Pedigree fun facts: 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies

Oct 30, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Brant working out at Del Mar

Juvenile contender Brant is a son and grandson of Breeders' Cup winners (Photo by Horsephotos.com)

The contenders in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) have pedigree connections to past editions of the championships.

Perennial leading sire Into Mischief has unbeaten Juvenile favorite Ted Noffey as well as a leading contender in the Juvenile Fillies, Tommy Jo. Into Mischief has already sired the winners of a record-tying eight Breeders’ Cup races, including 2022 Juvenile Fillies scorer Wonder Wheel and last year’s Juvenile champion, Citizen Bull. On Saturday, Citizen Bull lines up in a terrific renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1).

Juvenile Fillies runner Iron Orchard is by another champion son of Into Mischief, 2020 Kentucky Derby (G1) star Authentic, who clinched Horse of the Year honors in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Iron Orchard hails from the female line of Aloha West, the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner.

Triple Crown sweeper American Pharoah, who crowned his Hall of Fame career in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Classic, has Mr. A. P. in the Juvenile. American Pharoah sired a Breeders’ Cup winner in his first crop, Four Wheel Drive, successful in the 2019 Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2).

Nyquist, the 2015 Juvenile champion who went on to complete a historic double in the 2016 Kentucky Derby, is represented in the Juvenile by Litmus Test. Both of Nyquist’s Breeders’ Cup winners came in the Juvenile Fillies, Vequist (2020) and Immersive (2024). If Litmus Test can prevail, he’d become a third-generation Juvenile champion; Nyquist’s sire, Uncle Mo, romped in the 2010 running.

Hall of Famer Gun Runner, the third-placer to Nyquist in the 2016 Derby and star of the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic, has two-year-olds in both races. His $3 million son Brant is closely related to Pappacap, the runner-up in the 2021 Juvenile. Brant is out of a mare by Liam’s Map, the winner of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Gun Runner also sired Juvenile Fillies hopes, Meaning, and Super Corredora. Meaning is out of Figure of Speech, a Grade 1-placed daughter of Into Mischief. Super Corredora is out of a mare by 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, from the immediate family of Gunite (also by Gun Runner), the runner-up in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Gun Runner’s first Breeders’ Cup winner was 2021 Juvenile Fillies champion Echo Zulu. He’s also the sire of Sierra Leone, last year’s Kentucky Derby near-misser and Breeders’ Cup Classic champion who will try to repeat in Saturday’s $7 million Classic.

Interestingly, the runner-up to Gun Runner in the 2017 Classic, Collected, will renew rivalry vicariously in the Juvenile. Collected’s son Comport will square off against Gun Runner’s Brant in the championship decider.

Juvenile hopeful Blackout Time will try to win the prize that just eluded his sire, Not This Time. The favorite in the 2016 Juvenile, Not This Time, rallied to miss by a neck.

Both of Not This Time’s parents placed in their respective Breeders’ Cup races – sire Giant’s Causeway was just outdueled by Hall of Famer Tiznow in the 2000 Classic, and his dam (mother) Miss Macy Sue finished third in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) in 2007. Miss Macy Sue would go on to produce a Breeders’ Cup winner in Liam’s Map (mentioned above as the maternal grandfather of Brant).

Juvenile contender Intrepido, by Into Mischief’s son Maximus Mischief, is out of a mare by 2003 Classic hero Pleasantly Perfect. Himself by 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness (G1) champion Pleasant Colony, Pleasantly Perfect was third when trying to defend his Classic title in 2004.

Champion Blame, who denied the great Zenyatta in her 2010 Classic title defense, sends out Juvenile Fillies favorite Explora. She also has Classic connections on the maternal side of her pedigree. Explora’s dam is by champion Bernardini, runner-up as the favorite in the 2006 Classic, and her grandmother is by Giant’s Causeway.

Juvenile Fillies rival Bottle of Rouge is also by a Classic winner, 2019 champion Vino Rosso, who is himself by 2007 Classic-winning Hall of Famer Curlin. Bottle of Rouge is out of a mare by Bluegrass Cat, the runner-up in the 2006 Kentucky Derby, Belmont (G1), and Travers (G1).

Juvenile Fillies hopeful La Ville Lumiere is by 2018 Dirt Mile winner City of Light, who also sired 2023 Juvenile champion Fierceness. The runner-up to Sierra Leone in last year’s Classic, Fierceness, tries again on Saturday. On her dam’s side, La Ville Lumiere descends from a full sister to 2001 Kentucky Derby victor Monarchos.

Fellow Juvenile Fillies runner Percy’s Bar is a daughter of Upstart, the third-placer in the 2014 Juvenile. Percy’s Bar is out of a Super Saver mare, and her granddam is by 1997 Derby-winning Hall of Famer Silver Charm.

Juvenile Fillies hopeful La Wally’s sire, Constitution, is by Tapit, who is one of the most successful sires in Breeders’ Cup history. Tapit has sired seven Breeders’ Cup winners, including unbeaten 2022 Classic conqueror Flightline. La Wally’s dam, Moonstone, is a half-sister (by Tiznow’s son Gemologist) to 2020 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil.

Civil Liberty, who was scratched from the Juvenile, is bred on a similar cross. He’s by Independence Hall, a well-named son of Constitution, and out of a Tiznow mare.

Find more related Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies picks and analysis:

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