Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Plutarch

It’s fitting to see Plutarch emerge as a 2026 Kentucky Derby (G1) contender. His pedigree contains two of the most dominant Kentucky Derby sires of the last decade.

Although Plutarch has shown ability on turf, dirt appears to be his true calling. On the Road to the Kentucky Derby, he’s won the Robert B. Lewis (G3) and placed third in the American Pharoah (G1). That’s in keeping with the racing and breeding accomplishments of his immediate ancestors.

Plutarch’s sire, Into Mischief, is thoroughly familiar to Kentucky Derby fans. A sprinter/miler who won the CashCall Futurity (G1), Into Mischief has developed into North America’s dominant stallion, ranking as the leading sire by progeny earnings every year since 2019. Along the way, he’s sired a record-equaling three winners of the Kentucky Derby: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025). In addition, Into Mischief’s son Goldencents is the sire of 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.

For the most part, Into Mischief sires dirt horses, but they have excelled over a variety of distances. Many have starred as sprinters and milers, including Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winners Gamine and Covfefe and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) conquerors Goldencents and Life Is Good.

While there have been exceptions, Into Mischief’s best route racers are often produced from stout female families. Mandaloun’s dam sire is Empire Maker, winner of the 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1). Sovereignty’s dam is by Bernardini, a champion and 1 3/16-mile Preakness (G1) winner. Laurel River, winner of the Dubai World Cup (G1) racing 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), counts Empire Maker as his dam sire. And champion and 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Pretty Mischievous is out of a mare by Tapit, the sire of Belmont winners Tonalist, Creator, Tapwrit, and Essential Quality.

This is good news for Plutarch’s Kentucky Derby chances, because his female family is packed with classic stamina.

Plutarch’s dam is Stellar Wind, the champion three-year-old filly of 2015 after winning the 1 1/16-mile Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and three other graded stakes, in addition to finishing second by a neck in the 1 1/8-mile Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1). At ages four and five, she picked up five more Grade 1 wins over distances from one mile to 1 1/16 miles, emerging as one of the most accomplished U.S. race mares of the last dozen years.

Stellar Wind is passing on route racing prowess to her foals. Her son Magnify, sired by Triple Crown winner Justify, won a one-mile maiden special weight on dirt. Her daughter, In the Stars—sired by Into Mischief and thus a full-sister to Plutarch—has scored maiden special weight and allowance wins racing one mile on turf.

The sources of Stellar Wind’s talent and stamina are clear. First off, she’s a daughter of Curlin, one of this century’s best performers over classic distances on dirt. After winning the Preakness and recording top-three finishes in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, Curlin went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), Dubai World Cup, and two editions of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) over 1 1/4 miles.

Curlin has since developed into a tremendous source of classic stamina at stud. He’s sired Belmont winner Palace Malice, Preakness winners Exaggerator and Journalism, and three runners-up in the Kentucky Derby (Exaggerator, Journalism, and Good Magic). He’s sired a lengthy roster of Grade 1 winners over 1 1/4 miles on dirt, including champion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso. And his sons Keen Ice and Good Magic have respectively sired Kentucky Derby winners Rich Strike (2022) and Mage (2023), which means Curlin has been the sire or grandsire of five Kentucky Derby exacta finishers in the last decade.

But wait, there’s more. Stellar Wind’s dam is Evening Star, the winner of maiden and allowance races over 1 1/16 miles on turf. She, in turn, is a daughter of Malibu Moon, the sire of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb. Daughters of Malibu Moon have foaled a number of accomplished route racers, including champion and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone, Preakness runner-up Midnight Bourbon, and 1 1/4-mile Santa Anita H. (G1) winner Locked.

And don’t forget, Malibu Moon is a son of A.P. Indy, the Belmont and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, renowned as a source of stamina at stud. A.P. Indy’s many Grade 1-winning sons and daughters include the above-mentioned Bernardini and also Belmont and Kentucky Oaks winner Rags to Riches.

Any way you slice it, Plutarch is bred to excel in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont.