The late winter/early spring racing season is a time for unveiling fresh talent, and a chance for 3-year-old colts and fillies that weren’t ready for major competition as 2-year-olds to strut their stuff before entering the go-big-or-go-home races that will determine the fields for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1) and the Longines Kentucky Oaks (USA-G1). On February 4, Red Carpet Ready went down the runway in style in her graded stakes debut, the Forward Gal Stakes (USA-G3) at Gulfstream Park. Sitting pretty in third during early going, the Rusty Arnold trainee had no trouble maintaining her undefeated record as she assumed the lead coming off the far turn and drew off in the stretch run under a brisk hand ride. Her win in the seven-furlong sprint earned her 20 points on the Oaks leaderboard, and she should be ready for a trial around two turns in her next outing.
Longer distances should be no problem for the beautifully named Red Carpet Ready, whose sire Oscar Performance had both speed enough to set a one-mile course record of 1:31.23 at Belmont Park and the stamina to win the Belmont Invitational Derby (USA-G1) at a mile and one-quarter. On the other side of her pedigree, the filly’s maternal grandsire is 2007 Kentucky Derby and Travers Stakes (USA-G1) winner Street Sense. The only question here may be whether Red Carpet Ready may be even better suited to turf than she has already proven on the dirt.
Red Carpet Ready’s female line descends from the distinguished Claiborne family of Monarchy, a full sister to the great Round Table but a very different animal in her proclivities. Where Round Table took more after their staying sire, Princequillo, Monarchy was a true daughter of her dam, the speedy and precocious Knight’s Daughter, and scored her biggest win in the 1959 Arlington Lassie Stakes as a 2-year-old. She produced two stakes winners as well as the good Bold Ruler sire sons Blade and Envoy, and her daughter State (by Nijinsky II) became an important producer for Claiborne in her own right.
Red Carpet Ready is a fourth-generation descendant of State’s granddaughter Yarn (by Mr. Prospector). A full sister to 1991 Frizette Stakes (USA-G1) winner Preach, whose son Pulpit (by A. P. Indy) was a multiple Grade 2 winner and a notable Claiborne sire, Yarn was an excellent broodmare, producing 2000 English and Irish champion 2-year-old male Minardi (by Boundary), 1997 King’s Bishop Stakes (USA-G2) winner and successful sire Tale of the Cat (by Storm Cat), and restricted stakes winner Spunoutacontrol (by Wild Again). Yarn also produced Myth (by Ogygian), dam of 2001 American and European champion 2-year-old male Johannesburg (by Hennessy).
Spunoutacontrol did her part to maintain the family at a high standard, producing multiple Grade 2 winner Fed Biz (by Giant’s Causeway) and the restricted stakes-winning A.P. Indy filly Spun Silk; she is also the dam of Whichwaydidshego (by Storm Cat), dam of New York-bred stakes winners Mark My Way (by Noonmark), Hard to Stay Notgo (by More Than Ready), and Haul Anchor (by Bernardini). Spun Silk, in turn, is the dam of 2016 Vosburgh Stakes (USA-G1) winner Joking (by Distorted Humor) and of Wild Silk, dam of Red Carpet Ready. Since Red Carpet Ready, Wild Silk has produced a 2021 filly and a 2022 colt by Oscar Performance and was bred to Not This Time for 2023.
Red Carpet Ready’s next target has not been announced, but she is moving forward at the right time of year and is an intriguing prospect for the Kentucky Oaks. If she can pass a two-turn test later in the spring, look for her to take the opportunity to show what she is made of on an even bigger stage.
Longer distances should be no problem for the beautifully named Red Carpet Ready, whose sire Oscar Performance had both speed enough to set a one-mile course record of 1:31.23 at Belmont Park and the stamina to win the Belmont Invitational Derby (USA-G1) at a mile and one-quarter. On the other side of her pedigree, the filly’s maternal grandsire is 2007 Kentucky Derby and Travers Stakes (USA-G1) winner Street Sense. The only question here may be whether Red Carpet Ready may be even better suited to turf than she has already proven on the dirt.
Red Carpet Ready’s female line descends from the distinguished Claiborne family of Monarchy, a full sister to the great Round Table but a very different animal in her proclivities. Where Round Table took more after their staying sire, Princequillo, Monarchy was a true daughter of her dam, the speedy and precocious Knight’s Daughter, and scored her biggest win in the 1959 Arlington Lassie Stakes as a 2-year-old. She produced two stakes winners as well as the good Bold Ruler sire sons Blade and Envoy, and her daughter State (by Nijinsky II) became an important producer for Claiborne in her own right.
Red Carpet Ready is a fourth-generation descendant of State’s granddaughter Yarn (by Mr. Prospector). A full sister to 1991 Frizette Stakes (USA-G1) winner Preach, whose son Pulpit (by A. P. Indy) was a multiple Grade 2 winner and a notable Claiborne sire, Yarn was an excellent broodmare, producing 2000 English and Irish champion 2-year-old male Minardi (by Boundary), 1997 King’s Bishop Stakes (USA-G2) winner and successful sire Tale of the Cat (by Storm Cat), and restricted stakes winner Spunoutacontrol (by Wild Again). Yarn also produced Myth (by Ogygian), dam of 2001 American and European champion 2-year-old male Johannesburg (by Hennessy).
Spunoutacontrol did her part to maintain the family at a high standard, producing multiple Grade 2 winner Fed Biz (by Giant’s Causeway) and the restricted stakes-winning A.P. Indy filly Spun Silk; she is also the dam of Whichwaydidshego (by Storm Cat), dam of New York-bred stakes winners Mark My Way (by Noonmark), Hard to Stay Notgo (by More Than Ready), and Haul Anchor (by Bernardini). Spun Silk, in turn, is the dam of 2016 Vosburgh Stakes (USA-G1) winner Joking (by Distorted Humor) and of Wild Silk, dam of Red Carpet Ready. Since Red Carpet Ready, Wild Silk has produced a 2021 filly and a 2022 colt by Oscar Performance and was bred to Not This Time for 2023.
Red Carpet Ready’s next target has not been announced, but she is moving forward at the right time of year and is an intriguing prospect for the Kentucky Oaks. If she can pass a two-turn test later in the spring, look for her to take the opportunity to show what she is made of on an even bigger stage.
RSS Feed