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 his short racing career. Dunkirk acquired a measure of celebrity during the 2007 Keeneland Yearling Auction, where he sold for $3.7million. Unraced at 2, he broke his maiden at age 3 in 2009 at first asking at Gulfstream Park. He followed that win with an Allowance victory, also at Gulfstream Park. He then placed second in the Florida Derby, a race in which victorious

Quality Road Quality Road (foaled March 23, 2006, in Virginia) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Background Quality Road was bred and owned by Edward P. Evans. He was sired by Elusive Quality, who also sired 2004 Kentucky Derby/Preakness Stakes winner ...

set a new track record. In the 2009 Kentucky Derby, Dunkirk finished 11th after stumbling badly at the beginning. This was the first time he had failed to finish in the top two. He then skipped the mid-May Preakness Stakes and aimed for the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

in early June at Belmont Park. After setting a fast pace for the first 6 furlongs, Dunkirk was overtaken in the stretch but fought back to finish 2nd behind eventual 3-year old champion

Summer Bird Summer Bird (April 7, 2006 – December 23, 2013) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse, son of 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone. He was bred by retired cardiologist Kalarikkal Jayaraman and his wife, retired pathologist Vilasini ...

, beating the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...

winner, Mine That Bird. After the race, it was discovered that Dunkirk had suffered a condylar fracture in his left hind cannon bone. After a successful surgery, Dunkirk was expected to return to racing in 2010 at age 4, but he instead was retired to stand stud at

Ashford Stud Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, County Tipperary, Ireland, is headquarters of the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. Through its racing arm, Ballydoyle, Coolmore also has raced many classic winners and champions. The operat ...

in Kentucky.

Pedigree

Dunkirk's sire and dam are both Grade 1 Stakes winners, and both of his grandsires are Triple Crown race winners (Unbridled won the 1990 Kentucky Derby; A.P. Indy won the 1992 Belmont Stakes). {{Pedigree , name = Dunkirk , f = Unbridled's Song , m = Secret Status , ff = Unbridled , fm = Trolley Song , mf =

A.P. Indy A.P. Indy (March 31, 1989 – February 21, 2020) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic on his way to American Horse of the Year honors in 1992. His time in the Belmont Stakes tied Easy Goer for ...

, mm = Private Status , fff = Fappiano , ffm = Gana Facil , fmf = Caro , fmm = Lucky Spell , mff =

Seattle Slew Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 – May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who became the tenth winner of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States), American Triple Crown (1977). He is one of only ...

, mfm =

Weekend Surprise Weekend Surprise (April 8, 1980 – March 13, 2001) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and dam of 1992 American Horse of the Year A.P. Indy and 1990 Preakness Stakes winner Summer Squall. She was sired by the famous Triple Crown winner S ...

, mmf = Alydar , mmm = Miss Eva , ffff =

Mr. Prospector Mr. Prospector (January 28, 1970 – June 1, 1999) was a Thoroughbred racehorse who became an outstanding breeding stallion and notable sire of sires. A sprinter whose career was cut short by repeated injuries, he won seven of his 14 starts, i ...

, fffm = Killaloe , ffmf = Le Fabuleux , ffmm = Charedi , fmff = Fortino , fmfm = Chambord , fmmf = Lucky Mel , fmmm = Incantation , mfff = Bold Reasoning , mffm = My Charmer , mfmf = Secretariat , mfmm = Lassie Dear , mmff = Raise a Native , mmfm = Sweet Tooth , mmmf = Con Brio , mmmm = Apolinea }

References

2006 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 8-g