Collectively, this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) entrants provide a particularly strong array of pedigrees, both in terms of sheer quality as well as  cleverness in construction.

Indeed, at least half of the 2010 field enjoys a family tree that demonstrates some valuable form(s) of female fam- ily inbreeding. Remarkably, four of these involve the quite uncommon, yet auspicious, duplication of a key matriarch along their tail-female line.

Specifically, Awesome Act’s fourth dam, Natalma, also is the dam of North- ern Dancer, who appears in the fourth generation of Awesome Act’s  tail-male line.Devil May Care’s sixth dam, Alablue, also is the grandam of Boldnesian, who appears in the fifth generation of the filly’s tail-male line. Line of David’s fourth dam, Gold Digger, also serves as the dam of breed-shaping sire Mr. Prospector, who appears as the broodmare sire of Tale of the Cat, Line of David’s paternal grandsire.

Stately Victor’s fifth dam, Grass Shack, also is the third dam of Deputy Minister who appears as Stately Victor’s paternal great-grandsire. ThecontemporarydominantmalelineofMr.Prospector,whichhas captured nine of the last 15 Derbys, is represented by eight runners in this year’s classic.
Conversely, the two most closely related Derby star ters in tail-female line are Ice Box and Super Saver. The former’s ninth dam, Helene de Troie, also serves as tenth dam to the latter. Helene de Troie is best known as the dam of *La Troienne, arguably 20th century America’s most influential matriarch.

Speaking of *La Troienne, her aggregate influence is particularly rich in the pedigrees of Discreetly Mine and Super Saver, where she contributes a total of seven strains each.

Only four stallions in history have sired winners of the Derby and the Kentucky Oaks (G1) in the same year: King Alfonso in 1885 *McGee in 1918, Bull Lea in ’52 and Native Dancer in ’66. This year Pulpit is the only sire represented in both races (Ice Box, Ailalea).

Rommy Faversham is a pedigree specialist and author living in Los Angeles. More of his work is available at https://www.equicross.com