Classic Pedigree Profile: David Junior

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Whenever a top European-based runner invades North America for a crack at the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), one of the obvious questions is how well the horse will adapt to dirt. 1993 winner Arcangues and recent runners-up Giant's Causeway   (2000) and Sakhee (2001) answered the question positively; others, such as Halling, have not fared so well.

Whether Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I) winner David Junior successfully makes the adjustment may depend on whether he takes more after his sire or after his dam. He is a son of Pleasant Tap, the US champion older male of 1992. The best racing son of 1981 champion 3-year-old male and important sire Pleasant Colony, Pleasant Tap earned his title by winning four graded stakes, including the Suburban Handicap (gr. I) and Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), and running second to eventual Horse of the Year A.P. Indy in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Pleasant Tap was produced from the Stage Door Johnny mare Never Knock, also the dam of 1994 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Go for Gin, and traces back to the great producer *La Troienne through her champion daughter Black Helen. Yet, despite his fine pedigree and racing accomplishments, he has never gotten a lot of respect as a stallion. Initially standing for $15,000 at Buckland Farm, he now stands for $10,000 at Lane's End.

For the money, Pleasant Tap has been a quality if rather unappreciated sire. His first 11 crops of racing age have produced 41 (8%) stakes winners and 249 (50%) winners. Aside from David Junior, his best runners have included 2003 Japan Cup (Jpn-I) winner Tap Dance City, 1998 Gazelle Handicap (gr. I) winner Tap to Music, 2000 Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I) winner I Believe in You, and this year's Woodward Stakes (gr. I) winner, Premium Tap. He does not throw precocious speed; to date he has only 7% juvenile winners from foals, well below the number of juvenile winners sired by commercially popular stallions such as A.P. Indy, Gone West, and Seeking the Gold, and he has only sired four juvenile stakes winners during his career. Nonetheless, his progeny generally do well given some time to mature and a route of ground to cover.

David Junior comes by his ability on turf honestly, for his dam, the Irish River mare Paradise River, is a full sister to 1994 US champion turf male Paradise River and a half sister to 1999 Early Times Turf Classic Stakes (gr. IT) winner Wild Event (by Wild Again) and to 2001 Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) winner Forbidden Apple. As if that were not enough in the way of grass credentials, North Of Eden, the second dam of David Junior, is a Northfields half sister to Theatrical, 1987 US champion turf male. Further back in the female line, the fifth dam, *Pange, is the dam of the 1964 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner *Prince Royal II.

As great as the success of this family on grass has been, it has not had much affinity for dirt. The one notable exception to the rule was the ill-fated Landaluce, a granddaughter of *Pange, who raced to a title as 1982 US champion juvenile filly before dying of a sudden illness in November of that year.

Bred in Florida by the grand old man of Florida breeders, Arthur I. Appleton, David Junior is inbred 4x4 to 1962 US champion juvenile male Never Bend and 4x5 to four-time American leading broodmare sire Prince John through his sire's dam, Never Knock, and Irish River's sire Riverman. The two are bred on similar but reversed patterns: Riverman is by Never Bend out of a Prince John mare, while Never Knock is by Prince John's best son, Stage Door Johnny, out of a daughter of Never Bend.

Although he has a brilliant turn of foot and well proven at 10 furlongs, David Junior is slated to train up to the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I), so his ability on dirt will remain a complete unknown until the race. Should he prove to be his father's son, look for him to have a solid chance in the biggest race on the North American calendar.

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