In human terms, Vitruvian and Underpants are “nephew” and “uncle.” Both are descendants of Court Lady’s daughter Onefortheroad (by Ghadeer), who won Cidade Jardim’s Grande Prêmio Diana (BRZ-G1) during her own racing days. As noted in the earlier post on Court Lady and her family, Onefortheroad proved a wonderful broodmare in her own right, foaling 2008/09 Brazilian Horse of the Year Flymetothemoon, 2007 Grande Prêmio Diana (Cidade Jardim) (BRZ-G1) winner Eissoai, and 2002/03 Brazilian champion 2-year-old male Ay Caramba, all by five-time Brazilian champion sire Roi Normand.
The matriarch of by far the most active and powerful branch of Court Lady’s family, Onefortheroad is the second dam of 2020/21 Brazilian champion older male Pimper’s Paradise (by Put It Back) and 2013 Grande Prêmio João Borges Filho (BRZ-G2) winner I Say You Stay (by Northern Afleet) through her daughter Bye Bye Caroline (by Royal Academy). Adding to Onefortheroad’s honors, her Roi Normand daughter Chere Gigi is the dam of 2016 Grande Prêmio Margarida Polak Lara (BRZ-G1) winner Nostalgie (by Fluke) and 2018 Grande Premio Adayr Eiras de Araujo (BRZ-G3) winner Platine (by Wild Event). Yet another daughter, Valley Road (by De Quest) is the second dam of 2023 Grande Premio Doutor Frontin (BRZ-G2) winner Callejero (by Agnes Gold) and the third dam of 2024 Grande Prêmio Zélia Gonzaga Peixoto de Castro (BRZ-G1) winner Uni Te (by Verrazano), whose big win came in the third leg of Gávea’s Triple Crown series for fillies.
Underpants is out of Onefortheroad’s daughter Kissingafool (by Elusive Quality), and the mare produced yet another important daughter in the winner I’m a Lady (by Wild Event). The dam of 2020 Grande Prêmio Roberto e Nelson Grimaldi Seabra (BRZ-G1) winner Perigoosa (by Public Purse) and 2024 Grande Prêmio Ciudad Maravilhoso (BRZ-G3) winner U Said I Do (by Verrazano), I’m a Lady is also the dam of Organic Lady (by Redattore), who managed only a second-place finish in her only start but produced Vitruvian as her first foal. Organic Lady has since produced an unraced 2-year-old filly by Verrazano, Zulu Dance, and a yearling full brother to Vitruvian, already named Abitofgold.
Touching further on Vitruvian, the colt is from the first crop of the young Tapit stallion Hofburg, who finished 33rd on the 2023/2024 Brazilian general sire list with only 2-year-olds racing and is fifth in the current year’s standings. The winner of the 2018 Curlin Stakes (USA-L) and placed in that year’s Florida Derby (USA-G1) and Belmont Stakes (USA-G1), Hofburg entered stud during the 2020 Southern Hemisphere season at Haras Santa Maria de Araras. His chance at stud was not based only on his race record but on his pedigree: produced from the Touch Gold mare Soothing Touch, he is from an excellent branch of the family of Natalma (dam of the epochal sire Northern Dancer) that includes the important European sire Machiavellian, Argentine champion sire and broodmare sire Orpen, and Brazilian champion sire Jules. Also the sire of Brazilian Group 2 winner Navy of War and multiple Brazilian Group 3-placed Vanilla Pie from a crop that just started its 3-year-old season in July, Hofburg seems to be moving in the right direction to become an important sire in his own right.