Unbridled (USA)
March 5, 1987 – October 18, 2001
Fappiano (USA) x Gana Facil (USA), by Le Fabuleux (FR)
Family 1-r
March 5, 1987 – October 18, 2001
Fappiano (USA) x Gana Facil (USA), by Le Fabuleux (FR)
Family 1-r
The last champion bred by Tartan Farms, Unbridled was the first Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) starter for longtime racing owner Frances A. Genter, who had been involved in Thoroughbred racing since 1940. The colt's victory provided one of the most touching moments in Derby history as trainer Carl Nafzger, oblivious to news cameras, called Unbridled's winning stretch drive for Mrs. Genter's benefit since the frail 92-year old could not see over the people around her. Although Unbridled failed to win another race that summer, he placed consistently and in the fall won the Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1), sealing a title as American champion 3-year-old male. Unsoundness hampered the colt's 4-year-old campaign, but he showed enough speed to defeat champion sprinter Housebuster over seven furlongs, leaving the question open of how good he might have been had he stayed healthy. Unbridled became one of Fappiano's most successful sons at stud and helped develop what has become the most Classic-oriented branch of the Mr. Prospector male line.
Race record
24 starts, 8 wins, 6 seconds, 6 thirds, US$4,489,475
1989:
1990:
1991:
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1990)
Assessments
Rated at 116 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1989, 10 pounds below champion Rhythm.
As an individual
A bay horse, Unbridled stood 16.3 hands. He had a massive build inherited from his broodmare sire, Le Fabuleux. His forelegs were poorly conformed, particularly the right, which turned out markedly. He had a kindly temperament. Although he normally raced on the diuretic furosemide, he was able to win the 1990 Breeders' Cup Classic off the medication, which was not yet legal under New York racing rules; he also showed no signs of bleeding when scoped after his fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Unbridled sired 279 winners (47.9%) and 48 stakes winners (8.2%) from 582 named foals; The Blood-Horse credits him with 49 stakes winners (8.4%). He transmitted size and scope to his progeny, but many of his foals were too unsound to race successfully. Unbridled was often thought of as a source of stamina and did sire a number of good horses that stayed well but is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
Per The Blood-Horse:
Notable progeny
Anees (USA), Banshee Breeze (USA), Eddington (USA), Empire Maker (USA), Exogenous (USA), Grindstone (USA), Halfbridled (USA), Manistique (USA), Niigon (CAN), Red Bullet (USA), Smuggler (USA), Unbridled's Song (USA), Unshaded (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Unbridled was bred by Tartan Farms, then owned by James and Virginia Binger. He was purchased by Frances A. Genter Stable for US$70,000 at the Tartan-Nerud dispersal at the 1987 Keeneland November mixed sale. He was trained by Carl A. Nafzger. He entered stud in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm in 1992. He died from severe colic at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute near Lexington, Kentucky, at the age of 14.
Pedigree notes
Unbridled is inbred 4x4 to the noted broodmare Aspidistra and 4x5 to 1951 Santa Anita Derby winner Rough'n Tumble, the first important sire to stand in Florida. He is a full brother to 1991 Wood Memorial Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Cahill Road. He is also a half brother to Orseno (by In Reality), dam of listed stakes winner Minery (by Forty Niner; dam of Grade 3 winner Terrain, by Sky Mesa); to Gana (by Smile), second dam of 2011 Polla de Potrillos (PER-G1) winner Mr. Dany, multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Dando Amor, Grade 2 winner Princess Warrior, and Peruvian stakes winners Dr. Danny and Scat Danny; and to Ganasheba (by Alysheba) second dam of multiple Italian stakes winner Elettroteno.
Gana Facil, the dam of Unbridled, is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Pentelicus (by Fappiano), a useful regional sire in Florida. She is also a half sister to Magic Blue (by Cure the Blues), dam of stakes winner Palikar (by Star de Naskra). The next dam in Unbridled's female line, Charedi (by In Reality) is a half sister to stakes winner Magnificence (by Graustark) and to Magaro (by Caro), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Coolawin (by Nodouble) and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Tayasu Tsuyoshi (by Sunday Silence) and second dam of English Group 3 winner Silver Rhapsody, Australian stakes winner Cuban Sunday, and Malaysian stakes winner Taichi Master. Charedi is also a half sister to Mazurka (by Northern Dancer), second dam of 1996 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Cavonnier and Chilean Group 3 winner Out Law. The third dam of Unbridled, the Buckpasser mare Magic, is out of Aspidistra and thus is a half sister to 1968 American Horse of the Year Dr. Fager and two-time American champion sprinter Ta Wee.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: November 17, 2020
Race record
24 starts, 8 wins, 6 seconds, 6 thirds, US$4,489,475
1989:
- Won What a Pleasure Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FD, Calder)
- 2nd In Reality Stakes (USA-LR, 8.5FD, Calder)
- 2nd Canterbury Juvenile Stakes (USA-L, 8FD, Canterbury Downs)
- 3rd Arch Ward Stakes (USA, 7FD, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Waukegan Breeders' Cup Stakes (USA, 6.5FD, Arlington Park)
1990:
- Won Kentucky Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Belmont)
- Won Florida Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Preakness Stakes (USA-G1, 9.5FD, Pimlico)
- 2nd Super Derby (USA-G1, 10FD, Louisiana Downs)
- 2nd Secretariat Stakes (USA-G1, 10FT, Arlington Park)
- 3rd Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Fountain of Youth Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Gulfstream Park)
1991:
- Won Deputy Minister Handicap (USA-L, 7FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Fayette Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Keeneland)
- 3rd Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Pacific Classic Stakes (USA-L, 10FD, Del Mar)
Honors
Eclipse Award, American champion 3-year-old male (1990)
Assessments
Rated at 116 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for American juveniles of 1989, 10 pounds below champion Rhythm.
