Goldencents (USA)
March 7, 2010 – Living
Into Mischief (USA) x Golden Works (USA), by Banker’s Gold (USA)
Family 4-m
March 7, 2010 – Living
Into Mischief (USA) x Golden Works (USA), by Banker’s Gold (USA)
Family 4-m
The first top son of Into Mischief, Goldencents was a consistent racer who stayed well enough to be a Grade 1 winner at 9 furlongs but proved not quite up to Classic distances, finishing unplaced in both the Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) and the Preakness Stakes (USA-G1). At his best he was a high-class miler, capturing two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1). Sent to stud at Spendthrift Farm (where he has been standing alongside his own sire), he has been more reliable than spectacular but hit the big time in a big way when his son Mystik Dan captured the 2024 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (USA-G1).
Race record
18 starts, 7 wins, 7 seconds, 0 thirds, US$3,044,000
2012:
2013:
2014:
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds in the Mile category on the 2013 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 11 pounds below highweighted Black Caviar (the Australian Horse of the Year); 10 pounds below the top-rated miler, American Horse of the Year Wise Dan; and five pounds below the top-rated dirt miler, Fort Larned.
Rated at 120 pounds in both the Sprint and Mile categories on the 2014 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below highweighted Just a Way, the champion older male in Japan and also the top-rated horse in the Mile category; 3 pounds below Lankan Rupee (the Australian Horse of the Year) in the Sprint category; and 5 pounds below the top-rated dirt miler, Bayern, but tops among sprinters on all-weather surfaces.
As an individual
A strong-bodied bay horse, Goldencents has the muscular build, good hind leg, and excellent balance typical of the progeny of his sire. Doug O’Neill described him as having an “amazing” mind.
As a stallion
Goldencents entered stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2015. He has been mostly a source of speed.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (https://www.arion.co.nz):
Notable progeny
Going to Vegas (USA), Mystik Dan (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Goldencents was bred by Rosecrest Farm and Karyn Pirrello. A US$5,500 yearling purchase from the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Fall Kentucky sale, he resold for US$62,000 through the 2012 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June sale of 2-year-olds in training. He was owned by Glenn Sorgenstein's W. C. Racing, Dave Kenney, and RAP Racing. He was trained by Doug O'Neill and was ridden to both his wins in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile by Rafael Bejarano. He entered stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2015.
Pedigree notes
Goldencents is outcrossed through five generations. He is out of the winner Golden Works, whose sire, the Forty Niner horse Banker’s Gold, won the 1997 Peter Pan Stakes (USA-G2) and the 1998 Tom Fool Handicap (USA-G2).
Golden Works is the only foal of any significance produced from multiple stakes winner Body Works (by Bold Ruckus). She in turn is the only foal of significance produced from multiple stakes-placed Kinto (by 1972 Remsen Stakes winner Kinsman Hope, by Swoon’s Son). The next dam in Goldencents’s tail-female line, Where To (by 1961 Canadian Horse of the Year Hidden Treasure), is an unraced half sister to Mostly Sunny (by Sunny), dam of 1982 Canadian champion 2-year-old male and 1983 Kentucky Derby winner Sunny’s Halo (by Halo) and second dam of 2001 Turkish champion older male Medya.
Books and media
Footage of Goldencents’s victory in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MjvStXf15U.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Spendthrift Farm in 2016. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 9, 2025
Race record
18 starts, 7 wins, 7 seconds, 0 thirds, US$3,044,000
2012:
- Won Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (USA-G3, 8.5FD, Delta Downs)
- 2nd Foxwoods Champagne Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
2013:
- Won Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Santa Anita Derby (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Sham Stakes (USA-G3, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Bing Crosby Stakes (USA-G1, 6FA, Del Mar)
- 2nd Santa Anita Sprint Championship (USA-G1, 6FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Pat O'Brien Stakes (USA-G2, 7FA, Del Mar)
2014:
- Won Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Pat O'Brien Stakes (USA-G2, 7FA, Del Mar; new track record 1:20.99)
- 2nd Metropolitan Handicap (USA-G1, 8FD, Belmont)
- 2nd Bing Crosby Stakes (USA-G1, 6FA, Del Mar)
- 2nd Santa Anita Sprint Championship (USA-G1, 6FD, Santa Anita)
Assessments
Rated at 119 pounds in the Mile category on the 2013 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 11 pounds below highweighted Black Caviar (the Australian Horse of the Year); 10 pounds below the top-rated miler, American Horse of the Year Wise Dan; and five pounds below the top-rated dirt miler, Fort Larned.
Rated at 120 pounds in both the Sprint and Mile categories on the 2014 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below highweighted Just a Way, the champion older male in Japan and also the top-rated horse in the Mile category; 3 pounds below Lankan Rupee (the Australian Horse of the Year) in the Sprint category; and 5 pounds below the top-rated dirt miler, Bayern, but tops among sprinters on all-weather surfaces.
As an individual
A strong-bodied bay horse, Goldencents has the muscular build, good hind leg, and excellent balance typical of the progeny of his sire. Doug O’Neill described him as having an “amazing” mind.
As a stallion
Goldencents entered stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2015. He has been mostly a source of speed.
Sire rankings
Per Arion Pedigrees (https://www.arion.co.nz):
- 8th on the North American general sire list in 2024.
Notable progeny
Going to Vegas (USA), Mystik Dan (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, Goldencents was bred by Rosecrest Farm and Karyn Pirrello. A US$5,500 yearling purchase from the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Fall Kentucky sale, he resold for US$62,000 through the 2012 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June sale of 2-year-olds in training. He was owned by Glenn Sorgenstein's W. C. Racing, Dave Kenney, and RAP Racing. He was trained by Doug O'Neill and was ridden to both his wins in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile by Rafael Bejarano. He entered stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2015.
Pedigree notes
Goldencents is outcrossed through five generations. He is out of the winner Golden Works, whose sire, the Forty Niner horse Banker’s Gold, won the 1997 Peter Pan Stakes (USA-G2) and the 1998 Tom Fool Handicap (USA-G2).
Golden Works is the only foal of any significance produced from multiple stakes winner Body Works (by Bold Ruckus). She in turn is the only foal of significance produced from multiple stakes-placed Kinto (by 1972 Remsen Stakes winner Kinsman Hope, by Swoon’s Son). The next dam in Goldencents’s tail-female line, Where To (by 1961 Canadian Horse of the Year Hidden Treasure), is an unraced half sister to Mostly Sunny (by Sunny), dam of 1982 Canadian champion 2-year-old male and 1983 Kentucky Derby winner Sunny’s Halo (by Halo) and second dam of 2001 Turkish champion older male Medya.
Books and media
Footage of Goldencents’s victory in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MjvStXf15U.
Fun facts
- Goldencents became the first horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile twice, capturing the race in 2013 and 2014. His feat was duplicated by 2023 American Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish, who won the Dirt Mile in 2022 and 2023.
- For the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Goldencents was officially trained by Doug O’Neill’s assistant Leandro Mora as O’Neill was serving a suspension for a doping violation.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Spendthrift Farm in 2016. Used by permission.
Last updated: January 9, 2025