Midshipman (USA)
March 26, 2006 – Living
Unbridled’s Song (USA) x Fleet Lady (USA), by Avenue of Flags (USA)
Family 16-g
March 26, 2006 – Living
Unbridled’s Song (USA) x Fleet Lady (USA), by Avenue of Flags (USA)
Family 16-g
A big, strong colt, Midshipman won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (USA-G1) in a front-running performance to seal an Eclipse Award. He was then sent to Dubai to prepare for the American Triple Crown series but did not start there before returning to the United States. Hampered by injury at 3, he ran third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (which in spite of the name was staged on Santa Anita’s synthetic main track) and then returned to Dubai, where he made two starts and won one before being retired in 2010. Suspicions of unsoundness followed him to stud, and he had to make his own way as a stallion before developing a reputation as a reliable breed-to-race sire. He has also done well as a shuttle sire in South America.
Race record
8 starts, 5 wins, 1 second, 1 third, US$1,584,600
2008:
2009:
Honors
Assessments
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 2008, two pounds above second-rated Vineyard Haven.
As an individual
A big, handsome, but rather heavy-bodied chestnut horse, Midshipman is well-balanced, strong, and masculine in appearance. He stands just under 16.1 hands. He was retired to stud due to soft tissue injuries, which had hampered his racing at 3. He was a timid, high-strung colt as a youngster but was quick to learn.
As a stallion
According to the Jockey Club, Midshipman has sired 53 stakes winners as of April 3, 2023. His progeny have won at a variety of distances and over both dirt and synthetics.
Sire rankings
Per the Associação Brasileira de Criadores a Proprietários do Cavalo de Corrida (https://abcpcc.com.br/#):
Per the Stud Book de Chile (www.studbookdechile.cl):
Notable progeny
Cassis Violeta (CHI), Fortino (CHI), Gran Dali (CHI), Royal Ship (BRZ), Succeso (CHI), Tanganyka (BRZ), The Goat (CHI), Tweet (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Midshipman was bred and owned by Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable, which sold all of its horses to Darley shortly before Midshipman’s victory in the Del Mar Futurity. The colt was trained by Bob Baffert through the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, after which he was transferred to Saeed bin Suroor. He was ridden to his success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by Garrett Gomez. He entered stud in 2011 at Darley. Since 2015, he has shuttled to Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, standing at Haras Phillipson in the last-named country.
Pedigree notes
Midshipman is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 2003 Cotillion Handicap (USA-G2) winner Fast Cookie (by Deputy Minister), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Frosted (by Tapit) and 2017 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G3) winner Indulgent (by Bernardini) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Caramel Swirl. He is also a half brother to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Regia Marina (by Medaglia d’Oro) and to Fleeting Touch (by Touch Gold), dam of 2011 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (AUS-G2) winner Running Tall (by Stratum). In addition, he is a half brother to Abtasaamah (by Distorted Humor), dam of 2018 Jimmy Durante Stakes (USA-G3) winner Elsa (by Animal Kingdom).
Midshipman and his siblings are out of multiple Grade 2 winner Fleet Lady (by the Seattle Slew horse Avenue of Flags), whose half sister Mars Princess (by Danehill) is the dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Deep in Ask (by Deep Impact) and Japanese Group 3 winner Buon Voyage (by Lord Kanaloa). Fleet Lady, in turn, is out of the Roberto mare Dear Mimi, a half sister to 1988 Prix de la Forêt (FR-G1) winner Salse (by Topsider). Another half sibling to Dear Mimi, Carnival Delight (by Half a Year) is the dam of Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner War Monger (by War Chant) and stakes winner Brickell (by Deputy Minister).
Dear Mimi and her siblings were produced from the Prince John mare Carnival Princess, a half sister to 1975 Oaks d’Italia (ITY-G1) winner Carnauba (by Noholme II), Grade 3 winners Hey Rube (by Intentionally) and Pink Tights (by Vertex), and stakes winner King of Mardi Gras (by Tentam). Pink Tights, in turn, is the dam of 1983 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Smart N Slick (by Smarten), while Carnauba is the second dam of multiple French Group 2 winner Shaanxi and multiple Grade 3 winner Ebony Breeze.
Books and media
Video footage of Midshipman’s victory in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ypIXPwaE-g.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Darley in 2011. Used by permission.
