Eskendereya (foaled, 2007 in

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

) is a retired American

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. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

and current sire.

Background

Eskendereya was sired by

Giant's Causeway The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (5 km) northeast of ...

, a son of North America's one time leading sire

Storm Cat Storm Cat (February 27, 1983 – April 24, 2013) was an American Thoroughbred stallion whose breeding fee during the peak of his stud career was $500,000, the highest in North America at the time. He was the leading sire in North America in 1999 ...

. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford Robertson, Eskendereya was a $250,000

Keeneland Keeneland Association, Inc. is an equine business based in Lexington, Kentucky. It includes two distinct divisions: the Keeneland Race Course, a Thoroughbred racing facility, and Keeneland Sales, a horse auction complex. It is also known for it ...

September purchase. His dam is Aldebaran Light, who is a daughter of champion

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 ...

. Aldebaran Light is also the dam of Group I winner Balmont. Eskendereya is owned by

Zayat Stables Ahmed Zayat (; ar, أحمد الزيات), (born August 31, 1962) is an Egyptian American businessman and owner of Thoroughbred race horses. He is the CEO of Zayat Stables, LLC, a Thoroughbred horse racing business which bred and owns the 201 ...

, and was trained by

Todd Pletcher Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967 in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award seven times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (20 ...

Racing career

Eskendereya made his career debut on turf at Saratoga, rallying from off the pace to finish second. He followed that with a victory in the

Pilgrim Stakes The Pilgrim Stakes is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds over a distance of miles on the turf track scheduled annually in late September at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event currently offers a purse of $200, ...

. On February 20, 2010, Eskendereya took the lead entering the final turn and pulled away for an 8½-length victory in the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes, beating favorite

Buddy's Saint Buddy's Saint (February 23, 2007 – November 14, 2010) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Background Sired by Saint Liam, a Breeders' Cup Classic winner who also won the Eclipse Award as the 2005 Horse of the Year, he is out of the mare T ...

. This win made Eskendereya one of the early favorites for 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 ...

. On April 3, 2010, Eskendereya won the

Wood Memorial Stakes The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memori ...

by 9¾ lengths, essentially repeating his dominating performance in Florida. This made him the Kentucky Derby favorite. However, it was announced on April 25 that Eskendereya would be pulled out of the Kentucky Derby after he sustained a leg injury. He did not race again.

Retirement to stud

Eskendereya entered stud in 2011 at Taylor Made Stallions in

Nicholasville, Kentucky Nicholasville is a home rule city in and the county seat of Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 31,490 during the 2020 U.S. Census, making Nicholasville the 10th-largest settlement in the state. Since the late 20th ce ...

. His starting stud fee was $30,000 live foal. In 2013 his stud fee was lowered to $17,500. In September 2015, it was announced that Eskendereya had been sold and would stand in Japan for the 2016 season, standing at the

Shizunai Stallion Station Shizunai Stallion Station is a Japanese Thoroughbred horse farm was opened in 1963 and is located on the island of Hokkaidō. Operated by the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA), it is located in Shizunai whose sister city is Lexington, ...

. Eskendereya's most successful progeny to date include

Mitole Mitole (foaled March 23, 2015) is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse who was foaled and raised at Hermitage Farm in Oldham County, Kentucky. He was named the American Champion Male Sprint Horse of 2019 after winning six of seven starts th ...

, winner of the 2019

Forego Stakes The Forego Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for horses four years old and older over the distance of seven furlongs on the dirt, scheduled annually in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The event curr ...

, the

Metropolitan Handicap The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile", is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile (8 furl ...

, the

Churchill Downs Stakes The Churchill Downs Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for four-year-old and older sprinters run over a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt annually in early May at Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky as an unde ...

and the

Breeders' Cup Sprint The Breeders' Cup Sprint is an American Weight for Age Grade I Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older. Run on dirt Corrected grade for Santa Anita sprintover a distance of 6 Furlongs ( mile), the race has been held annually si ...

; Mor Spirit, winner of the Metropolitan Handicap, Robert B. Lewis Stakes, and the

Los Alamitos Futurity The Los Alamitos Futurity is a Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-olds run over a distance distance of one and one sixteenth miles ( furlongs) on the dirt held annually in early December at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, C ...

; Isabella Sings, winner of the

Mrs. Revere Stakes The Mrs. Revere Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of miles on turf held annually in November at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky during the fall meeting. Currently offers ...

Eatontown Handicap The Eatontown Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares, three years old and older over a distance of miles on the turf course scheduled annually in June at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, New Jersey and c ...

, and the

Endeavour Stakes The Endeavour Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares that are four years old or older, over a distance of miles on turf, held annually in February at Tampa Bay Downs racetrack in Oldsmar, Florida. History ...

; and Eskenformoney, winner of the 2016 Rampart Stakes. Eskendereya has also sired several listed stakes winners that have each won over $100,000 in purse money.

Pedigree

References

{{Reflist
Eskendereya's pedigree and racing stats
2007 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 2-d