First Impressions: Kentucky Derby 145 – Courtsy of the TDN
TDN Rising Star’ Roadster (Quality Road)’s pedigree pays tribute to Hancock slate, longtime friend Ned Evans. Bred in Kentucky by Stone Farm, the GI Santa Anita Derby winner’s dam Ghost Dancing (Silver Ghost) was purchased by Hancock in foal to Candy Ride (Arg) from the Dispersal of the Estate of Edward P. Evans for $220,000 at the 2011 KEENOV Sale. Speedway Stable went to $525,000 to purchase Roadster as a KEESEP yearling

ROADSTER:

“Ned Evans bred Roadster’s mother [Ghost Dancing] and his sire Quality Road, so it was sort of a tribute to him to put the two of them together. Marette Farrell [Editor’s note: Farrell also recommended Roadster as a yearling purchase to owner Speedway Stable at KEESEP] helps with our breedings and she said that it was a real good cross and nick. [Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner] Hootenanny was in the same cross, too.

He looks like a very good horse to me, but time will tell how good he is. He certainly won one of the big prep races for the Derby. When your involved with something maybe you get high on your own supply, but I was very impressed with just the way he did it coming from off the pace and going so wide and he also beat the 2-year-old champion in doing so. Let me put it this way, I wouldn’t trade places with anybody. Maybe that’s nepotism, but I wouldn’t.

As a foal, he was always ripping and running in his paddock. He had so much energy–he was a high-energy foal. He had spunk and toughness and we liked him from day one. We all liked him. He was one of those that everybody had a high opinion of and they did obviously at the sale, too.” —Arthur B. Hancock III