Kentucky Derby pedigree profile: U. S. S. Valor

U. S. S. Valor ranks among the most exciting contenders for the 2027 Kentucky Derby (G1) after unleashing a powerful finish to win Belmont Park's one-mile Champagne (G1) on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

U. S. S. Valor’s performances thus far suggest he’ll relish the Kentucky Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance. But does his pedigree agree? Does he have the bloodlines to handle the Derby’s testing distance?

Certainly, the top half of U. S. S. Valor’s pedigree is promising. His sire, War of Will, was a versatile runner who handled a variety of distances and surfaces. On dirt, he scored his signature win in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness (G1), the second leg of the Triple Crown. On turf, he starred in the one-mile Maker’s Mark Mile (G1).

The sources of War of Will’s versatility are easy to locate. His sire, War Front, won the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) sprinting on dirt, but developed into an elite stallion who sired dirt and turf horses alike. And War of Will’s dam, Visions of Clarity, also foaled Pathfork (winner of the Vincent O’Brien National [G1] sprinting on turf) and Tacticus (conqueror of the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone S. on dirt).

Unsurprisingly, War of Will is siring both dirt horses and turf runners. His notable grass winners include one-mile Jimmy Durante (G3) heroine Will Then and six-furlong Matron (G3) winner Final Accord. Meanwhile, his son Quarry has starred on dirt, winning the 1 1/4-mile Canadian Derby (G3) and 1 1/8-mile Super Derby.

Even though War of Will is a relatively young stallion whose first starters hit the races in 2024, his runners have compiled a respectable average winning distance of 7.1 furlongs, suggesting he passes on a mix of speed and stamina. On the bright side from a stamina standpoint, Quarry isn’t the only son or daughter of War of Will to perform well against stakes competition over 1 1/4 miles. There’s also Will Then, who stretched out to finish a close third in the 1 1/4-mile American Oaks (G1), beaten only three-quarters of a length.

All told, War of Will appears capable of siring a Kentucky Derby horse. But what about the dam side of U. S. S. Valor’s pedigree? Does it similarly offer potential for success racing 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May?

U. S. S. Valor’s dam, Spangled Banner, was a fairly unremarkable racehorse who won only once in 15 starts. However, her lone victory came racing one mile and 40 yards, so she did showcase enough stamina to win a two-turn race.

Spangled Banner foaled three winners prior to U. S. S. Valor: Expressman, winner of a 1 1/8-mile $25,000 allowance optional claimer and third in the seven-furlong Carter H. (G1); Malibu Anthem, a claimer who won four times over distances from 6 1/2 furlongs to one mile and 70 yards; and Proctor Phantom, a maiden winner dashing six furlongs. All three of these runners performed best on dirt.

Digging deeper, Spangled Banner is a daughter of Tiz Wonderful, whose sire—Tiznow—is the only horse to win the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) twice. Tiz Wonderful went 3-for-3 as a juvenile, winning the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and the one-mile Iroquois (G3), but he failed to win in two starts during an abbreviated three-year-old campaign before retiring to stud.

During his North American stud career (he was sold to stand in South Korea starting with the 2015 season), Tiz Wonderful proved capable of siring notable winners over a variety of distances. Examples include:

• Condo Commando, winner of the seven-furlong Spinaway (G1), 1 1/8-mile Demoiselle (G2), and 1 1/8-mile Gazelle (G2) on dirt.
• Lady Ivanka, another Spinaway winner.
• Hunter O’Riley, conqueror of the United Nations (G1) and Bowling Green (G2) racing 1 3/8 miles on turf.
• In Trouble, victorious in the six-furlong Futurity (G2) on dirt.
• Rayya, winner of the UAE Oaks (G3) and runner-up in the UAE Derby (G2) over 1,900 meters (about 1 3/16 miles) on dirt.
• Selcourt, winner of the seven-furlong Santa Monica (G2) and six-furlong Las Flores (G3) on dirt.
• Scherzinger, who likewise won the Santa Monica.

Meanwhile, daughters of Tiz Wonderful have foaled notable graded stakes winners like The Chosen Vron, a two-time winner of the six-furlong Bing Crosby (G1) who also won the 1 1/16-mile Affirmed (G3) around two turns; Wonder Wheel, a champion two-year-old filly after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Alcibiades (G1) racing 1 1/16 miles; California Angel, victorious in the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine (G2) on turf; Uncle Heavy, who took the 1 1/8-mile Withers (G3) on dirt; Quatrocento, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay (G3) on turf; and Command Line, conqueror of the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (G3) racing 1,600 meters (about one mile) on turf in Japan.

Taking all of these facts together, it appears there’s a tendency for descendants of Tiz Wonderful to excel at racing 1 1/8 miles or less, though there are exceptions like Hunter O’Riley and Rayya. This is reflected in the fact that Tiz Wonderful’s runners have compiled an average winning distance of 6.8 furlongs, indicating a stallion who sires plenty of sprinters and milers.

A case can be made that the cross of War of Will with a mare by Tiz Wonderful is geared a bit more toward success racing 1 1/8 miles or less than 1 1/4 miles in the Kentucky Derby. But that’s not definitive.

There’s also a distinct possibility U. S. S. Valor will relish turf if he ever switches surfaces in the future.