PEGASUS S. (gr. III ), Monmouth Park , June 16, 2013 , $150,000 Guaranteed , value of race $150,000 , 3 yo , 1 1/16 miles , 1:41.72 Dirt FT .

Verrazano was back to his old form again in the June 16 Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park. Jockey John Velazquez, who has ridden the 3-year-old son of More Than Ready in all his six starts, felt it, saying it was “good to have him back.” And he recognized that Verrazano knew it too: “His ears were wagging every step of the way,” added the Hall of Fame rider.

Victorious in all but his last start, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Verrazano can credit at least some of his success and resilience to a very strong female line, influenced by the solid broodmare sire lines of Giant’s Causeway and Mr. Prospector.

Giant’s Causeway is currently ranked ninth on The Blood-Horse 2013 broodmare sire list. He is the sire of 301 dams of 332 runners, 34% of which are winners. Mr. Prospector was one of the leading broodmare sires of all time, leading the ranks every year but one (2004) from 1997 to 2006. He is also a sire of broodmare sires with 14 of his sons in the top 100 of the 2013 broodmare sire list, five of whom fall in the top 20.

Verrazano’s dam is the Giant’s Causeway mare Enchanted Rock, who has also produced El Padrino, by Pulpit, winner of the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II). Of her three foals of racing age, the two to race have been black-type winners.

Verrazano’s second dam is grade I winner Chic Shirine, by Mr. Prospector, and a sister to Queena, grade I winner and U.S. champion older female. Chic Shirine produced five mares—including grade II stakes winner Tara Roma. Four of them have produced at least two stakes winners each, including graded added-money winners Serra Lake, Hungry Island, and Somali Lemonade.

Bred by Emory A. Hamilton in Kentucky, who also bred Enchanted Rock, Verrazano was consigned to the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale by Middlebrook Farm, as agent. He was purchased by Let’s Go Stable for $250,000, who now races him in partnership with Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith.

More Than Ready has sired 120 stakes winners since retiring to stud in 2001. He currently stands at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., for a fee of $60,000.—M.P