I'll Have Another Horse Pedigree: Genetics Won't Help Horse at Preakness

With I'll Have Another's surprising victory today at the Kentucky Derby, the entire backstory for the horse, his jockey and owner will soon be told to the masses. While I'll Have Another's pedigree is nothing to discard, genetics won't help him overcome horses like Bodemeister who have the superior edge in acceleration.

I'll Have Another is the offspring of Flower Alley, who derives from the same line sire (Mr. Prospector) as Distorted Humor and Funny Cide, who won the 2003 running of the Kentucky Derby.

Flower Alley was the 2005 runner up for the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year, Funny Cide won the '03 Derby and Preakness races, and Distorted Humor had an impressive career winning several races on the Grade II and III level.

Now that you know the line of horses that I'll Have Another comes from, realize that it won't change the fact that fast accelerators like Bodemeister have a better chance at placing first at the Preakness Stakes.

Genetics do play a role in how talented a person or, in this case, horse can turn out, and Bodemeister comes from an impressive lineage as well. His ancestors include 1990 Derby and Breeder's Cup winner Unbridled and Empire Maker, who won the 2003 Belmont Stakes and finished second to Funny Cide in the Derby.

While some will take 'Maker's 2003 loss to Funny Cide as a poetic way to spin a story in favor of I'll Have Another at the Preakness, Bodemeister is better suited to win on the shorter track while I'll Have Another will need to pull his last second burst of speed far earlier than he did at the Derby.

At the end of the day, almost every horse in the running at the Preakness is going to have an impressive lineage. That's how the world of horse racing works: The successful horses of yesteryear are used to create the successful horses of the present day. Lineage matters a bit, yes. But when every other horse in the race has just as impressive a lineage, it doesn't help separate you from the pack.

I'll Have Another's rise to the front of the pack was phenomenal to watch, and it was nice to see an underdog take home first place. Unfortunately, the Preakness just doesn't match up well with his skillset, and there's a great chance the Triple Crown talk ends in Maryland.