Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Neoequos

Speed is a strong suit for Neoequos. He set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth (G2) and pressed the tempo in the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby (G1), ultimately finishing third in both of those Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers.

But does Neoequos have the stamina to stretch out over 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby (G1)? He lost ground from the eighth pole to the finish line in both his Kentucky Derby qualifiers, hinting that classic distances might be farther than he wants to run.

That was the case for Neoequos’ sire, Neolithic. Though never a stakes winner, Neolithic competed with aplomb against tough competition in 2017. He finished third in three Grade/Group 1 races: the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus World Cup (G1), the 1 1/8-mile Woodward (G1), and the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) Dubai World Cup (G1).

These were admirable performances considering Neolithic was squaring off against Arrogate and Gun Runner, a pair of future Hall of Fame inductees. But Neolithic tired down the homestretch in all three races, suggesting shorter distances might have been preferable. His three career victories came racing 1 1/16 miles or less.

Neolithic’s sire, Harlan’s Holiday, likewise showed some distance limitations. Though a three-time Grade 1 winner racing 1 1/8 miles, Harlan’s Holiday went 0-for-6 over 1 1/4 miles, which included a seventh-place finish in the 2002 Kentucky Derby. And Neolithic's dam, Swingit, has also foaled Travel Column, whose stamina topped out at 1 1/16 miles with wins in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and Golden Rod (G2).

At stud, Neolithic is passing on speed, with his progeny winning at a speed-oriented average distance of 6.6 furlongs. He’s sired a handful of stakes winners so far, including one-mile Remington Springboard Mile S. conqueror Make It Big and one-mile Tepin S. heroine Dancing N Dixie. The latter managed to finish third against a small field in the 1 3/16-mile Saratoga Oaks (G3) on turf, but in general, Neolithic’s runners have done their best work racing less than 1 1/16 miles.

Since Neolithic is a source of speed more than stamina, Neoequos will have to rely on the bottom half of his pedigree if he’s going to successfully negotiate 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby. Here, we find mixed signals as far as stamina is concerned.

The dam of Neoequos is Bold Birdie, a three-time winner over distances from five furlongs to 6 1/2 furlongs on synthetic. She also finished third in the 5 1/2-furlong Shady Well S.

Bold Birdie has consistently passed on speed to her foals. Bedrock Birdie, a full-sister to Neoequos, has recorded three wins sprinting five to 5 1/2 furlongs. Wild Embrace, a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Bayern, broke her maiden sprinting at 5 1/2 furlongs. And Brashanknowit, by the long-winded Santa Anita H. (G1) hero Shaman Ghost, has posted four wins over distances from 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 furlongs.

This is all a bit surprising since Bold Birdie is a daughter of Birdstone, a talented stayer who won the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) and 1 1/4-mile Travers (G1). Birdstone’s first crop of foals famously produced two classic winners: Kentucky Derby hero Mine That Bird and Belmont winner Summer Bird. The progeny of Birdstone have compiled an average winning distance of 7.4 furlongs, indicating he passes on stamina.

Rather than passing on the stamina of Birdstone, it appears Bold Birdie is taking after her dam, On the Podium, a two-time sprint winner who placed third in a five-furlong edition of the Shady Well. On the Podium has foaled Quality Lass, winner of the 5 1/2-furlong Satin and Lace S. and five-furlong Turf Amazon H.; Father Bryan, a maiden winner racing one mile; On the Zip, a five-time winner sprinting 5 1/2 to six furlongs; Step Aside Boys, a four-time winner racing one mile to 1 1/16 miles; and Tenacity Zip, who placed in the five-furlong Tamiami H. and five-furlong Victoria S.

On the Podium’s sire, Bold Executive, won the 1 1/8-mile Coronation Futurity, but his best runners at stud have achieved their signature successes over shorter trips. For example, Sand Cove won the 1 1/16-mile Seagram Cup (G3) and Legal Move won half a dozen stakes sprinting six to 6 1/2 furlongs.

The presence of Birdstone notwithstanding, the overall pedigree of Neoequos is geared toward speed, suggesting sprints and short routes will be his strong suit. Classic distances, including the 1 1/4-mile journey of the Kentucky Derby, may be longer than ideal.

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