It has to be utterly frustrating to see your horse turn in a Grade-1 winning performance, only to be run down in the final strides by a rival turning in an even more exceptional performance. This time, trainer Todd Pletcher could heave a sigh of relief. With no Honor Code in the Woodward Stakes (USA-G1), all Liam's Map had to do was produce a reasonable facsimile of his Whitney Stakes (USA-G1) run to earn his first Grade 1 win. He did, proving his race in the Whitney was no fluke and probably punching his ticket for a berth in the Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1).
Exactly how far this colt really wants to go is still open to question, but there is no question about his ability to get someplace fast and in a manner calculated to run the legs off of anything that tries to go with him. Crediting some of this speed to a granddam who couldn't get out of her own way in three starts may seen rather odd...until you take a look at her pedigree. Yada Yada, you see, is inbred 2x3 to two-time American champion sprinter Ta Wee, a daughter of 1959 American champion sprinter Intentionally and a half sister to 1968 American Horse of the Year Dr. Fager, also a two-time American champion sprinter. Adding to the interest of her pedigree, Yada Yada's sire Great Above is by Minnesota Mac, whose sire Rough'n Tumble also sired Dr. Fager.
The rest of the pedigree of Liam's Map has every appearance of having been carefully constructed to bring out the potential locked away in Yada Yada's genetics. When 2000 Vosburgh Stakes (USA-G1) winner Trippi was mated to Yada Yada, he brought crosses of two key elements to the table: the brilliantly fast Mr. Prospector, and the fleet miler In Reality, the best son of Intentionally and a maternal grandson of Rough'n Tumble through that stallion's best daughter, 1959 American champion 2-year-old filly My Dear Girl. The resulting filly, Miss Macy Sue, was, thus, inbred 5x4x5 to Intentionally through his best son and daughter and also carried a 6x4 cross to Rough'n Tumble.
After winning six stakes races, including the 2007 Winning Colors Stakes (USA-G3), Miss Macy Sue visited Unbridled's Song as her second mate. This mating packed in a second helping of complementary bloodlines, beginning with Unbridled's Song's sire Unbridled---a horse whose second dam, Charedi, is a daughter of In Reality and whose third dam, Magic, is a Buckpasser half sister to Dr. Fager and Ta Wee. As if that were not enough, Unbridled is by Fappiano, one of Mr. Prospector's best sire sons and a maternal grandson of Dr. Fager. Thus, Liam's Map pedigree shows crosses of 4x5 to Mr. Prospector, 5x5 to In Reality, 6x6x5x6 to Intentionally, 6x7x7x5 to Rough'n Tumble and 6x6x5x6 to Aspidistra, dam of Ta Wee, Dr. Fager and Magic. This is a pedigree heavily imprinted on both sides with the stamp of John Nerud and Tartan Farms and shows line breeding to strains proved compatible with one another many times over. Just to add one final touch to the picture, Prince Blessed, sire of Unbridled's Song's third dam, traces back in his tail-female line to Clonaslee, also the direct ancestress of In Reality.
A prettily constructed pedigree is no guarantee of racetrack success, but it has a better chance of turning out well on the track than a haphazard pairing built on sales appeal or convenience. And in this case, pretty is as pretty does.
Exactly how far this colt really wants to go is still open to question, but there is no question about his ability to get someplace fast and in a manner calculated to run the legs off of anything that tries to go with him. Crediting some of this speed to a granddam who couldn't get out of her own way in three starts may seen rather odd...until you take a look at her pedigree. Yada Yada, you see, is inbred 2x3 to two-time American champion sprinter Ta Wee, a daughter of 1959 American champion sprinter Intentionally and a half sister to 1968 American Horse of the Year Dr. Fager, also a two-time American champion sprinter. Adding to the interest of her pedigree, Yada Yada's sire Great Above is by Minnesota Mac, whose sire Rough'n Tumble also sired Dr. Fager.
The rest of the pedigree of Liam's Map has every appearance of having been carefully constructed to bring out the potential locked away in Yada Yada's genetics. When 2000 Vosburgh Stakes (USA-G1) winner Trippi was mated to Yada Yada, he brought crosses of two key elements to the table: the brilliantly fast Mr. Prospector, and the fleet miler In Reality, the best son of Intentionally and a maternal grandson of Rough'n Tumble through that stallion's best daughter, 1959 American champion 2-year-old filly My Dear Girl. The resulting filly, Miss Macy Sue, was, thus, inbred 5x4x5 to Intentionally through his best son and daughter and also carried a 6x4 cross to Rough'n Tumble.
After winning six stakes races, including the 2007 Winning Colors Stakes (USA-G3), Miss Macy Sue visited Unbridled's Song as her second mate. This mating packed in a second helping of complementary bloodlines, beginning with Unbridled's Song's sire Unbridled---a horse whose second dam, Charedi, is a daughter of In Reality and whose third dam, Magic, is a Buckpasser half sister to Dr. Fager and Ta Wee. As if that were not enough, Unbridled is by Fappiano, one of Mr. Prospector's best sire sons and a maternal grandson of Dr. Fager. Thus, Liam's Map pedigree shows crosses of 4x5 to Mr. Prospector, 5x5 to In Reality, 6x6x5x6 to Intentionally, 6x7x7x5 to Rough'n Tumble and 6x6x5x6 to Aspidistra, dam of Ta Wee, Dr. Fager and Magic. This is a pedigree heavily imprinted on both sides with the stamp of John Nerud and Tartan Farms and shows line breeding to strains proved compatible with one another many times over. Just to add one final touch to the picture, Prince Blessed, sire of Unbridled's Song's third dam, traces back in his tail-female line to Clonaslee, also the direct ancestress of In Reality.
A prettily constructed pedigree is no guarantee of racetrack success, but it has a better chance of turning out well on the track than a haphazard pairing built on sales appeal or convenience. And in this case, pretty is as pretty does.
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