As an individual
A bay horse, Unbridled stood 16.3 hands. He had a massive build inherited from his broodmare sire, Le Fabuleux. His forelegs were poorly conformed, particularly the right, which turned out markedly. He had a kindly temperament. Although he normally raced on the diuretic furosemide, he was able to win the 1990 Breeders' Cup Classic off the medication, which was not yet legal under New York racing rules; he also showed no signs of bleeding when scoped after his fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
As a stallion
According to statistics kept by The Jockey Club, Unbridled sired 279 winners (47.9%) and 48 stakes winners (8.2%) from 582 named foals; The Blood-Horse credits him with 49 stakes winners (8.4%). He transmitted size and scope to his progeny, but many of his foals were too unsound to race successfully. Unbridled was often thought of as a source of stamina and did sire a number of good horses that stayed well but is a Brilliant/Intermediate chef-de-race in the Roman-Miller dosage system.
Sire rankings
Per Great Thoroughbred Sires of the World (2006, Churchill, Reichard, and Rogers):
- 5th on the American general sire list in 1999; 10th in 2001 and 2003.
Per The Blood-Horse:
- 8th on the American broodmare sire list in 2011.
Notable progeny
Anees (USA), Banshee Breeze (USA), Eddington (USA), Empire Maker (USA), Exogenous (USA), Grindstone (USA), Halfbridled (USA), Manistique (USA), Niigon (CAN), Red Bullet (USA), Smuggler (USA), Unbridled's Song (USA), Unshaded (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Unbridled was bred by Tartan Farms, then owned by James and Virginia Binger. He was purchased by Frances A. Genter Stable for US$70,000 at the Tartan-Nerud dispersal at the 1987 Keeneland November mixed sale. He was trained by Carl A. Nafzger. He entered stud in Kentucky at Claiborne Farm in 1992. He died from severe colic at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute near Lexington, Kentucky, at the age of 14.
Pedigree notes
Unbridled is inbred 4x4 to the noted broodmare Aspidistra and 4x5 to 1951 Santa Anita Derby winner Rough'n Tumble, the first important sire to stand in Florida. He is a full brother to 1991 Wood Memorial Invitational Stakes (USA-G1) winner Cahill Road. He is also a half brother to Orseno (by In Reality), dam of listed stakes winner Minery (by Forty Niner; dam of Grade 3 winner Terrain, by Sky Mesa); to Gana (by Smile), second dam of 2011 Polla de Potrillos (PER-G1) winner Mr. Dany, multiple Argentine Group 2 winner Dando Amor, Grade 2 winner Princess Warrior, and Peruvian stakes winners Dr. Danny and Scat Danny; and to Ganasheba (by Alysheba) second dam of multiple Italian stakes winner Elettroteno.
Gana Facil, the dam of Unbridled, is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Pentelicus (by Fappiano), a useful regional sire in Florida. She is also a half sister to Magic Blue (by Cure the Blues), dam of stakes winner Palikar (by Star de Naskra). The next dam in Unbridled's female line, Charedi (by In Reality) is a half sister to stakes winner Magnificence (by Graustark) and to Magaro (by Caro), dam of multiple Grade 2 winner Coolawin (by Nodouble) and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Tayasu Tsuyoshi (by Sunday Silence) and second dam of English Group 3 winner Silver Rhapsody, Australian stakes winner Cuban Sunday, and Malaysian stakes winner Taichi Master. Charedi is also a half sister to Mazurka (by Northern Dancer), second dam of 1996 Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1) winner Cavonnier and Chilean Group 3 winner Out Law. The third dam of Unbridled, the Buckpasser mare Magic, is out of Aspidistra and thus is a half sister to 1968 American Horse of the Year Dr. Fager and two-time American champion sprinter Ta Wee.
Books and media
- Unbridled is profiled in Chapter 12 of Avalyn Hunter's American Classic Pedigrees 1914-2002 (2003, Eclipse Press).
- Footage of Unbridled's Breeders' Cup Classic victory can be accessed at the Breeders' Cup Hall of Champions (https://www.breederscup.com/history-tradition/hall-champions/unbridled).
Fun facts
- Unbridled is the second Kentucky Derby winner to win the Breeders' Cup Classic as a 3-year-old, following Sunday Silence in 1989.
- Unbridled was actually the second American stakes winner of that name. The first, a 1947 bay horse by Unbreakable out of the Blue Larkspur mare Lark Song, was much less distinguished, only winning a single stakes event as a juvenile.
- Carl Nafzger's impromptu call of Unbridled's Kentucky Derby stretch run was ranked #46 in Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments, a review of racing in the 20th century compiled by The Blood-Horse and released in 2006.
- Unbridled was a great favorite of Nafzger, who lovingly referred to the horse as "the Gentle Giant."
Last updated: November 17, 2020