Pedigree Analysis for Jump Start

Like all juveniles, Jump Start has some questions to answer if he is to jump up and be victorious in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at 1 1/16 miles. While he is bred to run all day on top, his female family on his bottom side presents stamina issues that the colt must overcome.

Jump Start won his first two starts, at 5 1/2 furlongs and then at 6 1/2 furlongs in the grade II Saratoga Special. He faltered in his third effort, the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at seven furlongs, although the distance did not appear to be a factor. Jump Start never got untracked in that race and trailed home 10 1/2 lengths in arrears.

Jump Start is by 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, who not only won that year's Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) at 10 furlongs, but captured the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) at 12 furlongs as well. If Jump Start picks up the blood of his sire, and grandsire Seattle Slew, distance will not be a problem.

The colt is out of the Storm Cat mare Steady Cat, a five-time winner from 19 career trips to the post. Steady Cat placed in two graded stakes and three other ones, none of them longer than seven furlongs. Her wins came at between 5 1/2 and seven furlongs, and, in fact, she never raced longer than 7/8s of a mile. Jump Start is the first foal out of Steady Cat, who also has a weanling filly by A.P. Indy's son Old Trieste.

Jump Start's second dam, Hopespringsforever, was winless in five career tries, all in England. She placed once, in a one mile maiden contest. Her second foal, Union City, won at 8 and 8 1/2 furlongs, and placed in the one mile San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) and the grade I, nine furlong Santa Anita Derby. After a 15th in the Kentucky Derby, Union City broke down during the Preakness in the last race of his career. Hopespringsforever's 1997 foal, Apollo Cat, by Storm Cat, never raced at longer than one mile. She won the Colleen Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs, and placed in the grade III Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct over seven furlongs.

Jump Start's third dam, Hopespringseternal, was unraced. The daughter of Buckpasser produced Miswaki in 1978. Miswaki, who became a leading sire in the early 1990s, enjoyed most of his racing success in France, where he proved victorious in the seven furlong Prix de la Salamandre (Fr.-I) and in the five furlong Prix Yacowlef. Miswaki's lone stateside stakes score occurred in the six furlong Charles Hatton Stakes at Belmont. His longest win came in a one mile allowance contest at that New York track as well.

Secretariat appears on both sides of Jump Start's pedigree, as does Buckpasser.