PEDIGREE ANALYSIS

American Anthem Bodemeister – Indy’s Windy, by A.P. Indy

(Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm; $435,000 purchase by WinStar and China Horse Club at 2016 OBS March 2-year-old sale)

Bodemeister was a late-April foal who didn’t race as a juvenile, was good enough to place in graded stakes in California early in his 3-year-old campaign, burst onto the Triple Crown scene by romping by 9 1/2 lengths in the Arkansas Derby, and subsequently was second in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. By Empire Maker – whose other sons at stud include Pioneerof the Nile – Bodemeister brought an intriguing mix of qualities to the table as a stallion prospect, with both brilliance and the ability to carry it a distance.

Bodemeister finished third on the 2016 freshman sire list by earnings, powered by stakes winners Bode’s Dream and O Dionysus and Grade 1-placed Royal Copy. Still, considering that Bodemeister himself was unraced at 2, there was the potential for late bloomers to emerge from his first crop, and that has been the case with American Anthem. A May foal, the colt won his debut in December going six furlongs at Del Mar, then acquitted himself well when stretching out to a mile, losing by only a head to Gormley in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes. American Anthem now heads to Oaklawn Park looking for his own breakout party in Saturday’s Rebel Stakes.

Bodemeister has another late bloomer this year in Always Dreaming, who most recently won a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer at Gulfstream Park.

American Anthem is the first stakes horse out of the A.P. Indy mare Indy’s Windy, who won at a mile, as did two of her foals.

Indy’s Windy is a half-sister to champion Banshee Breeze, who is by Unbridled, the sire of Empire Maker. Two other half-sisters, Unbridled Wind and Charm, are stakes producers or have stakes-producing daughters.

This is the extended family of several classy international route runners, including European champion Twice Over and Group 1 winners All At Sea, Timepiece, and Passage of Time.

– Nicole Russo Derby Watch Video: Every week at drf.com/derby-watch