Derby hopefuls Archarcharch and Brilliant Speed vault Roberto's line into renewed prominence

Brilliant Speed on his way to capturing the 2011 Toyota Bluegrass.

Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography

When longshots Archarcharch and Brilliant Speed unexpectedly blew out of the clouds to capture two of the last Derby preps, they signalled that Roberto's line may be on the rise.

Only once before has a descendant of this influential stallion ever captured America's Derby, so the emergence of this pair of newly minted Grade I contenders is a significant development.

Dynaformer's promising son, Brilliant Speed, whose best races until now had been on the turf, made a determined come-from-behind run from last place in the Toyota Bluegrass Stakes-G1 at Keeneland, to just nip Twinspired at the wire in the mile and an eighth polytrack contest.  With his winner's prize of $450,000, he banked enough earnings to ensure him a place in the starting gate on Saturday, where he'll be looking to win for only the third time in his career.  Commenting this morning, after Brilliant Speed worked five eighths over a sloppy Churchill surface in 1:00.98, trainer Tom Albertrani admitted to The Blood-Horse that "we really don't know" whether the colt will run as well on dirt as he did at Keeneland.  "But we're hoping, trying to be optimistic, that he does."

Brilliant Speed works at Churchill Downs on Monday, May 2
Photo: Reed Palmer Photography, Churchill Downs

A dark bay who runs in the colors of his breeder, Live Oak Plantation, Brilliant Speed certainly has the genetic credentials to compete in the classics.  His sire, Dynaformer, an imposing son of Epsom Derby winner and Classic Chef-de-Race Roberto, rocketed into prominence in 2006 when his son, Barbaro, won the Kentucky Derby but then suffered injuries in the Preakness that ultimately led to his demise.

Notwithstanding Barbaro's freak accident, Dynaformer has been a reliable source not only of class, but of soundness and stamina, regardless of racing surface, territory, or terrain.  He has sired five champions, including top steeplechaser McDynamo, a five-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Steeplechase-G1.  In addition to Barbaro, he's responsible for more than 20 Grade or Group I winners, including the durable Perfect Drift, who retired sound at age 9 after having won or placed in 32 of 50 starts, and earned over $4.7 million.

And just yesterday, Dynaformer's Kentucky-bred daughter, Blue Bunting, surged to post an upset victory in the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas-G1 at Newmarket.

Like Brilliant Speed, many of Dynaformer's elite performers--including Barbaro (Carson City)--have been produced by Mr. Prospector-line mares.  They include European Champions Wiener Walzer and Ocean Silk (both out of mares by Kingmambo), Film Maker (Mr. Prospector), Riskaverse (Seeking the Gold), and Gozzip Girl (Kingmambo).

What they all have in common, as do all foals produced from the Roberto-Mr. Prospector cross, is that they are inbred to Intermediate/Classic Chef-de-Race Nashua, sire of Roberto's dam, Bramalea, and Mr. Prospector's dam, Gold Digger.

Brilliant Speed is out of the Gone West mare, Speed Succeeds, who sold for $1.45 million at the 2002 Keeneland September sale, but never made it to the races.  Her dam, the Canadian stakes-winning mare, Daijin, who died after foaling a Zensational colt in February, is a full sister to Belmont-G1 winner and sire Touch Gold, and a half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year and sire, With Approval.  Daijin is also the dam of the A. P. Indy-sired stakes-winning full sisters Serenading and Handpainted.

Brilliant Speed is Speed Succeeds' first foal to race; she also has a two-year-old colt by Indian Charlie.  The mare was purchased for $42,000 by Hill 'n' Dale Farm, which owned Daijin, at the 2010 Keeneland January sale, but was not carrying a foal at that time.

With a powerful Dosage Profile of 7-3-23-0-1, heavily weighted with classic influences, and a Dosage Index of 1.72, Brilliant Speed should have no trouble getting a mile and a quarter, if he can just get a hold of the track.

Archarcharch (outside) works 5/8ths at Churchill on April 29th
Photo: Reed Palmer Photography, Churchill Downs

Another scion of the Roberto line, Archarcharch (by Kris S.'s son, Arch), made a dramatic off-the-pace run to capture the Grade I Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park just a few hours after Brilliant Speed's victory in the Bluegrass.  Dismissed by bettors at 25-1, Archarcharch rallied bravely to hold off the late-charging Nehro in the mile and an eighth test, earning $600,000 and securing his place in Saturday's Derby.  Not a bad return on the $60,000 that owner Bob Yagos paid for him less than two years ago, at Keeneland September.

Archarcharch's sire, Arch, who stands for a fee of $30,000, was vaulted into the spotlight last year as a result of the exploits of his son, Blame, who narrowly defeated mythical mare Zenyatta in the mile and a quarter Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill.  Arch is also the sire of Canadian Champion Filly and Horse of the Year Arravale, and of Les Arcs, Champion Older Male in Europe, and Overarching, a three-time Champion Sprinter in South Africa.

Like Blame, and Arch's ill-fated multiple Grade I winning filly, Pine Island, Archarcharch hails from a Mr. Prospector-line mare.  His dam, Woodman's Dancer (by Woodman), a graded stakes-placed winner of $298,486, has also produced stakes winner Run Sully Run (by Cherokee Run).  The mare's 2009 foal, a full sister to Archarcharch, sold at last September's Keeneland sale for $30,000, which looks like a bargain now.

The Kris S.-Mr. Prospector cross has produced many other high-class runners, including Champion Hollywood Wildcat and classic hopeful Rock Hard Ten, a multiple Grade I stakes winner who placed to Smarty Jones in the Preakness.  If Archarcharch can win the Derby, he'll be his sire's first classic winner, and perhaps more important, he'll further the thriving Roberto line as a force in American racing.