Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Chip Honcho

Chip Honcho joined the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a determined win in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds. But his pedigree is a bit unorthodox for a Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.

So far, Chip Honcho has excelled in races slightly longer and shorter than one mile. That’s unsurprising on one hand, since his sire—Connect—showed a similar tendency during his racing career.

Five of Connect’s six career victories came in races between one mile and 1 1/8 miles in length. He scored his signature win in the Cigar Mile H. (G1) racing one mile, but also defeated future Horse of the Year Gun Runner in the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby (G2), displaying a bit more stamina than a pure miler.

Connect likely inherited that extra dose of staying power from his sire, Curlin, a two-time Horse of the Year who won the Preakness (G1), Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Dubai World Cup (G1), and two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) over distances from 1 3/16 miles to 1 1/4 miles. Curlin is a renowned source of classic stamina at stud, with his top progeny including Belmont (G1) winner Palace Malice, Preakness hero and Kentucky Derby runner-up Exaggerator, and Kentucky Derby runners-up Good Magic and Journalism.

However, Connect has proven to be a more reliable sire of milers than classic types. His graded stakes winners to date include Rattle N Roll, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Futurity (G1); Candy Quest, triumphant in the one-mile Ontario Colleen (G3); Hidden Connection, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Pocahontas (G3); Implicated, heroine of the one-mile Nassau (G2); Witwatersrand, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Mazarine (G3); and Apple Picker, winner of the seven-furlong Barbara Fritchie (G3).

Every now and then, one of Connect’s runners will show talent over classic distances. Forever After All triumphed in the Bewitch (G3) and La Prevoyante (G3) racing 1 1/2 miles, Rattle N Roll won the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special (G3), and Candy Quest finished second in the 1 5/16-mile Dueling Grounds Oaks (G3). The average winning distance of Connect’s progeny (7.2 furlongs) is respectable, but it does reiterate that he’s a source of milers first and foremost.

If we looked only at Connect, we might conclude that Chip Honcho is likely to remain a miler, with stamina reserves topping out around 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles. But the bottom half of Chip Honcho’s pedigree contains vastly different influences, suggesting he could turn into any sort of racehorse.

Consider Connect’s dam, Miss My Rose. She started twice, winning a six-furlong maiden special weight and the seven-furlong Angels Flight S., both on dirt at Santa Anita. Sprinting was clearly a strong suit for Miss My Rose, but her first foal to race—Red Rose Rockin—has developed into a turf miler at the claiming level.

Red Rose Rockin’s turf prowess may have been inherited from Miss My Rose’s sire, Magician. Whereas Miss My Rose was a dirt sprinter, Magician was anything but. He was a grass star through and through, winning the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), one-mile Irish 2,000 Guineas (G1), and two other group stakes.

Magician hasn’t set the world on fire at stud, but unsurprisingly, he tends to sire turf horses, some of them quite long-winded. One of his better runners, Fenwick Station, prevailed in a 1 1/2-mile allowance at Keeneland. Another son, Mister Nino, won four times in France over distances from 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) to 3,000 meters (about 1 15/16 miles).

The sources of Magician’s turf strength are easy to find. His sire, Galileo, was a top-tier Epsom Derby (G1) winner who developed into a legendary sire of over 100 Grade/Group 1 winners. Magician’s dam, Absolutelyfabulous, has also foaled Magician’s full-siblings Apple Betty and Outstanding, both stakes winners on turf.

All told, Chip Honcho’s sire was a dirt miler, his dam was a dirt sprinter, and his dam sire was a grass star who passes on stamina. It’s difficult to predict what this means for Chip Honcho’s long-term racing potential, but the stamina of Magician should help him stay 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby.

Furthermore, since Connect has shown an ability to sire capable grass runners like Forever After All, Candy Quest, and Implicated, Chip Honcho may have a future on turf if his Kentucky Derby aspirations don’t pan out.