Lee Pokoik has spent more than 35 years mastering the art of Thoroughbred breeding, and now he looks toward a historic first: a trip to the Kentucky Derby (G1) to cheer on a star he bred.
Commandment, winner of the Feb. 28 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park, was bred by Pokoik and is out of a mare he raced—Sippican Harbor, winner of the 2018 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.
Pokoik breeds to sell, managing 12-15 horses with a yearly strategy to sell all colts while retaining select, high-quality fillies to add to his broodmare band.
He offered Commandment twice, to no avail; once as a weanling at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale, failing to meet his reserve at $485,000, and again at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale as a yearling, attracting a final bid of $475,000. In the fall of 2023 at Keeneland's September Yearling Sale, Case Clay Thoroughbred Management swooped in to buy the Into Mischief colt for $500,000 for owner Wathnan Racing.
"That was some race," said Pokoik about the Fountain of Youth. "You look at Commandment, what has he got going for him? He's got Into Mischief, he's got (trainer) Brad Cox, He's got (jockey) Irad (Ortiz), you can't ask for anything more. And, he's out of a grade 1-winning mare.
"He's a smart horse. He splits horses. He's fearless. He gallops out strong. I don't think he'll have any problem going a mile and a quarter."
Pokoik is no stranger to good horses or the Kentucky Derby trail. He bred Gunmetal Gray, who won the 2019 Sham Stakes (G3) and was grade 1-placed as a juvenile under trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Although he racked up enough points to make the field for the 2019 Kentucky Derby, an injury in late March of that year took him out of Derby contention.
"I've had a couple good horses, had horses in the Breeders' Cup a couple times," Pokoik said.
"We'll see how Commandment does. If he stays sound and makes it to the Derby, and God forbid he wins. Oh, my God, that would be awesome. It would be exciting, and I'll be rooting for him."
A native New Yorker, Pokoik has a business-like approach to the sport, always evaluating the market value of his stock. He hinted that Sippican Harbor could appear in the sales ring this fall, pending continued value appreciation from Commandment. The mare will be bred back to Into Mischief, meaning she will be carrying a full sibling to Commandment.
"She's got a McKinzie coming this month, and a yearling filly by Elite Power (that will be sold as a yearling)," he said.
At 80 years young, Pokoik said he didn't think he'd ever attend the Kentucky Derby, partly due to the large crowds and parking. When asked if he would attend this year should Commandment make it to the starting gates, he replied, "Oh yeah. Hopefully I'll be in the paddock, and hopefully I'll be in the winner's circle."
