Unbridled's Song is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 stallion

Stallion (horse)

A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded .Stallions will follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck, as well as a somewhat more muscular physique as compared to...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

. He was sired by 1990 Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

 winner Unbridled

Unbridled

Unbridled was a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse.The colt was sired by Fappiano , by Mr. Prospector, and his dam Gana Facil, by Le Fabuleux. Unbridled retired with a career record of 8 wins, 6 places and 6 shows in 24 starts, and $4,489,475 in career earnings...

 out of the Caro mare, Trolley Song.

As a two year old, Unbridled's Song may be most noted for his near record time in the 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Breeders' Cup Juvenile

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....

. Trained by James T. Ryerson and ridden by Mike E. Smith, it was only his third time on the racetrack as he battled Hennessy down the stretch for a time of 1:41:60.

The next spring, after placing second in the Peter Pan Stakes

Peter Pan Stakes

The Peter Pan Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. A Grade II event, it is open to three-year-olds willing to race nine furlongs on the dirt....

 and the Fountain of Youth Stakes

Fountain of Youth Stakes

The Fountain of Youth Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida at the beginning of March. A Grade II event open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt, it offers a purse of $400,000...

, he beat the 1996 U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt

Eclipse Award for Outstanding 3-Year-Old Male Horse

The American Champion Three-Year-Old Male Horse is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually in Thoroughbred flat racing. It became part of the Eclipse Awards program in 1971....

 Skip Away

Skip Away

Skip Away , a gray Thoroughbred race horse, was named America's Champion 3 Year Old Male in 1996 and twice named America's Champion Handicap Horse...

, along with Louis Quatorze

Louis Quatorze (horse)

Louis Quatorze is an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. He was sired by Sovereign Dancer, who in turn was a son of the great 1964 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, Northern Dancer out of the mare, On To Royalty....

 and Editor's Note

Editor's Note

Editor's Note is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare, Beware Of The Cat.Trained by D...

 in the Florida Derby

Florida Derby

The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on the Saturday closest to the end of March or the first of April. Added to the racing schedule in 1952, the Grade 1 race is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt...

.

Then, a couple of weeks before the Kentucky Derby, he won the Wood Memorial, but in doing so, he hit himself in the left forefoot, causing a "quarter crack", or cracked hoof, requiring a special bar shoe

Horseshoe

A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...

 and acrylic patch.

He was the favorite for the 1996 Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby

The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...

 but placed a troubled fifth behind Grindstone

Grindstone (horse)

Grindstone is a thoroughbred racehorse who won the Kentucky Derby in 1996. He became jockey Jerry Bailey's 2nd Kentucky Derby winner and the second in a row for trainer D. Wayne Lukas....

. The forefoot injury from the Wood Memorial kept him out of the rest of the Triple Crown races.

Lightly raced at four, he won the Olympic Handicap.

Retirement

Unbridled's Song was retired to stud in 1997. He has become one of the most successful sires in America and abroad, with Grade I

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 winners and $1 million winners. He currently stands at Taylor Made Farms and his 2010 fee is $100,000 live foal.

Some of his most famous offspring are graded stakes race

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 winners Octave

Octave (horse)

Octave is an American thoroughbred filly racehorse. She was sired by Unbridled's Song, who in turn was a son of 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled out of the Dr...

, Splendid Blended, Breeders' Cup Distaff

Breeders' Cup Distaff

The Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, 3 years old and up. Known as the Breeders' Cup Distaff from its inception in 1984 through 2007, it is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders'...

 winners Unbridled Elaine and Unrivaled Belle

Unrivaled Belle

Unrivaled Belle is a gray/roan American Thoroughbred racehorse owned and bred in Kentucky by Gary Seidler & Peter Vegso. She is a daughter of America's champion sire and champion racehorse Unbridled's Song, a descendant of the very influential sire, Mr...

, Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Breeders' Cup Juvenile

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....

 winner Midshipman

Midshipman (horse)

Midshipman is an American Thoroughbred racehorse.Owned by Stonerside Stable and trained by hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert, as a two year old Midshipman won 3 of 4 starts, including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Del Mar Futurity.Two weeks before his run in the Breeders Cup, Midshipman was sold...

, Domestic Dispute, Grey Song, Alexander, Political Force, Eurosilver, Eight Belles

Eight Belles

Eight Belles was a thoroughbred racehorse owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms. She finished second to winner Big Brown in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs, a race run by only thirty-nine fillies in the past...

, Old Fashioned

Old Fashioned (horse)

Old Fashioned is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was one of the top winterbook favorites for the 2009 Kentucky Derby until an injury in April's Arkansas Derby forced him to retire....

, Buddha, Songandaprayer and Dunkirk

Dunkirk (horse)

Dunkirk is an American Thoroughbred Racehorse born in 2006. He is the son of graded stakes winner and major sire Unbridled's Song and multiple Grade 1 winner Secret Status. He is owned by a syndicate composed of John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor and trained by Todd Pletcher during...

, who has not won a graded stakes but finished second in the Belmont in 2009.

Soundness Issues

The breakdown of Eight Belles following the 2008 Kentucky Derby focused attention on the soundness record of Unbridled's Song's offspring. The stallion has developed an industry reputation for producing speed, precocity, and fragility. Over his career, Unbridled's Song has averaged 66% starters of racing age, compared to a national average of around 70% , causing his detractors to suggest that many of his offspring are injured before they even make it to post. All three of his sons on the 2009 Triple Crown trail have been sidelined with injuries. Midshipman suffered an unspecified soft tissue injury during a workout in February and has not started as a three-year-old. Old Fashioned, another early Derby favorite, was retired after suffering a non-displaced slab fracture of his right knee , leaving only Dunkirk to make the Derby starting gate. Dunkirk contested the Derby and Belmont, but suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture of the left hind cannon bone during the race. He will undergo surgery and is expected to return to the track in the fall. Another colt by Unbridled's Song, Winslow Homer, is off the 2010 Kentucky Derby trail due to a stress fracture in his cannon bone.