On January 22, 2022, previously unheralded Call Me Midnight thrust himself into the developing American Triple Crown picture with a surprise victory in the Lecomte Stakes (USA-G3) at the Fair Grounds. Dismissed at better than 28-1, the late-running son of two-time Breeders' Cup Sprint (USA-G1) winner Midnight Lute took advantage of a favorable pace scenario and scored by a head over Epicenter, earning 10 points toward a starting berth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1).
To be considered a serious contender, Call Me Midnight will have to show in future starts that he can do more than take advantage of a pace meltdown, but he certainly has the pedigree to develop in that direction. He is from the family of two-time English champion filly Noblesse, a clan that includes a number of distinguished representatives on both sides of the Atlantic.
The winner of the 1963 Oaks Stakes, Noblesse clearly stayed well but was quick enough to be a champion at 2. Although she produced only five foals, all were black-type runners, and Noblesse handed down her desirable blend of speed and stamina to two daughters: the Ribot mare Carezza and the Raise a Native mare Where You Lead. Neither were able to emulate their dam's feats, but both inherited enough of her talent to be Group 3 winners and to show good form in more prestigious races.
Carezza, the elder, won the 1972 Nell Gwyn Stakes (ENG-G3) over seven furlongs and was second in the Ribblesdale Stakes (ENG-G2) over 11 furlongs. She was followed by 1973 Musidora Stakes (ENG-G3) winner and Oaks Stakes (USA-G1) runner-up Where You Lead, who has been the primary conduit for Noblesse's family and kicked off her broodmare career by producing 1978 Prix de Minerve (ENG-G3) winner I Will Follow (by Herbager). The first of three Group 1-producing daughters of Where You Lead, I Will Follow, in turn, produced Rainbow Quest (by Blushing Groom), winner of the 1985 Coronation Cup (ENG-G1) and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (FR-G1) and an important sire in Europe.
Where You Lead's unraced daughter by Foolish Pleasure, Idyllic, did good service as a broodmare with three stakes winners to her credit, headed by 1988 Three Chimneys Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Scenic (by Sadler's Wells); she is also the second dam of Group 1-placed Italian Group 3 winner Without Connexion. Nonetheless, Where You Lead's most important producing daughter was also her best racing daughter: Slightly Dangerous (by Roberto), who won the 1982 Fred Darling Stakes (ENG-G3) and, following her dam's example, was second in that year's Oaks Stakes.
The 1997 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, Slightly Dangerous earned her laurels by producing four stakes winners, with one more emerging after the honors had been bestowed. The best was her first, Warning (by Known Fact), a brilliant miler who earned five championship titles in England and France in 1987-1988 before becoming a good sire. The next was Commander in Chief (by Dancing Brave), winner of the 1993 Ever Ready Derby (ENG-G1) and Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1), who was followed by multiple Group 2 winner Dushyantor (by Sadler's Wells), a three-time champion sire and six-time champion broodmare sire in Chile according to the Stud Book de Chile's statistics. Slightly Dangerous then came up with her first stakes-willing filly; this was Yashmak (by Danzig), winner of the 1997 Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) and Ribblesdale Stakes (ENG-G2) before producing 2014 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardére-Grand Critérium (FR-G1) winner Full Mast (by Mizzen Mast) and Group 2-placed Australian listed stakes winner Sound of Nature (by Chester House).
Slightly Dangerous had previously produced listed-placed Shirley Valentine (by Shirley Heights), dam of Group 3 winners Memorise (by Lyphard) and Multiplex (by Danehill) and second dam of English Group 2 winner Await the Dawn and Australian Group 3 winner Index Linked, so when Yashmak's full sister Jibe emerged as a listed stakes winner in 1998 (having previously been Group 1-placed at 2), there was every reason to expect that she would make a good broodmare too. Instead, she was a disappointment, throwing just one winner from eight foals. Four of her six daughters have become stakes producers thus far, however, headed by unraced Overseen (by First Defence), who produced Call Me Midnight as her fourth named foal of racing age. Not the most fortunate of broodmares, Overseen gave birth to a dead foal in 2020 and then missed to Honor Code before being put to Frosted for 2022.
