by Evan Hammonds

Buckram Oak Farm's homebred Eurosilver ranks high on most Kentucky Derby (gr. I) followers' lists, including the one compiled by The Blood-Horse's Steve Haskin, who has the son of Unbridled's Song No. 2 on his Derby Dozen. Does last year's Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. II) winner have the pedigree to get 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May? The quick answer is a definitive "yes." But let's dive deeper into the gene pool as to why the dark bay or brown colt shouldn't have a problem covering a route of ground.
Through his first five generations, Eurosilver is a complete outcross. He possesses the popular Northern Dancer/Mr. Prospector nick, with Northern Dancer appearing in his third generation on the female side and Mr. Prospector in his fourth generation through a direct sire line of: Mr. Prospector, Fappiano, Unbridled, and Unbridled's Song.

Eurosilver's dam, the stakes-winning Russian Tango, however, is inbred 4x5x6 to Nearco. Her grandsire, Northern Dancer, is a grandson of Nearco. Nearco appears again twice under Russian Tango's dam, 1986 2-year-old champion Brave Raj, through Brave Raj's grandsire, Jaipur, and through her dam's broodmare sire, Bravo, a son of Bold Ruler. Back up top in the Unbridled's Song colt's pedigree, there is a dash of Nearco as well, back six generations.

Unbridled's Song won the Florida Derby (gr. I) and Wood Memorial (gr. I) in 1996, but didn't replicate his sire's success in the Run for the Roses, finishing fourth behind another of Unbridled's sons, Grindstone.
Unbridled's Song has been a successful sire right out of the box. Standing at Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Ky., and shuttling to Australia, Unbridled's Song has sired 27 stakes winners through late February from his first three crops to race. He had 14 stakes winners in 2003 worldwide. He's had several top 3-year-old runners so far in Buddha, who won the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial (gr. I) in 2002 and Songandaprayer, winner of the 1 1/16-milesFountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) in 2001. A daughter from his first crop, Unbridled Elaine, won the 2001 Breeder's Cup Distaff (gr. I) at 1 1/8 miles.

The Raise a Native (the sire of Mr. Prospector) line has been on a roll in the Kentucky Derby of late. Seven of the last 10 winners trace back tail-male to Raise a Native. Six of those trace directly through Mr. Prospector. Fusaichi Pegasus (Derby winner in 2000) is a son of Mr. Prospector, while Thunder Gulch (1995, by Gulch) and War Emblem (2002, Our Emblem,) are grandsons. Great grandsons are: Real Quiet (1998, through Quiet American), Grindstone, and Funny Cide (2003, Distorted Humor). Monarchos (2001) traces back through Raise a Native's son, and Kentucky Derby winner, Majestic Prince.

Russian Tango, the dam of Eurosilver, won four of 15 starts at 3 and 4 in the early 1990s. All four of her victories came around two turns, and her stakes win, in The Very One Handicap at Gulfstream in February of 1994 was at 1 1/4 miles. A winner by 5 1/4 lengths, she got the trip in 2:02.58. Eurosilver is her third foal. Her first, Luksor, by Rahy, won three of 40 starts and earned $56,698. Her second foal, by Silver Ghost, died as a 2-year-old in 2001.

Brave Raj, Eurosilver's second dam, only raced at two, but earned championship honors following her victories in the two-turn Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and My Dear Girl Stakes. She also won around one bend in the Del Mar Debutante (gr. II) and Sorrento Stakes (gr. III).

Brave Raj, and her first three dams were bred by Dr. Wallace S. Karutz. Bravest Yet, Brave Raj's dam, also threw stakes winner Peal Out (by Valid Appeal. A one-turn wonder, Peal Out won the Everget Stakes at 2 and the Peach Blossom Stakes at 3, both at Delaware Park in the mid '80s.

Perfect Hand, the fourth dam of Eurosilver, threw two stakes winners: 1982 Affectionately Handicap (gr. III) winner Perfect Poppy (by Poppy Jay), and Scott's World (by Transworld), winner of the Louisiana Downs Futurity as a 2-year-old in 1984.

For those keeping track of numbers, Eurosilver has a Dosage Index of 1.09, with a Center of Distribution of +0.08. Weighted at 122 pounds on the Experimental Free Handicap for 2003, four pounds below co-highweight and champion Action This Day, Eurosilver is one of 11 dual qualifiers based on being within 10 pounds of the 2-year-old highweight and having a Dosage Index below 4.00.

Sire: UNBRIDLED'S SONG, gr/ro, 1993. Raced 3 yrs, 12 sts, 5 wins, $1,311,800. Won Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), Florida Derby (gr. I), Wood Memorial S (gr. II), Olympic H; 2nd Fountain of Youth S (gr. II), Peter Pan S (gr. II), Hutcheson S (gr. II).

Lifetime: 4 crops, 454 foals, 284 rnrs (63%), 183 wnrs (40%), 35 2yo wnrs (8%), 25 sw (6%), 2.13 AEI, 2.77 CI, 230 sale yrlgs, avg $257,581, 5.2 TNA.

In 2003: 12 sw, 98 2yos, 24 2yo rnrs, 8 2yo wnrs, 39 sale yrlgs, avg $277,115.

1st dam: RUSSIAN TANGO, dkb/br, 1990. Bred by Warren W. Rosenthal (Ky.). Raced 2 yrs, 15 sts, 4 wins, $92,390. Won The Very One H. Dam of 3 named foals, 2 rnrs, 2 wnrs, 1 sw. ($340,000, 1991 keejul yrlg).

1996: Barren.

1997: Luksor, b g, by Rahy. Raced 5 yrs, 40 sts, 3 wins, $56,698.

1998: Slipped.

1999: Tanghost, gr/ro f, by Silver Ghost. Unraced. Died 2001.

2000: Barren.

2001: EUROSILVER, dkb/br c, by Unbridled's Song.

At 2: Won Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (gr. II).

2002: Dkb/br f, by Awesome Again.

Broodmare sire: NIJINSKY II, b, 1967-1992. Sire of 389 dams of 2,713 foals, 2,096 rnrs (77%), 1,419 wnrs (52%), 361 2yo wnrs (13%), 2.22 AEI, 1.71 CI; 237 sw.

2nd dam: BRAVE RAJ, dkb/br, 1984. Bred by Dr. W.S. Karutz (Fla.). Raced 1 yr, 9 sts, 6 wins, $933,650. Champion 2yo filly. Won Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies S (gr. I), Del Mar Debutante S (gr. II), Sorrento S (gr. III), My Dear Girl S (R), Susan's Girl S (R); 2nd Junior Miss S. Dam of BRAVO BULL (c, Holy Bull; $128,165, Won Prairie Mile S; 3rd Precisionist H). Granddam of MUNTEJ, Blairs Roarin Star.

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