Eskendereya (2007 – March 2024) was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, 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 bas ...

and sire.

Background

Eskendereya was sired by

Giant's Causeway The Giant's Causeway () is an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcano, volcanic fissure eruption, part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province active in the region during the Paleogene period. ...

, a son of North America's one time leading sire

Storm Cat Storm Cat (February 27, 1983 – April 24, 2013) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and stallion whose breeding fee during the peak of his stud career was $500,000, the highest in North America at the time. He was the leading sire in North A ...

. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford Robertson, Eskendereya was a $250,000

Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for ...

September purchase. His dam was Aldebaran Light, who is a daughter of champion

Seattle Slew Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who became the tenth winner of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States), American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only ...

. Aldebaran Light is also the dam of Group I winner Balmont. Eskendereya was 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 eight 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 an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

. On April 3, 2010, Eskendereya won the

Wood Memorial Stakes The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memor ...

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, Jessamine County, Kentucky. The population was 31,490 during the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, making Nicholasville the 10th-largest settlemen ...

. 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 Mitole (foaled March 23, 2015) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who was foaled and raised at Hermitage Farm in Oldham County, Kentucky. He was named the American Champion Male Sprint Horse of 2019 after winning six of seven starts th ...

, winner of the 2019

Forego Stakes The Forego Stakes is a Graded stakes race, 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 Y ...

, the

Metropolitan Handicap The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile", is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile (8 furl ...

, the Churchill Downs Stakes and the

Breeders' Cup Sprint The Breeders' Cup Sprint is an American Weight for Age Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older. Run on dirt over a distance of 6 Furlongs ( mile), the race has been held annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in t ...

; Mor Spirit, winner of the Metropolitan Handicap, Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and the

Los Alamitos Futurity The Los Alamitos Futurity is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds run over a distance of one and one sixteenth miles ( furlongs) on the dirt held annually in early December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California ...

; 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.

Death

On March 2, 2024 it was announced that Eskendereya had died from heart failure at the age of 17.

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist

Sources

Eskendereya's pedigree and racing stats
2007 racehorse births 2024 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 2-d Deaths from congestive heart failure in the United States