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Algorithms An Exciting New Discovery
It's that time of year again! Keep up with this year's crop of three year olds and check out Horse Racing Nation's Interactive Derby Trail. Missed a prep race? Watch it on the Derby Prep Replay Wall!
An Algorithm is described as a breakthrough, discovery, and conclusion. The latest Triple Crown trail discovery, Algorithms lived up to his name on Sunday, January 29, 2012 with a decisive conquest in the Holy Bull Stakes (G-3). Breaking alertly from post six, the Todd Pletcher trainee was briefly in the lead before giving way to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Champ Hansen. Algorithms settled comfortably into third place on the outside of Silver Max, while Hansen set brisk fractions of :23.64 and :45.67 over a sloppy sealed track. Algorithms traveled three wide on the turn and easily passed a tired, struggling Hansen in mid-stretch, galloping to an easy five length victory. Algorithms completed the one mile race in 1:36.17. The bay colt is undefeated in three starts and is the latest addition to the Derby lists. Let's check the data to determine if this particular Algorithms fits the profile for a Classic Winner.
Algorithms - Photo: Coglinese
ALGORITHMS (Bernardini - Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance) was sired by this year's leading third crop stallion Bernardini. On the racetrack, Bernardini didn't start his career until January of his three year old season. After winning his maiden in his second start, Bernardini jumped immediately into graded stakes competition with an easy win in the Withers Stakes (G-3). The dark bay tested deeper waters in his next start. In a match-up against Kentucky Derby hero Barbaro, Bernardini demolished a full field of top three year olds by 5 ¼ lengths in the Preakness Stakes. Unfortunately, his runaway victory was marred by Barbaro's tragic breakdown. Bernardini skipped the Belmont Stakes, but recorded wins in the Jim Dandy (G-2) and Travers Stakes (G-1). After another overpowering success in the Travers, Bernardini faced older horses in Jockey Club Gold Cup (G-1). The small field of three was no match for the young superstar and they suffered a crushing 6 ¾ length defeat. The highly anticipated 2006 Breeders' Cup Classic was a faceoff between the 2005 Horse of the Year in Uruguay, Invasor and Bernardini. The three year old colt suffered the second loss of his career, beaten only a length by the five year old Invasor. Despite his loss, Bernardini earned 2006 Co-Champion Horse Of The World honors for his previous exploits.
February 24, 2012
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Bernardini
Retired to stud after racing only one year, Bernardini is off to a brilliant start at stud. In his first crop, Bernardini sired Travers hero and Belmont Stakes runner-up Stay Thirsty, To Honor And Serve, the winner of the Florida and Pennsylvania Derbies and Santa Anita Oaks heroine A Z Warrior. The propitious young Bernardini is poised to become a successor to his now retired sire A.P. Indy in getting stamina oriented offspring.
The well-bred Algorithms is descended from a female family filled with stakes winners. His sturdy dam Ava Knowsthecode faced the starter 29 times in four years. She compiled a 3-5-3 race record and earnings of $156,596. The daughter of Cryptoclearance was a dependable allowance class mare who placed third in the Senorita Stakes (G-3) at Hollywood Park. Although she placed second in her first race sprinting over dirt, Ava Knowsthecode spent her career on the lawn and was successful up to 1 1/16 miles.
Bernardini
The 18 year old mare has proven herself as a strong broodmare. Besides her youngest racing son Algorithms, Ava Knowsthecode bore his older half-brother, Grade 2 winner Keyed Entry, who set a new track record in the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park, getting 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:27.12. She also produced the Grade 2 winning miler Justin Philip as well as the listed winners Successful Mission and Alex's Allure. Overall, Ava Knowsthecode has propagated five stakes winners from six foals to race. Algorithms second dam Ava Romance was a stakes winner and his third and fourth dams also owned blacktype.
Cryptoclearance, the damsire of Algorithms, competed at the highest level of racing for four years. The Florida Derby champ finished fourth in the 1987 Kentucky Derby, but followed up with second and third place finishes, respectively, in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Cryptoclearance improved with racing and maturity. Racing against legendary heroes Alysheba, Easy Goer and Crème Fraiche, Cryptoclearance was often second, but at the age of five, he won two Grade 1 events, the 1 1/8 mile Donn Handicap and 1 ¼ mile Widener Handicap.
Cryptoclearance
As a broodmare sire, the long-winded router is represented by 36 stakes winners. While the majority are best up to 1 1/8 miles, four are stakes winners at 1 ¼ miles and three have been successful at 1 ½ miles. One of his daughter's foals, the Brazilian-bred Quadriball, has similar breeding to Algorithms, as both are by sons of A.P. Indy. Quadriball is a Group 3 winner at 1 ¼ miles.
Tossing even more stamina into Algorithms pedigree is his second damsire, the 1975 Belmont Stakes Champ Avatar, who was twice successful at 1 ½ miles.
Physically, Algorithms is a well conformed colt, with a muscular neck and chest tying into a fairly deep and slanted shoulder. He's built like a two-turn horse with a powerful, but not overly muscular hind-end. His cannons appear a bit longer than average; however, this doesn't detract from his total appearance. His leg extension is average, but he runs straight, with no excess movement. He's shown the ability to relax off the pace and quicken in the lane.
With stamina throughout his pedigree and a mature, relaxed running style, Algorithms fits the profile of a Classic winner. An added bonus is his now proven ability over an off track, as two of the last three Kentucky Derbies were contested over a sloppy track. Keep this encouraging young colt on your Derby list.
Algorithms - Photo: Starlight Racing