Minardi (1998, Boundary--Yarn, by Mr. Prospector, $12,500, Walmac International, Lexington). A half-brother to promising young stallion Tale of the Cat, Minardi was a 2-year-old champion in England and Ireland and an Irish classic-placed runner. He won the Middle Park (Eng-I) and Independent Heinz 57 Phoenix Stakes (Ire-I) his juvenile season and ran third in the Entenmanns Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) the next year. Minardi's half-sister, Myth, is the dam of this year's Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Johannesburg. Another promising young stallion, Pulpit, is under Minardi's second dam. Albert the Great (1997, Go for Gin--Bright Feather, by Fappiano, $10,000, Three Chimneys Farm, Midway, Ky.). Albert the Great exited racing with a solid third-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), but it was his 119 Beyer Speed Figures in both the 2000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) and 2001 Suburban Handicap (gr. II) that also figured strongly in the fanfare surrounding the colt. A $3-million earner, Albert the Great also won the Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) and Dwyer Stakes (gr. II) and set a track record of 1:45.52 for 1 1/8 miles in the Widener Handicap (gr. III) at Hialeah. Broken Vow (1997, Unbridled--Wedding Vow, by Nijinsky II, $10,000, Pin Oak Stud, Versailles, Ky.). Broken Vow, who won four consecutive races to start his career, captured three straight stakes the summer of 2001, including the Philip H. Iselin Handicap (gr. II) at Monmouth Park. A $725,296-earner, Broken Vow recorded a 116 Beyer Speed Figure in a Gulfstream Park triumph in 2001 and placed in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. I) and three other graded stakes during his career. Exchange Rate (1997, Danzig--Sterling Pound, by Seeking the Gold, $10,000, Padua Stables, Summerfield, Fla.). Multiple graded stakes-placed as a 2-year-old, Exchange Rate won the Risen Star Stakes at three, and scored his biggest win the following year in the seven-furlong Tom Fool Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park. A $479,803-earner, he placed in the 2001 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (gr. IIT) and Lane's End Churchill Downs (gr. II) Handicaps. His dam, Sterling Pound, is a graded stakes winner, and his fourth dam is the prominent foundation mare Native Partner. Five Star Day (1996, Carson City--Reggie V, by Vanlandingham, $10,000, Wintergreen Stallion Station, Midway, Ky.). A graded stakes winner at six furlongs all three years he raced, Five Star Day won the Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III) in 1:07.90 at Keeneland; the A.G. Vanderbilt Handicap (gr. II) in 1:08.57 at Saratoga; and the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (gr. III) in 1:09.91 at Hollywood Park. In his first stakes attempt, he finished second behind Forestry in the King's Bishop Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga. He earned $575,365. Five Star Day's dam, Reggie V, is a half-sister to successful sire Marquetry. King Cugat (1997, Kingmambo--Tricky Game, by Majestic Light, $10,000, Lane's End Farm, Versailles, Ky.). Millionaire grass runner King Cugat, whose dam, Tricky Game, is a half-sister to major sire Seeking the Gold, won three grade II stakes and ran second in five grade I events. He won the 2001 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park in the second-fastest time ever, and his 114 Beyer Speed Figure in that race has been surpassed by only three other grass performances this year. King Cugat's grade I runner-up performances included efforts in the Turf Classic Invitational Stakes and Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap. Songandaprayer (1998, Unbridled's Song--Alizea, by Premiership, $10,000, Marablue Farm, Reddick, Fla.). Songandaprayer stamped himself as a classics contender with a victory in this year's Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park. He later ran second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland and came out of the race fit enough to set the pace for the first mile in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). During the summer, he placed in the Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III). A $1-million auction 2-year-old, Songandaprayer won both his starts at that age, including the Huntington Stakes in New York. Flame Thrower (1998, Saint Ballado--Metromane, Metrogrand, $8,500, Stoneriggs Farm, Morriston, Fla.). Flame Thrower won his first four starts as a 2-year-old and registered two of the highest Beyer Speed Figures for a juvenile of 2000 in the process. His 105 figure in the Norfolk Stakes (gr. II) was the co-highest of the year, and he also registered a 103 rating in the Best Pal Stakes (gr. III) while defeating Squirtle Squirt. Flame Thrower also beat that rival in winning the Del Mar Futurity (gr. II). As a 3-year-old, Flame Thrower ran second in the Riva Ridge Stakes (gr. II) and Maryland Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III). He earned $458,200. City Zip (1998, Carson City--Baby Zip, by Relaunch, $7,500, Contemporary Stallions, Coxsackie, N.Y.). City Zip proved special by becoming only the third horse to win the Saratoga triple of the Hopeful (gr. I), Sanford (gr. II), and Saratoga Special (gr. II) Stakes for 2-year-olds. City Zip, who dead-heated for first in the Hopeful, returned to the Spa the following year to win the Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II). During his career, he won eight stakes, placed in eight others, and earned $818,225. In his final start, he set the pace in the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT). Mojave Moon (1996, Mr. Prospector--East of the Moon, by Private Account, $7,500, Bonita Farm, Darlington, Md.). One of only two sons of Mr. Prospector in this select group, grade II stakes-placed Mojave Moon has major sire Kingmambo (by Mr. Prospector) under his second dam. His dam, French champion and classic winner East of the Moon, is a half-sister to Kingmambo. Second dam Miesque (by Nureyev) won consecutive runnings of the Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) and was champion female turf runner both years. Pikepass (1996, Forty Niner--Deanna's Special, by Storm Bird, $7,500, Spendthrift Farm, Lexington). One of more than 40 stakes winners sired by champion Forty Niner, Pikepass finished in the top two in all five of his starts. He is one of two stakes winners produced from stakes-placed Deanna's Special, whose dam, Alegria de Deanna, won nine stakes. Strategic Mission (1995, Mr. Prospector--Sultry Sun, by Buckfinder, $7,500, Gainesway Farm, Lexington). A half-brother to millionaires Sultry Song and Solar Splendor, Strategic Mission won the Fort Marcy Handicap (gr. IIIT) and placed in four stakes, including the Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile (gr. IIT) and Maker's Mark Mile (gr. IIT) Stakes. He earned $414,320. Trippi (1997, End Sweep--Jealous Appeal, by Valid Appeal, $7,500, Ocala Stud Farm, Ocala, Fla.). A $666,220-earner, grade I winner Trippi opened his racetrack career with a four-race win streak that included scores in the Swale (gr. III) and Flamingo (gr. III) Stakes. He later won the Riva Ridge Stakes (gr. II) and the Tom Fool Handicap (gr. II) in consecutive fashion and scored his major win in the Vosburgh Stakes (gr. I). Vision and Verse (1996, Storm Cat--Bunting, by Private Account, $7,500, Hill 'n' Dale Farms, Lexington). Millionaire Vision and Verse made Lemon Drop Kid sweat in the Belmont (gr. I) and Travers (gr. I) Stakes. He finished a head behind him in the Belmont and was only three-quarters of a length behind him in the Travers. Vision and Verse, whose big win came in the Illinois Derby (gr. II), also placed in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I) and three other graded stakes.Continued...
