Success in the Kentucky Derby practically assures a future at stud, but a poor performance isn’t necessarily a life sentence to obscurity.

With the recent release of The Jockey Club’s 2022 Report of Mares Bred, we combed through the records to see how many mares every horse that ever competed in a Kentucky Derby covered during the most recent breeding season.

The Jockey Club’s report only covers active stallions in North America, so Kentucky Derby winners residing in other regions, like California Chrome and Animal Kingdom in Japan, will not be included.

The 2018 Derby, won by eventual Triple Crown winner Justify, had 15 of its runners cover at least one mare in 2022, leading all fields. That group was also the most active by the number of mares bred, with 1,442. The 2019 renewal was second in both categories, with 12 stallions covering 1,250 mares.

While the Derby winner is the horse that gets the headlines in the short-term, and a long-term place in the history books, winning the classic race is not a guarantee that breeders will flock to a stallion for the rest of their lives. Racetrack performance before and after the Derby can sway breeder opinions, and the greatest indicator is, of course, foal performance on the racetrack and in the sale ring.

The only Derby victor to still lead his field by mares bred this year (among groups with three or more active sires) was 2008 winner Big Brown, a resident of Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions in New York, who was visited by 25 mares.

On the other side of the coin, the lowest-placing horse among a Derby field’s active sires led the class on three occasions. Mendelssohn finished last of 20 in 2018, and he covered 230 mares at Ashford Stud in Kentucky. Airdrie Stud resident Upstart ran 18th in the 2015 Derby, and saw 151 mares, while Spendthrift Farm’s Goldencents finished 17th in 2013, and bred 139 mares.

Following is a complete list of Kentucky Derby runners who covered at least one North American mare, according to The Jockey Club’s 2022 Report of Mares Bred. Stallions are listed by the farms where they stood during the 2022 breeding season.

2021 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Essential Quality3Darley, Ky.162
Known Agenda8Spendthrift Farm, Ky.166
Rock Your World16Spendthrift Farm, Ky.219

2020 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Authentic1Spendthrift Farm, Ky.202
Tiz the Law2Ashford Stud, Ky.218
Honor A.P.4Lane’s End, Ky.81

Authentic repels the challenge of Tiz the Law in the 2020 Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby 2019

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Country House1Darby Dan Farm, Ky.31
Code of Honor2Lane’s End, Ky.92
Tacitus3Taylor Made Stallions, Ky.188
Improbable4WinStar Farm, Ky.157
Game Winner5Lane’s End, Ky.131
War of Will6Claiborne Farm, Ky.112
Win Win Win9Ocala Stud, Fla.61
Cutting Humor10McDowell Farm, Ark.21
By My Standards11Spendthrift Farm, Ky.106
Vekoma12Spendthrift Farm, Ky.196
Bodexpress13Barton TBs, Calif.44
Maximum Security17Ashford Stud, Ky.100

Kentucky Derby 2018

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Justify1Ashford Stud, Ky.148
Good Magic2Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms, Ky.126
Audible3WinStar Farm, Ky148
Instilled Regard4Taylor Made Stallions, Ky.23
Bravazo6Calumet Farm, Ky.8
Lone Sailor8Red River Farms, La.35
Vino Rosso9Spendthrift Farm, Ky.143
Solomini10McMahon of Saratoga, N.Y.58
Bolt d’Oro12Spendthrift Farm, Ky.174
Flameaway13Darby Dan Farm, Ky.113
Enticed14Darley, Ky.93
Promises Fulfilled15WinStar Farm, Ky.17
Free Drop Billy16Spendthrift Farm, Ky.41
Combatant18Rockridge Stud, N.Y.85
Mendelssohn20Ashford Stud, Ky.230

Justify

Kentucky Derby 2017

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Always Dreaming1WinStar Farm, Ky.36
Lookin at Lee2Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions, N.Y.14
Classic Empire4Ashford Stud, Ky.100
Practical Joke5Ashford Stud, Ky.227
Tapwrit6Gainesway, Ky.72
Gunnevera7Pleasant Acres Stallions, Fla.73
McCraken8Airdrie Stud, Ky.6
Irish War Cry10Northview Stallion Station, Md.61
Girvin13Ocala Stud, Fla.86

Kentucky Derby 2016

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Nyquist1Darley, Ky.161
Exaggerator2Elite Thoroughbreds, La.28
Gun Runner3Three Chimneys Farm, Ky.248
Mohaymen4Shadwell Farm, Ky.18
Brody’s Cause7Spendthrift Farm, Ky.48
Mo Tom8Red River Farms, La.48
Mor Spirit10Spendthrift Farm, Ky134
Outwork14WinStar Farm, Ky.28
Danzing Candy15Rancho San Miguel, Calif.60
Oscar Nominated17Lovacres Ranch, Calif.25
Shagaf20Indiana Stallion Station, Ind.15

Nyquist winning the 2016 Kentucky Derby under Mario Gutierrez

2015 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
American Pharoah1Ashford Stud, Ky.145
Firing Line2Crestwood Farm, Ky.23
Frosted4Darley, Ky.108
Keen Ice7Calumet Farm, Ky.71
Carpe Diem10Acadiana Equine at Copper Crowne, La.56
Upstart18Airdrie Stud, Ky.151

2014 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Wicked Strong4Pin Oak Lane Farm, Pa.31
Chitu9Bridlewood Farm, Fla.3
Tapiture15Darby Dan Farm, Ky.100
Harry’s Holiday16Breakway Farm, Ind.47

2013 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Oxbow6Calumet Farm, Ky.27
Will Take Charge8Three Chimneys Farm, Ky.21
Charming Kitten9Breakway Farm, Ind.23
Palace Malice12Three Chimneys Farm, Ky.12
Itsmyluckyday15Maro Veterinary Services, Ohio1
Frac Daddy16Colebrook Farm Stallion Station, Ont.23
Goldencents17Spendthrift Farm, Ky.139

Goldencents

2012 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
I’ll Have Another1Ocean Breeze Ranch, Calif.26
Creative Cause5Airdrie Stud, Ky.28
Liaison6Mighty Acres, Okla.9
Union Rags7Lane’s End, Ky.115
Rousing Sermon8Harris Farms, Calif.7
Optimizer11Calumet Farm, Ky.6
Done Talking14Elloree Training Center, S.C.24
Sabercat15Averett Farm, La.3
Take Charge Indy19WinStar Farm, Ky.100

2011 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Mucho Macho Man3Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms, Ky.35
Dialed In8Darby Dan Farm, Ky.143
Stay Thirsty12Lovacres Ranch, Calif.120
Decisive Moment14Florida6
Twinspired17Poplar Creek Horse Center, Ohio15

Dialed In

2010 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Lookin at Lucky6Ashford Stud, Ky.54
Mission Impazible9Sequel New York, N.Y.13
Conveyance15Blue Ribbon Farm, Wash.33

2009 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Friesan Fire18Country Life Farm, Md.14

2008 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Big Brown1Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions, N.Y.25
Denis of Cork3Taylor Mountain Farm, W.V.9
Tale of Ekati4Darby Dan Farm, Ky.24
Court Vision13Pryor Ranch, Neb.7

2007 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Street Sense1Darley, Ky.134
Hard Spun2Darley, Ky.161
Curlin3Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms, Ky.135
Cowtown Cat20Mapleton Farm, Ohio8

Street Sense

2006 Kentucky Derby

None

2005 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Closing Argument2Averett Farm, La.4
Afleet Alex3Gainesway, Ky.2

2004 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Smarty Jones1Equistar Training Center, Pa.22
Limehouse4O’Sullivan Farms, W.V.5
Tapit9Gainesway, Ky.98
Song of the Sword11Lee Farm, Okla.1

Tapit

2003 Kentucky Derby

None

2002 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
Medaglia d’Oro4Darley, Ky.115

2001 Kentucky Derby

None

2000 Kentucky Derby

StallionDerby
Finish
FarmMares
Bred
More Than Ready4WinStar Farm, Ky.98

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