As an Englishman, and despite living in the United States for the better part of 30 years, I've never acquired the slightest interest in the sport of baseball. I have, however, come across the idiosyncratic quotes of one of the sport's better-known characters, Yogi Berra. One of those that came to mind when beginning this week's column was the evocative, if literally nonsensical, "It's déjà vu all over again."
That's because a week ago our subject was a major 2-year-old stakes winner from the freshman crop of a son of Candy Ride , and seven days later, we find ourselves writing about a major 2-year-old stakes winner from the freshman crop of a son of Candy Ride.
This week's focus is on Jonathan's Way, winner of the Sept. 14 Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. Although only a grade 3 compared to the Del Mar Futurity (G1) captured by Gaming (by Candy Ride's son Game Winner ), the Iroquois has a special significance as the first qualifying points race on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1).
The Iroquois was only the second start for Jonathan's Way, who closed strongly from midfield to take a six-furlong Saratoga Race Course maiden by 4 1/4 lengths on his debut. Stretching out to a one-mile in the Iroquois, Jonathan's Way adopted totally different tactics by going straight to the front and powering away in the stretch to score by 2 3/4 lengths.
Jonathan's Way is a member of the first crop of Vekoma , who as of Sept. 17 sits in second on the freshman earnings list behind Tiz the Law , who was boosted by the victory of his son Tiztastic in the $1 million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile. Vekoma has led his sire class by individual winners from very early on, and he is still on top in that category with 19 of his offspring having already entered the winner's enclosure.
His first black-type scorer was Louisiana Jess, who is 2-for-2 after romping by five lengths in the D.S. Shine Young Futurity at Evangeline Downs in early August. Another Vekoma who is 2-for-2 is It's Hammertime, who scored by five lengths in the First State Dash Stakes at Delaware Park, which isn't a black-type event, despite its $100,000 purse. Vekoma is also the sire of four black-type-placed horses, including Vixen, who took second in the Natalma Stakes (G1T) at the weekend.
Given that he's won a points-paying race for the Kentucky Derby, Jonathan's Way—who heads next to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1)—must now be considered a classic prospect. With that in mind, his pedigree is worth considering from a stamina perspective, and for those who recall Vekoma as the brilliant sprinter/miler he was at 4, there may be some questions as to his potential as a sire of middle-distance runners.
It's worth recalling, however, that Vekoma himself was a classic prospect in his own right. He did break his maiden sprinting on debut at 2, running six furlongs at Belmont Park in 1:08.93, but his only other juvenile start saw him capture the one-mile Nashua Stakes (G3), a race generally targeted by horses considered middle-distance prospects.
He opened his 3-year-old season with a staying-on third to Code of Honor in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), then earned his way into the Kentucky Derby, drawing off to score by 3 1/2 lengths over Win Win Win in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2). In the Derby, he was close at hand in the early stages before fading to finish 12th. It appears that Vekoma incurred some kind of injury in the race as he didn't record another work until the following January.
When Vekoma did return, it was in impressive style, taking the seven-furlong Sir Shackleton Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths. Next time out the chestnut recorded a first grade 1 win, capturing the Carter Handicap (G1) by 7 1/4 lengths in a sharp 1:21.02. Vekoma made it back-to-back wins at the highest level in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1), going wire to wire to score by daylight in 1:32.88, just :0.15 off the stakes record. Pointed to the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), Vekoma was morning-line favorite but was scratched after spiking a fever, and retired to stand at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington at an initial fee of $20,000.
Vekoma's own pedigree is actually a mix of stamina and speed, as Candy Ride, a champion miler in Argentina, ran the race of his life in the 10-furlong Pacific Classic (G1), while his dam, Mona de Momma (Speightstown) recorded her most important victory in the seven-furlong Distaff Stakes (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Jonathan's Way was foaled in Ohio, a state that was last represented by a Kentucky Derby winner in 1909 when Wintergreen gained the day. The dam of Jonathan's Way, Female Drama, won two races at 2, sprinting on the dirt, including the Wings of Jove Stakes at Belmont Park. She is dam of six winners from six starters, including Startdfromdabottom, several times black-type placed in Ohio-bred stakes. Female Drama is a daughter of Indian Charlie, who started as an undefeated favorite for the Kentucky Derby, where he finished third to his stable companion Real Quiet on what proved to be Indian Charlie's final start.
Female Drama is half sister to New Real Deal, twice a grade 1 winner in Argentina, and herself granddam of Nueva Fragancia, successful in the Estrellas Juvenile Fillies (G1), Argentina's equivalent to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The third dam, Maiden Lane, is half sister to the multiple-stakes winner and grade 1-placed Rampart Road and to stakes winner Fappiano Road. She's also a sister to Regal Roberta, the granddam of Kentucky Derby victor Monarchos, and fourth dam of the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) scorer Silver State .
This is a female line that going back from the second dam, Newhall Road, has long been associated with the Phillips/Galbreath family's Darby Dan Farm. The connection began with the 1962 acquisition by John W. Galbreath of Jonathan's Way's sixth dam, Golden Trail (Hasty Road—Sunny Vale by Eight Thirty) from the estate of Brookmeade Stable's Isabel Dodge Sloane. Fortuitously, the family proved to be a wonderful cross for Darby Dan resident siblings Graustark and His Majesty, and subsequently for Galbreath's Epsom Derby hero Roberto (Newhall Road's dam, Maiden Lane is by Roberto out of a Graustark mare). Previous incarnations of the Roberto/Graustark (or His Majesty)/Golden Trail combination produced champion turf horse Sunshine Forever and major sires Dynaformer and Brian's Time.
Jonathan's Way is bred on the cross of Candy Ride and sons over Indian Charlie line mares that has produced six other stakes winners, including the Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Geaux Rocket Ride and graded winner Chatalas. The previously mentioned Game Winner is by Candy Ride and has a second dam by Indian Charlie.