Last updated: September 7, 2024
Race record
8 starts, 5 wins, 1 second, 1 third, US$1,584,600
2008:
- Won Del Mar Futurity (USA-G1, 7FA, Del Mar)
- Won Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (USA-G1, 8.5FA, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Norfolk Stakes (USA-G1, 8.5FA, Santa Anita)
2009:
- 3rd Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1, 8FA, Santa Anita)
Honors
- Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame (inducted in 2009)
- Eclipse Award, American champion 2-year-old male (2008)
- Aiken-trained Horse of the Year (2008)
Assessments
Highweighted at 126 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juvenile males of 2008, two pounds above second-rated Vineyard Haven.
As an individual
A big, handsome, but rather heavy-bodied chestnut horse, Midshipman is well-balanced, strong, and masculine in appearance. He stands just under 16.1 hands. He was retired to stud due to soft tissue injuries, which had hampered his racing at 3. He was a timid, high-strung colt as a youngster but was quick to learn.
As a stallion
According to the Jockey Club, Midshipman has sired 53 stakes winners as of April 3, 2023. His progeny have won at a variety of distances and over both dirt and synthetics.
Sire rankings
Per the Associação Brasileira de Criadores a Proprietários do Cavalo de Corrida (https://abcpcc.com.br/#):
- 4th on the Brazilian general sire list in 2019/20; 8th in 2020/21.
Per the Stud Book de Chile (www.studbookdechile.cl):
- 7th on the Chilean general sire list in 2022; 8th in 2023.
Notable progeny
Cassis Violeta (CHI), Fortino (CHI), Gran Dali (CHI), Royal Ship (BRZ), Succeso (CHI), Tanganyka (BRZ), The Goat (CHI), Tweet (BRZ)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Midshipman was bred and owned by Robert and Janice McNair’s Stonerside Stable, which sold all of its horses to Darley shortly before Midshipman’s victory in the Del Mar Futurity. The colt was trained by Bob Baffert through the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, after which he was transferred to Saeed bin Suroor. He was ridden to his success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by Garrett Gomez. He entered stud in 2011 at Darley. Since 2015, he has shuttled to Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, standing at Haras Phillipson in the last-named country.
Pedigree notes
Midshipman is outcrossed through five generations. He is a half brother to 2003 Cotillion Handicap (USA-G2) winner Fast Cookie (by Deputy Minister), dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Frosted (by Tapit) and 2017 Go for Wand Handicap (USA-G3) winner Indulgent (by Bernardini) and second dam of Grade 2 winner Caramel Swirl. He is also a half brother to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Regia Marina (by Medaglia d’Oro) and to Fleeting Touch (by Touch Gold), dam of 2011 VRC Sires Produce Stakes (AUS-G2) winner Running Tall (by Stratum). In addition, he is a half brother to Abtasaamah (by Distorted Humor), dam of 2018 Jimmy Durante Stakes (USA-G3) winner Elsa (by Animal Kingdom).
Midshipman and his siblings are out of multiple Grade 2 winner Fleet Lady (by the Seattle Slew horse Avenue of Flags), whose half sister Mars Princess (by Danehill) is the dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Deep in Ask (by Deep Impact) and Japanese Group 3 winner Buon Voyage (by Lord Kanaloa). Fleet Lady, in turn, is out of the Roberto mare Dear Mimi, a half sister to 1988 Prix de la Forêt (FR-G1) winner Salse (by Topsider). Another half sibling to Dear Mimi, Carnival Delight (by Half a Year) is the dam of Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner War Monger (by War Chant) and stakes winner Brickell (by Deputy Minister).
Dear Mimi and her siblings were produced from the Prince John mare Carnival Princess, a half sister to 1975 Oaks d’Italia (ITY-G1) winner Carnauba (by Noholme II), Grade 3 winners Hey Rube (by Intentionally) and Pink Tights (by Vertex), and stakes winner King of Mardi Gras (by Tentam). Pink Tights, in turn, is the dam of 1983 Sapling Stakes (USA-G1) winner Smart N Slick (by Smarten), while Carnauba is the second dam of multiple French Group 2 winner Shaanxi and multiple Grade 3 winner Ebony Breeze.
Books and media
Video footage of Midshipman’s victory in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ypIXPwaE-g.
Fun facts
- A midshipman is an officer trainee in the U. S. Navy and in the navies of many other countries. The rank originally referred to an experienced seaman, who carried out most of his duties amidships and often berthed in the same part of the ship, but over time, the word evolved to indicate a candidate for a position as a commissioned officer..
- Midshipman’s 2008 Juvenile win helped make Garrett Gomez the first jockey to ride three Breeders’ Cup winners on the same day (he also took the Sprint on Midnight Lute and the Dirt Mile on Albertus Maximus).
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Darley in 2011. Used by permission.
Last updated: September 7, 2024