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Racing Analysis by Steve Haskin

Merv Griffin used to have “a lovely bunch of coconuts,” but these days he sure has a lovely bunch of horses. Years ago, Griffin made a hit song out of the above whimsical title. Today, his big hit is a powerful chestnut colt named Cobalt Blue, who came flying into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) picture right on the heels of Griffin’s 2-year-old champion Stevie Wonderboy. While Stevie Wonderboy exited the Derby trail early, Cobalt Blue has entered late

With his victory in the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) in his first race around two turns, the son of Golden Missile has emerged as a legitimate Derby contender for Griffin, and the fourth for his trainer, Doug O’Neill.

It was trainer Nick Zito who first saw the potential in the colt, snatching him up for $100,000 at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale for Robert LaPenta. Although Zito marked him down as one to definitely keep, he was pinhooked the following year at Fasig-Tipton’s February Calder select sale of 2-year-olds in training, where he was purchased by O’Neill’s brother, Dennis, for $325,000.

When Zito saw that it was the sharp-eyed Dennis who bought the colt, he knew he’d be heading to his brother’s high-powered stable and feared he’d come back to haunt him one day.

With a pedigree geared toward stamina, not too much was expected from Cobalt Blue when he debuted going five furlongs. But to the surprise of the O’Neills, he came flying late to win in :58.24. An injury in the Best Pal Stakes (gr. II) laid him up for six months. He returned with a smashing allowance score in 1:09.12 for six furlongs before stretching out and winning the San Felipe by two lengths.

So, just like that, Cobalt Blue is hot on the Derby trail and looking to use the Illinois Derby (gr. II) as a springboard. Even with a win, we still won’t know how good this horse really is. But it’s sure going to be fun finding out.

Pedigree Profile by Avalyn Hunter

The line of Cobalt Blue’s fifth dam, Fair Clarissa, is one of many that have successfully adapted to American racing conditions. A daughter of the brilliant miler Fair Trial, Fair Clarissa was imported while in foal to Nimbus; the resulting colt, Moon Cloud, was her only stakes winner, winning the Chagrin Valley Turf Handicap in 1960.

Princess Fair (by Prince John) was about as good as any of the other five foals Fair Clarissa produced after her importation, winning one race from five starts. She was much better as a broodmare, producing three stakes winners.

But the best of those stakes winners, Queen to Be (by Cornish Prince), marked the family’s successful transition to American dirt by winning the 1975 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (gr. II), though she threw only two stakes-placed runners from 13 foals. One of those two was Eastern Star (by Star de Naskra), who placed in a restricted Canadian stakes as a juvenile and, in turn, produced Prado Star (by El Prado), also a stakes-placed runner at 2 in Canada.

Prado Star’s female line is one that historically has shown its best at 2 and at distances of no more than 11⁄16 miles, and this may have been a consideration in matching the mare with Golden Missile to produce Cobalt Blue. A late-maturing son of A.P. Indy, Golden Missile did not reach his best form until 5, taking the 2000 Pimlico Special (gr. I). He has been inconsistent as a sire so far, but has also gotten In the Gold, winner of the 2005 Gazelle Stakes (gr. I).

Cobalt Blue is one of a slew of lightly raced colts that have shown talent, but are coming up to the spring classics with little in the way of seasoning. He also has yet to tackle a distance beyond 11⁄16 miles, leaving the question open as to whether he has inherited enough stamina from his sire to go farther. If he is indeed his father’s son, look for him to improve as he continues to mature.