This weekend was something of a Snakes and Ladders one for the Into Mischief line on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail. In the April 5 Santa Anita Derby (G1) two of Into Mischief's prime hopes, champion 2-year-old male Citizen Bull and San Vicente Stakes (G2) winner Barnes, finished fourth and fifth in a five-horse field, neither appearing to appreciate the stretch out to 1 1/8 miles.
On the positive side of the scale, across the country in New York, Rodriguez, a stable companion to Citizen Bull and Barnes, and from the first crop of Into Mischief's son, Authentic , dominated the Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) going wire to wire to score by 3 1/2 lengths looking every inch a serious classic prospect in the process.
This effort marked a significant return to form for a colt who on his second start had captured a mile maiden special weight by seven lengths over the subsequent Santa Anita Derby runner-up Baeza, while earning a 105 Equibase Speed Figure and 100 Beyer Speed Figure. On his next two outings, however, was beaten 3 3/4 lengths by Citizen Bull in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), then more disappointingly finished third 11 1/4 lengths behind Journalism and Barnes in the San Felipe Stakes. Notably, in the Wood Memorial Rodriguez was making his first start without blinkers and was on the lead early for the first time since his maiden victory.
If Rodriguez were to triumph at Churchill Downs he would make a little history for Authentic, who would become the first Kentucky Derby winner of the 21st century to himself sire a Kentucky Derby winner. Overall, there are a dozen Kentucky Derby winners that have completed that feat, going back to Halma who scored in 1895, and was represented by Alan A Dale, successful in 1902. The most recent Kentucky Derby winner to sire a Derby winner is Unbridled (winner in 1990), who, from his first crop, was represented by Grindstone (winner in 1996).
Authentic's Kentucky Derby triumph came in a race run in September due to the impact of COVID-19 on the 2020 racing season, and that later date may have played in his favor as Authentic—like Rodriguez, a May foal—improved significantly through the year. He did win his first three starts, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar at 2, and the Sham Stakes (G3) and the San Felipe Stakes at the start of his 3-year-old season. But was beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Honor A. P. in the Santa Anita Derby.
After squeaking home by a nose from Ny Traffic in the Haskell Stakes (G1), Authentic caused something of a upset at Churchill Downs, leading at every call, rebuffing the challenge of Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers Stakes (G1) hero Tiz the Law in the stretch, before drawing off to beat that rival by 1 1/4 lengths. Unable to pass the filly Swiss Skydiver in the stretch of the Preakness Stakes (G1), he missed a second classic by a neck. For his final start, the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Authentic readopted front-running tactics and was never challenged, kicking clear in the stretch to nail down titles as champion 3-year-old male and Horse of the Year with a 2 1/4-length victory over subsequent champion older dirt male Improbable.
Rodriguez is Authentic's second stakes winner and his first graded scorer, but he also has five other black-type performers, including Westwood, who although still a maiden, set much of the pace in the Santa Anita Derby before holding on for third.
Rodriguez's dam, Cayala, has already produced two talented runners to Authentic's sire, Into Mischief. One Liner won his first three starts and appeared to be a classic performer in the making when he took the 2017 Southwest Stakes (G3) by 3 1/2 lengths with subsequent Kentucky Derby runner-up Lookin At Lee back in third. Unfortunately, One Liner was injured after that performance, and although he came back at 4 and ran second in the 2018 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3), he was never able to fulfill his earlier promise. One Liner's brother, Provocateur , was a speedier sort, winning the 2022 Hutcheson Stakes and Jersey Shore Stakes, and taking third in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1).
Cayala's dam, Chasethegold, a daughter of 1997 Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, earned black type with a second in the 2005 Senator Ken Maddy Handicap (G3T). She is half sister to two notable runners in Albertus Maximus, whose successes included the 2009 Donn Handicap (G1) and 2008 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and 2014 Champagne Stakes (G1) victor Daredevil , who coincidentally is the sire of Authentic's Preakness Stakes conqueror, Swiss Skydiver.
Rodriquez's third dam, Chasethewildwind, is out of 1993 Santa Maria Handicap (G1) captress Race the Wild Wind and is half sister to the group 1-winning European sprinter King Charlemagne, and to Chasetheragingwind, dam of 2010 Forego Stakes (G1) winner Here Comes Ben. She is also granddam of another notable Into Mischief product in Dayoutoftheoffice, winner of the 2020 Frizette Stakes (G1) and Schuylerville Stakes (G3), and runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Coincidentally, given that we have been talking about Kentucky Derby winners by Kentucky Derby winners, the family goes back to Marguery, a full sister to Gallant Fox, who is unique in this respect, as he won not only the 1930 Kentucky Derby, but also swept the Triple Crown, and in his first crop sired another Triple Crown laureate, Omaha.
Cayala, the dam of Rodriguez, is by Cherokee Run, a son of the Blushing Groom horse Runaway Groom. The Blushing Groom line hasn't extended far into the 21st century, at least in North America, so he's not found that often in the broodmare sire line of current runners, but there are still 27 starters by Into Mischief and sons out of mares by Cherokee Run and sons. Five of these are stakes winners, three of whom are out of Cayala, but the other two include Into Mischief's 2020 champion female sprinter Gamine.