While Call Me Midnight has yet to show that he belongs with the top colts of his crop, he does have something going for him that many other potential Derby horses do not; he broke his maiden over the Churchill Down strip, a distinct plus given that not every horse shows a liking for that surface. Should he progress as hoped during the spring, he may be in a good position to add further distinction to the family of a mare who has already proven herself noble in every way.
To be considered a serious contender, Call Me Midnight will have to show in future starts that he can do more than take advantage of a pace meltdown, but he certainly has the pedigree to develop in that direction. He is from the family of two-time English champion filly Noblesse, a clan that includes a number of distinguished representatives on both sides of the Atlantic.
The winner of the 1963 Oaks Stakes, Noblesse clearly stayed well but was quick enough to be a champion at 2. Although she produced only five foals, all were black-type runners, and Noblesse handed down her desirable blend of speed and stamina to two daughters: the Ribot mare Carezza and the Raise a Native mare Where You Lead. Neither were able to emulate their dam's feats, but both inherited enough of her talent to be Group 3 winners and to show good form in more prestigious races.
Carezza, the elder, won the 1972 Nell Gwyn Stakes (ENG-G3) over seven furlongs and was second in the Ribblesdale Stakes (ENG-G2) over 11 furlongs. She was followed by 1973 Musidora Stakes (ENG-G3) winner and Oaks Stakes (USA-G1) runner-up Where You Lead, who has been the primary conduit for Noblesse's family and kicked off her broodmare career by producing 1978 Prix de Minerve (ENG-G3) winner I Will Follow (by Herbager). The first of three Group 1-producing daughters of Where You Lead, I Will Follow, in turn, produced Rainbow Quest (by Blushing Groom), winner of the 1985 Coronation Cup (ENG-G1) and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (FR-G1) and an important sire in Europe.
Where You Lead's unraced daughter by Foolish Pleasure, Idyllic, did good service as a broodmare with three stakes winners to her credit, headed by 1988 Three Chimneys Dewhurst Stakes (ENG-G1) winner Scenic (by Sadler's Wells); she is also the second dam of Group 1-placed Italian Group 3 winner Without Connexion. Nonetheless, Where You Lead's most important producing daughter was also her best racing daughter: Slightly Dangerous (by Roberto), who won the 1982 Fred Darling Stakes (ENG-G3) and, following her dam's example, was second in that year's Oaks Stakes.
The 1997 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year, Slightly Dangerous earned her laurels by producing four stakes winners, with one more emerging after the honors had been bestowed. The best was her first, Warning (by Known Fact), a brilliant miler who earned five championship titles in England and France in 1987-1988 before becoming a good sire. The next was Commander in Chief (by Dancing Brave), winner of the 1993 Ever Ready Derby (ENG-G1) and Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1), who was followed by multiple Group 2 winner Dushyantor (by Sadler's Wells), a three-time champion sire and six-time champion broodmare sire in Chile according to the Stud Book de Chile's statistics. Slightly Dangerous then came up with her first stakes-willing filly; this was Yashmak (by Danzig), winner of the 1997 Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (USA-G1) and Ribblesdale Stakes (ENG-G2) before producing 2014 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardére-Grand Critérium (FR-G1) winner Full Mast (by Mizzen Mast) and Group 2-placed Australian listed stakes winner Sound of Nature (by Chester House).
Slightly Dangerous had previously produced listed-placed Shirley Valentine (by Shirley Heights), dam of Group 3 winners Memorise (by Lyphard) and Multiplex (by Danehill) and second dam of English Group 2 winner Await the Dawn and Australian Group 3 winner Index Linked, so when Yashmak's full sister Jibe emerged as a listed stakes winner in 1998 (having previously been Group 1-placed at 2), there was every reason to expect that she would make a good broodmare too. Instead, she was a disappointment, throwing just one winner from eight foals. Four of her six daughters have become stakes producers thus far, however, headed by unraced Overseen (by First Defence), who produced Call Me Midnight as her fourth named foal of racing age. Not the most fortunate of broodmares, Overseen gave birth to a dead foal in 2020 and then missed to Honor Code before being put to Frosted for 2022.
While Call Me Midnight has yet to show that he belongs with the top colts of his crop, he does have something going for him that many other potential Derby horses do not; he broke his maiden over the Churchill Down strip, a distinct plus given that not every horse shows a liking for that surface. Should he progress as hoped during the spring, he may be in a good position to add further distinction to the family of a mare who has already proven herself noble in every way.
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