Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: Satono Voyage

Into Mischief has been the dominant sire of Kentucky Derby (G1) winners in recent years. He’s sired a record-equaling three winners of the Run for the Roses: Authentic (2020), Mandaloun (2021), and Sovereignty (2025). In addition, he’s the grandsire of 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan.

Now Into Mischief is launching a multinational assault on the 2026 Kentucky Derby. In the U.S., he’s the sire of probable champion two-year-old male Ted Noffey. And in Japan, he’s the sire of Satono Voyage, who kicked off the 2025-26 Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby with a sharp success in the Cattleya S. at Tokyo Racecourse.

Satono Voyage brought his record on dirt to a perfect 3-for-3 with a 1 1/2-length triumph in the 1,600-meter (about one-mile) race. At least one Japan-based horse has started in the Kentucky Derby every year since 2022, and Satono Voyage appears to have the talent and pedigree to continue the streak.

As a son of Into Mischief, Satono Voyage is well suited for success in the spring classics. It helps that his dam boasts a pedigree packed with stamina, emulating the stout female families of Mandaloun and Sovereignty, whose dams were respectively daughters of 1 1/2-mile Belmont (G1) winner Empire Maker and 1 3/16-mile Preakness (G1) hero Bernardini.

This is important since Into Mischief has sired many talented sprinters and milers like Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winners Goldencents and Life Is Good and Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) conquerors Gamine and Covfefe. The amount of stamina contributed by the female family helps determine whether any given son of or daughter of Into Mischief thrives as a sprinter/miler or stays classic distances.

Satono Voyage’s dam is Jolie Olimpica, a daughter of Belmont winner Drosselmeyer. Stamina was Drosselmeyer’s strong suit; his other stakes wins came racing 1 1/4 miles in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and One Count S., and he also ran second in the 1 1/2-mile Brooklyn (G2).

Furthermore, Jolie Olimpica was produced by the Trempolino mare Jolie Celina. Trempolino was a long-winded grass star who won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) racing 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) before finishing second in the 1 1/2-mile Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). At stud, his best runners included Valixir, winner of five group stakes over distances from 1,600 meters to 2,400 meters; Germany, winner of the 2,400-meter Grosser Preis Von Baden (G1); and Dernier Empereur, conqueror of the 1 1/4-mile Champion (G1).

The stamina of Drosselmeyer and Trempolino should help Satono Voyage stay 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby. But if you’re concerned about an overabundance of stamina at the expense of speed, never fear, for there are also some speedier elements in the bottom half of Satono Voyage’s pedigree.

Consider his dam, Jolie Olimpica. Despite being bred to relish classic distances, she proved most effective as a sprinter/miler, winning the 1,600-meter Grande Premio Jockey Club Brasileiro (G1) in her native Brazil before nabbing the 5 1/2-furlong Monrovia (G2) and 5 1/2-furlong Las Cienegas (G3) in the U.S. plus the one-mile Nassau (G2) in Canada.

Jolie Celina likewise achieved her best showing over 1,600 meters, finishing second in Brazil’s Grande Premio Henrique Possolo (G1), though she also proved sufficiently stout to record top-three finishes in the Grande Premio Adayr Eiras de Araujo (G2), Grande Premio Duque de Caxias (G2), and Grande Premio Carlos Telle e Carlos Gilberto da Rocha Faria (G2) over 2,000 meters.

In addition to Jolie Olimpica, Jolie Celina is the dam of Domenica, a versatile horse who recorded three group stakes wins over distance of 1,300 meters (about 6 1/2 furlongs), 1,600 meters, and 2,000 meters.

Even Drosselmeyer, for all his success over classic distances, has proven capable of siring speedy sorts. Jolie Olimpica is an obvious example, but Drosselmeyer is also responsible for Filo Di Arianna, winner of six graded and group stakes over distances from six furlongs to one mile.

Taking all of these factors together, the pedigree of Satono Voyage is geared for success racing 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby.