by Les Brinsfield ©

If it is true that nobody can fool all the people all the time, we might just finally have a Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner able to bag the Kentucky Derby. At least, rational people can be forgiven such thoughts given the monster move Johannesburg laid on to win his final start at two. The instant, push button speed when asked is a rare attribute and the hardboots will admit privately that it is a prime quality for a stud prospect.

We will look at this pedigree from a linebreeding point as to what produced this surefire champion. Also, prediction will be made regarding what type of mares you might want to buy to go with your syndicate share in him - and why.

Regarding his stamina, anything packing Northern Dancer top and bottom featuring equivalents Storm Bird and Nijinsky II compunded by Hawaii, a triple Princequillo with a Secretariat chaser has license to get a route. Northern Dancer [2], Princequillo [3] and Crimson Satan bring Tracery into play and he will add stamina to all things via a 3X3 to St. Simon and his sister Angelica along with nine strains of immortal Pocahontas in the first seven removes.

Teddy adds stamina from many Bull Dog/Sir Gallahad III strains and that brings Angelica as well. The aforesaid brothers are primetime equivalents to Nogara, dam of Nearco, he of the male and female cross of St. Simon top and bottom replete with sister Angelica, again. So the peerless St. Simon, so prevalent in the gene pool, along with his full sister, are lashed up from several prime sources.

There are two more noteworthy clusters to discuss regarding Johannesburg's genotype as a racer. Three males scions of H.H. the Aga Khan's operation are here in multiples. Two of these are sons of Nearco and, along with the double of Northern Dancer give plenty of Nearco. Nasrullah [3], Royal Charger  and Mahmoud [6] have the flyer, Mumtaz Mahal as second dam, second dam, and third dam respectively. This trio accomplish sex balanced crosses to Blenheim II, Gainsborough and Mumtaz Begum. Mahmoud is a turned inside out equivalent to Sun Princess, she the dam of Royal Charger and, along with Nasrullah, the offspring of Mumtaz Begum. Mahmoud is 3/4 related to Mumtaz Begum. Royal Charger is a 3/4 brother to Nasrullah.

All this leads to Americus Girl by Americus who is 2X2 to full siblings Norfolk and The Nun. Their pedigree is laced with six male strains of Diomed, five of which are Sir Archy whose Sumpter is crossed top and bottom. Whoa back!!

Nearco is tail female to Maiden by the great Lexington, she of four male strains of Diomed, three of which are Sir Archy including a top and bottom cross to Sumpter. If I count right, Nasrullah is 7X7X7 to Maiden and the full siblings Norfolk and The Num who are nearly identical to Maiden.

Interesting to note, there is no ancestor to Nasrullah except these three with male Diomed. As things of the male Diomed, Sir Archy and Lexington ilk lead quickly to Domino, it is no surprise then that he and his usual suspects comprise the last cluster to be looked at in Johannesburg. As Domino is everywhere in American horses, the addition of things like Frizette, Bubbling Over and Discovery - with Lady Reel, a 5/8 sister to Domino helps exploit this great progenitor. The addition of the sisters of Domino, Correction and Mannie Himyar, to the elixir and you have as potent a formula for a good horse as can be found.

Native Dancer [3] and Bold Ruler [2] give a top and bottom sum of five strains of Discovery as he is their damsire. His importance is twofold and can be seen in the pedigree of his second dam, Adrienne. She contains Lady Reel, with three lines of Galopade and a double to Lady Hardaway, she an intensely linebred descendant of Galopade as well. Thus, Discovery has more of Domino's family than Domino himself.

Correction is in the doubled Sun Again and Count Fleet. Mannie Himyar is in Bolero and Grey Flight.

We started off delineating stamina and endup with a roundup of speed influences - nicely balanced in a nicely linbred pedigree of a horse that can run like Hell. I won't go into much detail as to his future "most likely to succeed mares," but there is a compelling trio that suggest Buckpasser will be a prime time player here - likely through daughters of sires out of Buckpasser mares and there is no shortage of them. There is a 5X5 cross of Tom Fool and Blue-Eyed Momo, she a full sister in blood to Busanda, she the dam of Buckpasser by said Tom Fool. Further, Flaming Page (dam of Nijinsky II and granddam of The Minstrel, Far North) is an equivalent to Buckpasser. Any mare with Striking, Busher and/or Mr. Busher would be more than welcome for my two cents worth.

So that is the before, during and after views of the pedigree of Champion Two-Year-Old pro tem, Johannesburg. Let's see if we can cash a lottery ticket and parlay it at 8:1 in Vegas.