Canadian Broodmare Sires Could Have an Impact on this Year's Kentucky Derby Trail

With thoroughbred season at Woodbine still three months away I like to shift my attention to the Kentucky Derby trail in the winter.  When putting together my "top 10 to watch" for the Kentucky Derby trail this year I came across an interesting piece of Canadiana; 5 of the top early KD contenders have Canadian bred sires as broodmare sires.

The Cash Call futurity at Hollywood was an exacta of Canadian broodmare sires with Liaison and Rousing Sermon running 1-2. 

Liaison is a fast son of Indian Charlie for Bob Baffert.  With Indian Charlie being the sire you have to wonder how well he is going to stretch out but luckily for him, Canadian bred, Belmont winner, Victory Gallop is his broodmare sire.

Rousing Sermon may have been best in the Cash Call as he had to go very very wide and still got up for second.  Sired by a son of Pulpit he has distance breeding on top but if he needs any help stretching out he will get it from his broodmare sire, Canadian bred Awesome Again.

There have been three important stake races for 3 year olds this year:  The Gulfstream Park Derby, the Sham Stakes and the Count Fleet Stakes.  2 of the 3 winners have Canadian bred broodmare sires.

Alpha may be Darley/Godolphin's best chance so far at winning a Kentucky Derby.  He firmly stamped his spot on everyone's "to watch list" after winning the Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct with ease.  Alpha's broodmare sire is the winner of the 1970 English triple crown, Canadian bred Nijinsky II.

Reveron upset the Gulfstream Park Derby over a personal favourite of the blog's Casual Trick.  A son of Songandaprayer he will need help stretching out from his dam's side and here again we find one of the best stamina influences in NA right now; Canadian bred Awesome Again.

Of course, it would be foolish to compile any Kentucky Derby list without looking back at last years BC juvenille.

Dullahan could be the one other than Union Rags and Hansen who is the most sought after in KD fantasy pools.  Well back early he makes a terrific late run to come from 13th and finish 4th.  Dullahan is a half brother to 2009 winner Mine That Bird and both are out of a mare who was sired by Canadian bred Smart Strike.

Interestingly, none of the dam's are Canadian bred but none the less it could be a banner year for Canadian bred broodmare sires.