Master Derby (USA)
April 24, 1972 – January 22, 1999
Dust Commander (USA) x Madam Jerry (USA), by Royal Coinage (USA)
Family 1-l
April 24, 1972 – January 22, 1999
Dust Commander (USA) x Madam Jerry (USA), by Royal Coinage (USA)
Family 1-l
The best runner sired by 1970 Kentucky Derby hero Dust Commander, Master Derby was a better racehorse than his sire, winning the Preakness Stakes (USA-G1) and six other graded events. He was a useful sire best remembered for his daughter Doff the Derby, who compiled an outstanding broodmare record in Europe.
Race record
33 starts, 16 wins, 8 seconds, 4 thirds, US$698,625
1974:
1975:
1976:
Honors
Fair Grounds Hall of Fame (inducted in 1992)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1974, 8 pounds below champion Foolish Pleasure.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1975, 1 pound below co-highweights Wajima (the official champion) and Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Foolish Pleasure and tied with Belmont Stakes winner Avatar.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1976, 14 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Forego but tied for second with Foolish Pleasure and Royal Glint.
As an individual
An attractive, smoothly made, short-coupled chestnut standing 15.3 hands, Master Derby had clean limbs, a well-sloped shoulder and an excellent disposition. His one failing as a racehorse was that he lacked a sharp turn of foot. He tended to drift out when tiring. He could act on both fast and off tracks.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Master Derby with siring 321 winners (56.5%) and 30 stakes winners (5.3%) from 568 named foals; The Blood-Horse credits him with 31 stakes winners (5.5%). Master Derby was the champion English/Irish broodmare sire of 1991 thanks to his maternal grandson Generous, who won the Ever Ready Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) and the Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1) that year.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
Notable progeny
Doff the Derby (USA), Uptown Swell (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Generous (IRE), Imagine (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Master Derby was bred by Robert Lehmann and raced in the colors of Lehmann's Golden Chance Farm. He was trained by William E. “Smiley” Adams and was ridden to his Preakness victory by Darrel McHargue. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1977 at Gainesway Farm, later moving to Arnold Farm before being transferred to Lindon Farms, California, in 1995. In 1997, Master Derby was relocated to Notjustanother Farm, California, where he was euthanized on January 22, 1999, due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Master Derby is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 1970 Benjamin Franklin Handicap winner Jerry Crow (by Crozier).
Sired by 1954 Sapling Stakes winner Royal Coinage (also the sire of 1960 Kentucky Derby winner Venetian Way), Madam Jerry won four of her 15 starts. She is a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Our Note (by Royal Note) and to Miss Royal Kret (by Royal Note), dam of multiple stakes winner Diplomatic Note (by Diplomat Way) and juvenile stakes winner Fast Royalty (by Bolinas Boy). Madam Jerry is also a half sister to Noteworthy Kretch (by Royal Note), dam of juvenile stakes winner Dusty Britches (by Run Dusty Run).
Madam Jerry and her siblings were produced from Our Kretchen (by Crafty Admiral), a full sister to 1959 Louisiana Derby winner Master Palynch and 1961 Vineland Handicap winner Frimanaha. The last-named mare is the dam of Irish Group 2 winner Bohemian Grove (by Personality) and the second dam of Turkish Group 2 winner Aristocrat. Produced from the stakes-winning Court Martial mare Adjournment, Our Kretchen is also a full sister to Crafty Princess, dam of 1970 Test Stakes winner Princess Roycraft (by Royal Note) and stakes winner Grasping (by Octopus) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Royal Roberto, Grade 3 winner Singh Tu, and Irish Group 3 winner Johnny O'Day
Books and media
Master Derby is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
Last updated: May 19, 2022
Race record
33 starts, 16 wins, 8 seconds, 4 thirds, US$698,625
1974:
- Won Kindergarten Stakes (USA-G3, 6FD, Liberty Bell)
- Won Dragoon Stakes (first division) (USA-G3, 5.5FD, Liberty Bell)
- 2nd Breeders' Futurity (USA-G3, about 7FD, Keeneland)
- 2nd Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (USA-G3, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Heritage Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Keystone)
- 3rd Lafayette Stakes (USA, 4.5FD, Keeneland; from fourth via disqualifcation)
1975:
- Won Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- Won Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Keeneland)
- Won Louisiana Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Fair Grounds)
- 3rd Belmont Stakes (USA-G1, 12FD, Belmont)
- 3rd Ak-Sar-Ben Omaha Gold Cup Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Ak-Sar-Ben)
1976:
- Won New Orleans Handicap (USA-G3, 9FD, Fair Grounds)
- Won Oaklawn Handicap (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Oaklawn; equaled track record 1:41-3/5)
- Won Louisiana Handicap (USA, 8.5FD, Fair Grounds)
- 2nd Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Trenton Handicap (USA-G2, 10FD, Garden State)
Honors
Fair Grounds Hall of Fame (inducted in 1992)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1974, 8 pounds below champion Foolish Pleasure.
