Our Top 5 Kentucky Derby Picks for Sport: Pedigrees that will Power the Next Generation of Great OTTBs

Let’s be honest: most of the colts lining up for the Kentucky Derby aren’t headed to your barn after their racing careers. They’ll retire to the breeding shed long before they ever see a dressage arena or a cross-country course.

But here’s the thing — their offspring might.

For sporthorse riders, trainers, and OTTB lovers, the Derby is more than just the first leg of the Triple Crown. It’s a peek at the future of Thoroughbred breeding, and a chance to evaluate which bloodlines could shape the next generation of eventers, dressage horses, hunters, or jumpers.

Every spring, I go through the Derby field not to pick a winner — but to find the pedigrees that make me sit up and say, “Now that’s a line I’d like to ride someday.”

This year, I dug into all 19 contenders in the 2025 Kentucky Derby. I looked at their bloodlines, temperament trends, and soundness history, focusing not just on what makes a fast racehorse, but what makes a lasting, rideable, and athletic sporthorse type — especially in a sire.

Here are the Thoroughbreds I think deserve a closer look — not because they’ll be your next OTTB, but because their foals just might be.

🥇 1. East Avenue

Medaglia d’Oro × Ghostzapper mare

East Avenue is the total package. His sire, Medaglia d’Oro, has long been a favorite among sporthorse riders for throwing elegant, uphill, and rideable offspring. You’ll find them everywhere from the hunter ring to the lower levels of dressage and eventing. They’re typically light on their feet, have expressive movement, and are smart without being overly sensitive.

His dam is by Ghostzapper, another well-regarded sporthorse influence — and here’s the bonus: Ghostzapper is a son of Awesome Again, a stallion whose presence in sporthorse pedigrees is always welcome. Awesome Again tends to add athleticism, good bone, and a can-do attitude, making this already-versatile colt even more appealing for a second career.

Best of all? East Avenue has no inbreeding through the fifth generation. That kind of genetic diversity is rare in today’s Thoroughbreds and bodes well for long-term soundness and trainability.

🥈 2. Chunk of Gold

Preservationist × Cairo Prince mare

Chunk of Gold’s pedigree is quietly one of the most exciting in the field for sporthorse potential — especially for eventers. His sire, Preservationist, is by Arch, one of the most underappreciated sporthorse sires in the Thoroughbred world. Arch brings in the Kris S → Roberto → Hail to Reason sireline, a deep and powerful branch known for producing horses with scope, durability, and balance.

This line is no stranger to high-level sport: Hail to Reason was the grandsire of Sassy Reason, an OTTB who won Burghley with Stephen Bradley in the irons — proving that these old-school lines still deliver the grit and quality needed for elite competition.

On the dam side, Cairo Prince adds a lighter, more modern influence and is known for producing attractive, athletic types that retrain well. Altogether, Chunk of Gold has the kind of physical and mental attributes that could shine in any ring, but especially on a cross-country course.

🥉 3. Publisher

American Pharoah × Proud Citizen mare

Publisher brings a blend of modern elegance and reliable durability. American Pharoah’s reputation in the sporthorse world is already well-established: his offspring tend to have floaty movement, good brains, and strong work ethics. They’re easy to spot — refined, expressive, and often amateur-friendly — which is no small feat in a hot-blooded breed.

The dam side adds Proud Citizen, whose influence tends to create correct, tough, and straightforward horses. It’s a strong combination of brilliance and dependability. Publisher’s pedigree is also completely clean through the fifth generation, giving him a genetic advantage in terms of both diversity and long-term soundness.

Whether you’re looking for a young eventer, dressage partner, or a flashy hunter, Publisher’s a solid bet.

4️⃣ Render Judgment

Blame × Commissioner mare

Render Judgment may not have the flashiest name on the track, but his pedigree is full of horses we love to see in sport. His sire, Blame, is another son of Arch, making him a part of that same Kris S / Roberto / Hail to Reason line that gives Chunk of Gold so much sporthorse appeal. Blame has a quiet but growing reputation for throwing durable, mentally steady horses with the kind of substance and focus that event riders and dressage folks appreciate.

On the bottom side, we get Commissioner, a son of A.P. Indy, who brings back the kind of old-school stamina and balance that helps mellow out the hot and forward tendencies in some of today's bloodlines. A.P. Indy horses are often loyal, workmanlike, and game, adding a great temperament foundation to the mix.

Render Judgment looks like the kind of horse who could excel in a demanding sport program — maybe not flashy, but rock solid, sound, and up for the job.

5️⃣ Tie): Citizen Bull & Sovereignty

Sometimes two horses are just too close to call — and in this case, both Citizen Bull and Sovereignty share a sire (Into Mischief) and a whole lot of sporthorse appeal, especially when you factor in their exceptional damlines.

🐂 Citizen Bull

Into Mischief × Distorted Humor mare
Citizen Bull is built like a tank, but one that can move and think, too. Distorted Humor is a damsire we love to see in sporthorse pedigrees — he consistently throws intelligent, trainable horses with good feet and strong backs. Into Mischief, while best known for precocious racehorses, has quietly produced a number of athletic, nicely built OTTBs that hold up well in second careers.

And like a couple of the others on this list, Citizen Bull has no inbreeding through five generations — another sign that this horse may have what it takes to stay sound and adaptable.

👑 Sovereignty

Into Mischief × Bernardini mare
If Citizen Bull is the compact powerhouse, Sovereignty is the elegant prince. His dam is by Bernardini, one of my favorite influences for eventing and dressage — Bernardini’s offspring often have big, uphill canters, good work ethics, and a touch of class. There’s also Empire Maker tucked into the damline, a stallion whose influence is prized for balance, brain, and stamina.

Sovereignty could turn out to be the kind of Thoroughbred that does a little of everything — smart, smooth, and scopey, with just enough flash to turn heads.

Honorable Mention: Luxor Cafe

American Pharoah × More Than Ready mare

Luxor Cafe may not have made the top five, but his pedigree is too good not to mention. His dam is by More Than Ready, a global turf influence who’s consistently thrown good-minded, well-balanced offspring with a natural ability to carry themselves well. When you combine that with American Pharoah’s signature rideability and movement, you get a colt with quiet, classy sport potential — especially for dressage or the hunter ring.

Bloodline Bonus: Clean Pedigrees for Soundness

Three Derby contenders stood out for having no inbreeding through the fifth generation, something that’s increasingly rare and noteworthy in modern Thoroughbreds. This level of genetic diversity often correlates with better long-term soundness and fewer mental quirks — a definite plus in a second career.

• East Avenue

• Publisher

• Citizen Bull

Final Thoughts

The Kentucky Derby may be the most exciting two minutes in sports, but for OTTB fans, it’s also a glimpse into the future of American sporthorses. This year’s field offers more than just race-day fireworks — it’s a collection of beautifully bred, athletic young horses who could go on to shine in arenas, on cross-country courses, and in dressage courts around the world.

Whether you’re looking for a long-term eventing partner, a hunter derby standout, or just love studying pedigrees and dreaming big, these are the colts that caught my eye — and might just catch yours too.

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Which of this year’s Derby contenders would you want in your barn? Drop a comment or tag us on social @OTTBOnTap and let us know your favorite sporthorse picks from the class of 2025.

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