Eskendereya (foaled, 2007 in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

) is a retired American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

and current sire.

Background

Eskendereya was sired by Giant's Causeway, a son of North America's one time leading sire Storm Cat. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford Robertson, Eskendereya was a $250,000 Keeneland September purchase. His dam is Aldebaran Light, who is a daughter of champion

Seattle Slew Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the tenth winner of the American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only two horses to have won the Triple Crown while being undefeated in ...

. Aldebaran Light is also the dam of Group I winner Balmont. Eskendereya is owned by Zayat Stables, and was trained by

Todd Pletcher Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award seven times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming ( ...

Racing career

Eskendereya made his career debut on turf at Saratoga, rallying from off the pace to finish second. He followed that with a victory in the Pilgrim Stakes. On February 20, 2010, Eskendereya took the lead entering the final turn and pulled away for an 8½-length victory in the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes, beating favorite Buddy's Saint. This win made Eskendereya one of the early favorites for the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-yea ...

. On April 3, 2010, Eskendereya won the Wood Memorial Stakes by 9¾ lengths, essentially repeating his dominating performance in Florida. This made him the Kentucky Derby favorite. However, it was announced on April 25 that Eskendereya would be pulled out of the Kentucky Derby after he sustained a leg injury. He did not race again.

Retirement to stud

Eskendereya entered stud in 2011 at Taylor Made Stallions in

Nicholasville, Kentucky Nicholasville is a home rule city in and the county seat of Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 31,490 during the 2020 U.S. Census, making Nicholasville the 10th-largest settlement in the state. Since the late 20th ce ...

. His starting stud fee was $30,000 live foal. In 2013 his stud fee was lowered to $17,500. In September 2015, it was announced that Eskendereya had been sold and would stand in Japan for the 2016 season, standing at the Shizunai Stallion Station. Eskendereya's most successful progeny to date include Mitole, winner of the 2019

Forego Stakes The Forego Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses four years old and older over the distance of seven furlongs on the dirt, scheduled annually in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event curr ...

, the Metropolitan Handicap, the Churchill Downs Stakes and the Breeders' Cup Sprint; Mor Spirit, winner of the Metropolitan Handicap, Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and the Los Alamitos Futurity; Isabella Sings, winner of the Mrs. Revere Stakes, Eatontown Handicap, and the Endeavour Stakes; and Eskenformoney, winner of the 2016 Rampart Stakes. Eskendereya has also sired several listed stakes winners that have each won over $100,000 in purse money.

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist
Eskendereya's pedigree and racing stats
2007 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 2-d