Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: My World

A tenacious triumph in the one-mile Jerome S. at Aqueduct has propelled My World into the 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) picture.

Coming off a win in the Nashua S. over the same track and distance, My World ran a gallant race in the Jerome. He briefly trailed a four-horse field before launching a steady rally to chase down heavy favorite Balboa and prevail by two lengths in 1:38.96.

My World’s success at a young age is understandable. His pedigree is geared top and bottom toward early maturity. But just as importantly, My World’s breeding suggests he’ll maintain his form as a three-year-old and quite possibly relish the 1 1/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby.

Certainly, that was the case for My World’s sire, Essential Quality. He went 3-for-3 at age two, winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Breeders’ Futurity (G1) on his way to being named champion two-year-old male. The following year, Essential Quality was as strong as ever, winning five graded stakes—including the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) and 1 1/4-mile Travers (G1)—en route to champion three-year-old male honors.

Essential Quality was a star over classic distances. Even his two defeats resulted in excellent performances—he was beaten only one length when crossing the wire fourth in the 2021 Kentucky Derby (later upgraded to third via disqualification), and he also ran third behind older rival Knicks Go in the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1).

Essential Quality’s first foals hit the races in 2025. Already, they’re showing talent. In addition to My World, Essential Quality is the sire of 6 1/2-furlong Clever Trevor S. winner Essential Time and seven-furlong Ellis Park Debutante S. heroine Chopsticks. His runners have compiled an average winning distance of 7.0 furlongs, a respectably stout number for a young stallion. That’s not surprising since Essential Quality is a son of Tapit, a stamina influence who has sired three other Belmont winners (Tonalist, Creator, and Tapwrit) aside from Essential Quality.

The bottom half of My World’s pedigree is likewise filled with promise.

My World’s dam is Quebec, a durable mare who won seven of her 36 starts during a career spanning from 2016 through 2020. She was a capable grass miler, with all seven of her triumphs coming over distances from one mile to 1 1/16 miles. Though she scored four wins as a three-year-old, Quebec peaked as an older horse, winning the Powder Break S. at age five and the Marie G. Krantz Memorial as a six-year-old.

Prior to My World, Quebec foaled Missionary Man, a dominant winner of a one-mile maiden special weight on turf at Belterra Park.

Quebec is one of the relatively less common grass runners sired by North America’s perennial leading sire, Into Mischief. While Into Mischief has sired plenty of talented grass horses through the years, they’re outnumbered by dirt horses among his Grade 1-winning progeny.

Indeed, the list of Grade 1 dirt stars sired by Into Mischief goes on and on. He’s sired a record-equaling three Kentucky Derby winners (Authentic, Mandaloun, and Sovereignty), as well as champions and Breeders’ Cup winners Citizen Bull, Covfefe, Gamine, Life Is Good, and Wonder Wheel, champion and Kentucky Oaks (G1) conqueror Pretty Mischievous, runaway Dubai World Cup (G1) winner Laurel River, and two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) hero Goldencents.

One of Into Mischief’s latest stars, Ted Noffey, is the early favorite for the 2026 Kentucky Derby. He’s almost certain to be voted champion two-year-old male after winning three Grade 1 races in 2025, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Into Mischief’s record as a broodmare sire is still developing, but already his daughters have foaled Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio, who also boasts wins in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), Whitney (G1), and Florida Derby (G1) racing 1 1/8 miles. Other notable runners produced by Into Mischief mares include Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Shisospicy, Madison (G1) heroine Alva Starr, Franklin-Simpson (G1) winner Troubleshooting, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) third-place finisher Governor Sam, and Kentucky Derby starter Track Phantom.

Given Essential Quality’s prowess over classic distances and Into Mischief’s proven record as a sire of Kentucky Derby winners, My World has a pedigree well-suited to success on the first Saturday in May.