The name John Hancock has become a synonym for a signature, as John Hancock was not only the first to sign the Declaration of Independence, but did so in a large, flamboyant hand. Despite his status as a founding father, and despite what is suggested by the sire of his most recent equine namesake, Hancock did not, however, sign the Constitution, as he was absent from the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia due to illness.
At this point, however, we're more concerned with whether the current 3-year-old by Constitution is a legitimate classic prospect, than whether Hancock signed the document that gave the sire his name. Currently, that remains an open question, as the chestnut has started just twice. On his debut, in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs, John Hancock hopped in the air at the start but was quickly in command to lead at every call, eventually crossing the wire three lengths clear. In the Feb. 8 Sam F. Davis Stakes, he dueled from the start with Owen Almighty, yielded to that foe midstretch, but rallied to gain the day by a half-length, in the process gaining 20 points towards Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification. We'd say that so far, John Hancock is fast and game, but on a speed-figure front, he has a long way to go to become a legitimate classic contender.
John Hancock's sire, Constitution, also flourished in Florida. Unraced at 2, Constitution took the 2014 Florida Derby (G1) at 3, and the 2015 Donn Handicap (G1)—now the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1)—at 4. Standing at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., Constitution has been represented by six Northern Hemisphere crops of 3-year-olds and up and is responsible for 46 stakes winners, 21 graded. He is already sire of classic hero in the shape of the 2020 Belmont Stakes (G1) captor, Tiz the Law , and his other offspring include the 2021 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) winner Americanrevolution ; Catching Freedom, successful last year in the Louisiana Derby (G2), as well as a close fourth in the Kentucky Derby and beaten just a head for second in the Preakness Stakes (G1); as well as other grade 2 scorers Laura's Light, Neat, Independence Hall , Webslinger, Law Professor, Steal Sunshine, Treason, and Amalfi Sunrise. He also has 28 stakes winners, 15 graded, nine grade 1, from three crops sired in Chile.
John Hancock's dam, Scribbling Sarah, established her affinity for Pulpit-line stallions with her second foal, Speech. A daughter of Mr Speaker —a horse bred on the same Pulpit/Unbridled cross as Constitution's sire Tapit —Speech captured the 2020 Ashland Stakes (G1), took second in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3), and ran third in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
A daughter of Freud—a full brother to Giant's Causeway—Scribbling Sarah scored her only victory in a 5 1/2-furlong turf maiden for New York-breds at Saratoga Race Course as a 3-year-old. She is a full sister to a trio of black-type-placed horses, most notably the 2009 With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) runner-up, Jung Man Scott, and the 2010 Pilgrim Stakes (G3T) third, Deciphering Dreams.
John Hancock's second dam, Plinking, won four races and is by the With Approval horse Talkin Man. She is half sister to 2008 Discovery Stakes (G3) scorer Wishful Tomcat, by Tactical Cat (by Freud's sire, Storm Cat, out of mare by Talkin Man's grandsire, Caro); to Uncle T Seven, a five-time stakes winner in New York-bred company; to stakes winner Lucky Lewis; and to Zetterholm, a black-type winner who took a distant fourth behind I'll Have Another in the 2012 Preakness Stakes (G1). Plinking is also half sister to Wicked Wish, the dam of three-time graded stakes winner and grade 1-placed Rated R Superstar, and granddam of two stakes winners from the same Tapit line as John Hancock in Carson's Run, whose victories include the 2024 Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and 2023 Summer Stakes (G1T), and Steph'sfullasugar. Incidentally, Carson's Run's dam is by another Storm Cat-line stallion, Henny Hughes, so he's bred on very similar lines to John Hancock.
John Hancock is the second stakes winner from only three starters by Constitution out of mares by Freud. He also has 12 other stakes winners out mares by other sons of Storm Cat, including Chilean classic winner, Alaskan Queen, out of mare by Freud's brother Giant's Causeway, and we can also note millionaire Warrant , out of a mare by Giant's Causeway's son, First Samurai .
