The Five Generations of Maclean's Music

Last weekend an unknown and unraced three-year-old colt stepped into a starting gate and after disposing of his rivals with authoritative precision, became an immediate “buzz” horse.

Maclean's Music is a bay colt, bred by Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, LLC, owned by Stonestreet Stables, LLC and trained by Steve Asmussen. On March 19, 2011, he faced eight other horses in a six furlong maiden special weight at Santa Anita Park. Under jockey Mike Smith, Maclean's Music broke sharply from post postion six and took a quick lead, went up by a length and a half after a half mile, increased it to three lengths in the stretch, then widened his margin by more than seven lengths as he crossed the wire. After fractions of :21 1/5, :43 2/5, and :55, Maclean's Music finished in a fast 1:07 2/5, earning a Beyer figure of 114, the highest ever given to a first time starter since the system was first introduced. Because of the speed favoring bias of the track, there are individuals who understandably look at this time and figure with reservations; yet it can't be argued that the visual athleticism was one of the most impressive seen in a novice racer, and he pocketed $32,400 of the $54,000 purse. Maclean's Music won't be coming to the big party at Churchill Downs on May 7, but a Preakness appearance may not be out of the question. After coping with shin issues as a two-year-old, the connections have wisely brought the colt along slowly. That patience may eventually be well rewarded.

The horse may breeze on Monday, March 28, but his next start is unknown. In the meantime, a look at his bloodlines should give some indication of what his true potential might be, and provide clues to what may lie ahead.

Sire - Distorted Humor

Maclean's Music was sired by Distorted Humor out of the Unbridled's Song mare Forest Music, and foaled on February 9, 2008 in Kentucky. Distorted Humor, also the father of Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner and three-year-old male champion Funny Cide, and Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer, was among the sire leaders in 2010, behind only Giant's Causeway in progeny earnings. As a racer, Distorted Humor made twenty-three starts, was graded stakes placed and won Monmouth Park's Salvator Mile Stakes at age four, then at five took the seven furlong Commonwealth Breeders' Cup Stakes at Keeneland, in stakes record time. He also won the Churchill Downs Stakes, and one mile Ack Ack Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Forty Niner

Distorted Humor's sire, Forty Niner, was an exemplary racehorse, and perhaps even a great one. A juvenile champion in 1987, Forty Niner won five of his six starts, from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, among these the Sanford, Futurity, Champagne and Breeders' Futurity, then continued the following year with wins in the 1 1/16 mile Fountain of Youth before losing by a neck to Brian's Time in the 1 1/8 mile Florida Derby. At Keeneland, Forty Niner won the seven furlong Lafayette by five lengths before dropping the 1 1/16 mile Lexington by a head to Risen Star. After a strong closing finish in the Run for the Roses, Forty Niner lost by a neck to the filly Winning Colors. A contentious dual with her in the Preakness cost him any chance of victory, and he finished a distant seventh. Forty Niner bypassed the Belmont Stakes, and proceeded to win his next four starts beginning with a romp in a one mile allowance at Monmouth. He then defeated Seeking the Gold twice by a nose, in the 1 1/8 mile Haskell Invitational and Saratoga's 1 ¼ mile Travers Stakes. In his first appearance against older horses, he fell a neck short to eventual Horse of the Year Alysheba in the 1 ¼ mile Woodward Stakes, won the NYRA Mile, and ended his career with a fourth place effort in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Forty Niner's dam was black-type winner File, a daughter of three-year-old male champion Tom Rolfe, who in turn was sired by the magnificent dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner and European champion Ribot (GB).

Danzig's Beauty

The dam of Distorted Humor was the graded stakes winner Danzig's Beauty, a daughter of the extraordinary sire Danzig by sire of sires Northern Dancer (CAN). Danzig's prolific production of stakes winning progeny included Danehill, Dance Smartly (CAN), Chief's Crown, Langfuhr and Hard Spun, to name only a few. Among his numerous descendents through his daughters is Fusaichi Pegasus.

Mr. Prospector

Through grandsire Forty Niner on his top and Gone West and Fappiano on the bottom, Maclean's Music is inbred 3x4x5 to the legendary stallion Mr. Prospector. Both a leading sire and a virtual perennial leading broodmare sire, Mr. Prospector fathered Miswaki, Conquistador Cielo, Gold Beauty, Kingmambo, Seeking the Gold, and Fusaichi Pegasus, et al. He was damsire of Pulpit and Mineshaft, et al.

Forty Niner's daddy, Mr. Prospector, made fourteen starts, and set track records at six furlongs. Mr. Prospector's sire, Raise A Native, was also the father of such illuminaries as Majestic Prince, Alydar, and daughter Genuine Risk. Raise A Native also sired Exclusive Native, father of American racing's last Triple Crown winner Affirmed. Mr. Prospector's dam, Gold Digger, by the illustrious Horse of the Year Nashua, twice won Pimlico's Gallorette Handicap on the turf when contested at 1 1/8 miles.

Dam - Forest Music

The dam of Maclean's Music is the gray/roan mare Forest Music, by Unbridled's Song. Forest Music made eighteen starts, winning the six furlong Adena Stallions' Miss Preakness Stakes, with third place finishes in Belmont Park's six furlong Prioress Stakes and the seven furlong Test Stakes at Saratoga. At age four, Forest Music won the six furlong Honorable Miss Handicap at the Spa.

Broodmare Sire – Unbridled's Song

Unbridled's Song, by Unbridled, won the 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and the following year annexed the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial. Unbridled's Song also sired graded stakes winners Rockport Harbor, Thorn Song, Octave, Eight Belles, Old Fashioned and Zensational. Forest Music's grandsire, three-year-old champion Unbridled, by Fappiano, is among the few horses, including Ferdinand and Alysheba, to win both the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic, and along with Sunday Silence has been the only horse to win the races in the same year.

Defer West

Forest Music's dam, Defer West, was sired by Gone West, the latter who won the Dwyer, Gotham and Withers Stakes. Gone West, also by Mr. Prospector, was out of Secrettame by Secretariat. Forest Music's second dam, Defer, was by the great Horse of the Year Damascus, by Horse of the Year Sword Dancer. Her third dam, I Pass, was sired by another great Horse of the Year, Buckpasser.

Fappiano

The other Mr. Prospector son related to Maclean's Music was the Florida-bred Fappiano, who won the 1 1/8 mile Discovery Handicap, then at four, took the mile Metropolitan Handicap and seven furlong Forego Handicap. Just past the first five generations of Maclean's Music, was Fappiano's dam, Killaloe, sired by perhaps the fastest Thoroughbred of all time, Dr. Fager, whose great range was from 5 ½ furlongs to 1 ¼ miles, with both dirt and turf prowess.

Where Now?

The pedigree of Maclean's Music suggests a good balance of speed and stamina lines, and a promising future. His next start will be widely anticpated, and whether or not he blossoms into a legitimate star still remains to be seen. But one thing is already certain. Many of the colt's ancestors have left a glowing heritage.

Copyright 2011, 2012 by John Califano