Pedigree

Although Eight Belles hails from a speedy female line, she has already handled two turns in dominating fashion, suggesting that she's inheriting sufficient stamina from her sire and broodmare sire to stay the 1 1/8-mile trip of the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Eight Belles is a daughter of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Unbridled's Song, the hero of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Florida Derby (G1) and Wood Memorial S. (G2). Dispatched as the 7-2 favorite in the 1996 Kentucky Derby (G1), he was compromised by foot issues and wound up running in bar shoes, but still turned in a terrific performance to finish fifth. Unbridled's Song now ranks as a successful stallion, with an Average Winning Distance of 7.2 furlongs for his progeny. His top three performers are all fillies -- Unbridled Elaine, successful in the 2001 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) and now the dam of Kentucky Derby aspirant Etched (Forestry); 1 1/4-mile Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) victress Octave; and multiple Grade 1 queen Splendid Blended, who captured the 1 1/8-mile Vanity Invitational H. (G1) in 2005.

Eight Belles is the second foal produced by the stakes-winning sprinter Away. After capturing the six-furlong Minaret S. at Tampa Bay Downs in 2002, Away went on to place in four other sprint stakes, notably the Thoroughbred Club of America S. (G3) at Keeneland and the Chaposa Springs H. (G3) at Calder. Away's first foal is Escape Route, who stayed much farther than she did. Despite being sired by the sprinter-miler Elusive Quality, Escape Route won a 1 1/8-mile handicap in England. Away may be transmitting more stamina than she herself displayed on the racetrack, probably courtesy of her sire, Dixieland Band. A son of the phenomenal Northern Dancer, Dixieland Band garnered the 1983 Pennsylvania Derby (G2) and 1984 Massachusetts H. (G2), both at 1 1/8 miles, before embarking upon an outstanding career at stud. He has become a broodmare sire of the highest caliber, with his daughters responsible for an army of classy individuals, including two winners of the Kentucky Derby this decade, Street Sense (2007) and Monarchos (2001).

Away is a half-sister to Rich Find (Exploit), a stakes winner going one mile on the turf. They are both out of the unraced Mr. Prospector mare Be a Prospector, who is herself a half-sister to the brilliant sprinter Belong to Me (Danzig). Eight Belles' fourth dam is Straight Deal, by Hail to Reason, who was voted the champion handicap mare of 1967. This is the family of French champion and noted sire Caerleon, multiple Grade 1 star and millionaire Royal Glint, and multiple Grade 1 heroine Adored, among a host of others. Eight Belles traces to the elite broodmare *La Troienne (*Teddy), the ancestress of innumerable top-class performers.