Rated at 125 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American 3-year-old males of 1975, 1 pound below co-highweights Wajima (the official champion) and Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Foolish Pleasure and tied with Belmont Stakes winner Avatar.
Rated at 126 pounds on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap for American older males of 1976, 14 pounds below Horse of the Year and divisional champion Forego but tied for second with Foolish Pleasure and Royal Glint.
As an individual
An attractive, smoothly made, short-coupled chestnut standing 15.3 hands, Master Derby had clean limbs, a well-sloped shoulder and an excellent disposition. His one failing as a racehorse was that he lacked a sharp turn of foot. He tended to drift out when tiring. He could act on both fast and off tracks.
As a stallion
The Jockey Club credits Master Derby with siring 321 winners (56.5%) and 30 stakes winners (5.3%) from 568 named foals; The Blood-Horse credits him with 31 stakes winners (5.5%). Master Derby was the champion English/Irish broodmare sire of 1991 thanks to his maternal grandson Generous, who won the Ever Ready Derby Stakes (ENG-G1) and the Budweiser Irish Derby (IRE-G1) that year.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- Led the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1991.
Per Thoroughbred Heritage (www.tbheritage.com):
- Led the combined English/Irish broodmare sire list in 1991.
Notable progeny
Doff the Derby (USA), Uptown Swell (USA)
Notable progeny of daughters
Generous (IRE), Imagine (IRE)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Master Derby was bred by Robert Lehmann and raced in the colors of Lehmann's Golden Chance Farm. He was trained by William E. “Smiley” Adams and was ridden to his Preakness victory by Darrel McHargue. He entered stud in Kentucky in 1977 at Gainesway Farm, later moving to Arnold Farm before being transferred to Lindon Farms, California, in 1995. In 1997, Master Derby was relocated to Notjustanother Farm, California, where he was euthanized on January 22, 1999, due to the infirmities of old age.
Pedigree notes
Master Derby is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 1970 Benjamin Franklin Handicap winner Jerry Crow (by Crozier).
Sired by 1954 Sapling Stakes winner Royal Coinage (also the sire of 1960 Kentucky Derby winner Venetian Way), Madam Jerry won four of her 15 starts. She is a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Our Note (by Royal Note) and to Miss Royal Kret (by Royal Note), dam of multiple stakes winner Diplomatic Note (by Diplomat Way) and juvenile stakes winner Fast Royalty (by Bolinas Boy). Madam Jerry is also a half sister to Noteworthy Kretch (by Royal Note), dam of juvenile stakes winner Dusty Britches (by Run Dusty Run).
Madam Jerry and her siblings were produced from Our Kretchen (by Crafty Admiral), a full sister to 1959 Louisiana Derby winner Master Palynch and 1961 Vineland Handicap winner Frimanaha. The last-named mare is the dam of Irish Group 2 winner Bohemian Grove (by Personality) and the second dam of Turkish Group 2 winner Aristocrat. Produced from the stakes-winning Court Martial mare Adjournment, Our Kretchen is also a full sister to Crafty Princess, dam of 1970 Test Stakes winner Princess Roycraft (by Royal Note) and stakes winner Grasping (by Octopus) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Royal Roberto, Grade 3 winner Singh Tu, and Irish Group 3 winner Johnny O'Day
Books and media
Master Derby is profiled in Chapter 10 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
Fun facts
- Master Derby was supplemented to the Preakness Stakes at a cost of US$10,000 on the recommendation of trainer Smiley Adams, who felt the colt had been “roughed up a bit” in the Kentucky Derby (in which he was fourth) and deserved another chance at a Classic.
- At 23-1, Master Derby was the longest shot to win the Preakness Stakes, a record he still holds as of 2022.
- Master Derby is one of only four Louisiana Derby winners to win a Triple Crown event. The others are Black Gold (1924 Kentucky Derby), Risen Star (1988 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes) and Grindstone (1996 Kentucky Derby).
Last updated: May 19, 2022