Contested over 1,600 meters (about one mile), the Saudi Derby served as a European/Middle East Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier, awarding 30 points to the winner. Al Haram’s triumph placed him into the picture as a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender, but does he have the pedigree to shine racing 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May?

Al Haram’s prowess as a dirt racer is surprising when you consider he’s a son of Iffraaj, a talented turf sprinter. While never victorious at the Group 1 level, Iffraaj did finish second (beaten only a head) in the six-furlong July Cup (G1), and he won a trio of Group 2 prizes over seven furlongs.

At stud, Iffraaj has passed on his speed and grass talent. A sampling of the Group 1 winners he’s sired includes the following horses:

• Ribchester, a miler who won the Prix Jacques Le Marois (G1), Lockinge (G1), Queen Anne (G1), and Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) over his signature distance.
• Jungle Cat, a durable grass dasher who won the 1,200-meter Al Quoz Sprint (G1) and 1,400-meter Sir Rupert Clarke (G1).
• Chriselliam, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) and Shadwell Fillies Mile (G1), racing one mile.
• Rizeena, conqueror of the one-mile Coronation (G1) and seven-furlong Moyglare Stud (G1).
• Audience, winner of the one-mile Lockinge.
• Wootton Bassett, winner of the 1,400-meter Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1).
• Grail Seeker, victorious in the 1,200-meter Telegraph (G1) and 1,400-meter Tarzino Trophy (G1).
• Western Empire, winner of the 1,600-meter Railway (G1).
• Turn Me Loose, winner of the Futurity (G1), Emirates (G1), and New Zealand 2000 Guineas (G1) over distances from 1,400 meters to 1,600 meters.

Every now and then, Iffraaj sires a high-quality route racer. Gingernuts won three Group 1 races over distances from 1,600 meters to 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles), including the New Zealand Derby (G1). Jon Snow likewise starred over 2,400 meters when taking the Australian Derby (G1). But in the Northern Hemisphere, Iffraaj is much better known as a source of sprinters and milers than long-winded route racers.

This isn’t surprising since Iffraaj’s sire, Zafonic, scored his signature wins in the one-mile 2000 Guineas (G1) and seven-furlong Dewhurst (G1). Zafonic was a sprinter/miler, and at stud he sired one-mile St. James’s Palace (G1) winner Zafeen and also Xaar, winner of the Dewhurst and the seven-furlong Prix de la Salamandre (G1).

All this speed presents a challenge for Al Haram. Successfully stretching out from a metric mile to 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby could be challenging, especially since the bottom half of his pedigree tilts in the same speed-focused direction.

Al Haram’s dam is Liberamente, an Irish-bred daughter of Tagula. Tagula was a capable turf sprinter who scored at the highest level in the 1,200-meter Prix Morney Piaget (G1), though he also stretched his speed over 1,600 meters to finish a close third in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1), the French 2000 Guineas.

Tagula, like Iffraaj, has passed on his speed at stud. His best runners include Limato, a decorated and durable turf sprinter best known for winning the July Cup and the 1,400-meter Prix de la Foret (G1); Canford Cliffs, an elite miler who rattled off consecutive wins in the Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1), St. James’s Palace, Sussex (G1), Lockinge, and Queen Anne; and Tax Free, a four-time group stakes winner sprinting five furlongs.

Meanwhile, daughters of Tagula have produced Donjuan Triumphant, winner of the six-furlong British Champions Sprint (G1); Heavens Guest, a sprinter who recorded nine wins, primarily in handicaps; and Byline, a capable sprinter/miler who finished third in the 1,400-meter 1351 Turf Sprint (G2).

Again, however, the most notable descendants of Tagula are not only sprinters and milers but also grass racers.

It’s difficult to find dirt or stamina influences in the first few generations of Al Haram’s pedigree. Zafonic’s sire, Gone West, won the 1 1/8-mile Dwyer (G1) on dirt and sired long-winded runners such as 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) winner Commendable, 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) victor Johar, and Kentucky Derby runner-up Proud Citizen, but Gone West is Al Haram’s great-grandsire, and being so far back in the pedigree diminishes his influence.

The same can be said of Singspiel, the sire of Liberamente’s dam Come April, which makes Singspiel another one of Al Haran’s great-grandsires. Singspiel won a bevy of Group 1 grass races over distances from 1 5/16 miles to 1 1/2 miles, and he also took the second running of the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) Dubai World Cup on dirt. Singspiel passed on stamina at stud, but with the notable exception of Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Moon Ballad, most of Singspiel’s best runners excelled on turf.

It’s safe to say Al Haram has defied all pedigree expectations by starring on dirt rather than turf. Perhaps that’s a good sign—if he’s charting new ground as far as surface preferences are concerned, there’s at least a small chance he’ll outrun the abundant sprinter/miler influences in his pedigree and carry his speed over 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby. But it’s not a given.