Second-Crop Sires Have Chance at Third Derby

Colts from their sires' first crops have won the past two runnings of the Kentucky Derby (G1). Nyquist  helped jump-start Ashford Stud stallion Uncle Mo 's blossoming sire career when he won the 2016 Derby, while Always Dreaming did the same for WinStar Farm's Bodemeister  in 2017.

This year, Take Charge Indy and Poseidon's Warrior  have sons that will try to make it a hat trick for second-crop sires.

Take Charge Indy will be represented by WinStar Farm homebred Noble Indy, who is co-owned by Repole Stable and ranks fourth on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 110 points. Noble Indy secured his entry when he won the March 24 TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2). 

Poseidon's Warrior will be represented by Firenze Fire, a Ron Lombardi homebred racing in the name of his Mr. Amore Stable. Firenze Fire is ranked 19th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 39 points from victories in the Champagne Stakes (G1) and Jerome Stakes and a runner-up finish in the Withers Stakes (G3).

Noble Indy is the chief earner for Take Charge Indy, who is the leading second-crop sire in North America with progeny earnings of $1,747,103—about $750,000 more than runner-up Violence  through April 20. Take Charge Indy is also the current leader of his sire class by black-type winners with five.

A son of A.P. Indy, Take Charge Indy is a half brother to 2013 champion 3-year-old colt and first-crop sire Will Take Charge . His two graded stakes winners will both travel to Louisville to compete during the first weekend in May, as Take Charge Paula is slated to start in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 4.

Bred by WinStar, out of the Storm Boot mare Noble Maz, Noble Indy is among 26 graded stakes winners produced from the cross of A.P. Indy sons with Storm Cat-line broodmare sires. This cross is represented by a whopping 1,954 foals, which include 60 (3.1% from foals) black-type winners. Nine runners representing this cross are grade 1 winners, including last year's Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Gormley  and It's Tricky, the dam of grade 2 winner and 2018 Kentucky Derby contender Enticed.

Take Charge Paula, bred by Extern Developments, is out of Perfect Paula. She is one of two foals produced from Songandaprayer mares bred to Take Charge Indy.

Take Charge Indy stands at Jeju Stud Farm in South Korea. He began his career at WinStar Farm for a fee of $20,000 in 2014 and was sent overseas in November 2016. WinStar president and CEO Elliott Walden said in March that discussions have begun about potentially exercising an option to bring Take Charge Indy back to the United States.

Ranked 10th on the second-crop sire list, Poseidon's Warrior has 165 foals of racing age. From 12 winners, his lone black-type winner, Firenze Fire, has earned almost half of the sire's $478,543 progeny earnings so far this year. 

A grade 1-winning son of champion sprinter Speightstown , Poseidon's Warrior was also a top sprinter—his seven wins all came at six furlongs or less, including the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1). He stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida for a fee of $6,500.

The first foal out of the twice-raced mare My Every Wish, Firenze Fire's broodmare sire is Canadian champion sprinter Langfuhr . While it remains to be seen whether Firenze Fire can win beyond a mile—the distance of his Jerome and Champagne victories—it's possible his tail-female line could provide added stamina through his second dam Mille Lacs, a daughter of Unbridled. Mille Lacs is a full sister to Oatsee, who has produced grade 1 winner Lady Joanne; Preakness Stakes (G1) winner and top-10 third-crop sire Shackleford ; graded stakes winners Afleeting Lady and Baghdaria; and stakes winner Stephanoatsee .