Pedigree

Yankee Bravo descends from the male line of Storm Cat, which has been successful in many facets of the Thoroughbred sport in this country, except for the Kentucky Derby (G1). For all the success that Storm Cat and his sons have had at stud, neither he nor any of his sons have sired a winner of the great race. Yankee Bravo is just the latest of Storm Cat's descendants to try to break a jinx that stretches back for more than a decade.

Yankee Bravo is from the first crop of Yankee Gentleman, who won four of 10 starts including the restricted Pirate's Bounty H. at six furlongs for his only added-money victory. Though a winner up to 1 1/16 miles around one turn at Belmont, Yankee Gentleman was campaigned as a sprinter in his final year of racing, finishing fourth in the Ancient Title H. (G1) and fifth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) in his final two starts. Yankee Gentleman is off to a reasonably fast start at stud, with two stakes winners in his first crop so far. In addition to Yankee Bravo Yankee Gentleman has also been represented by Golden Yank, winner of the Jean Lafitte S. and Remington MEC Mile at age two. Golden Yank also ran third in the Delta Jackpot S. (G3), and most recently was fourth in the March 15 Rebel S. (G2) in his seasonal debut.

Yankee Bravo is the first foal out of the unraced Vickey Jane, a daughter of Royal Academy, whose Group/Grade 1 turf victories occurred in the six-furlong July Cup at Newmarket, and a thrilling score in the 1990 Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park. Not surprisingly, daughters of Royal Academy have produced more prominent turf winners that dirt winners. Among these have been St Leger (Eng-G1) winner Rule of Law; Finsceal Beo (Mr. Greeley), a European champion at two and classic winner of the English (Eng-G1) and Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) at age three; and Foxysox (GB) (Foxhound), a dual Grade 3 winner on turf and a Grade 2 winner on a synthetic surface. Perhaps the most prominent American dirt winner Royal Academy has had as a broodmare sire is Golden Sonata, winner of the 2004 Oaklawn S. (G3).

Vickey Jane is out of Prima Gioia (Brz) (Itajara), a winner in her native Brazil. Prima Gioia is a full sister to multiple Grade 1 hero and $3 million earner Siphon (Brz), the winner of two of North America's premier 1 1/4-mile events, the Santa Anita H. (G1) and Hollywood Gold Cup H. (G1).

The versatile Yankee Bravo has won over turf and synthetic, and was a decent third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) in his dirt debut. Though bred more along the lines of a sprinter/miler, Yankee Bravo's closing style suggests that he might stay a little longer than his pedigree would indicate.