A spectacular Eclipse Award-winning Champion Sprinter, Mitole is the Leading Freshman Sire of 2023.

Mitole’s sire, Eskendereya, is out of a mare by Seattle Slew, and that suggests crossing back over that line through A.P. Indy. We can note that he has already sired the graded stakes winning and grade one placed V V’s Dream out of a mare by Tapit (sire of Frosted, Tonalist, Tapizar, Tapiture, Trappe Shot and Constitution). Tapit is by Pulpit (also sire of Sky Mesa and Stroll) with other sources of A.P. Indy including Mineshaft (sire of Discreetly Mine and Dialed In, who is a reverse cross to Eskendereya), Jump Start (another reverse cross to Eskendereya), Malibu Moon, Congrats, Flatter (sire of Flat Out and Upstart), Girolamo and Majestic Warrior.

Eskendereya, the sire of Mitole, has followed the lead of Giant’s Causeway crossing well with Mr. Prospector line mares. On that cross, Mitole has multiple stakes winner Ice Cold out of a mare by Street Sense (by Street Cry, also the sire of Street Boss). Eskendereya sired graded stakes winner Eskenformoney out of a mare by Not For Love, and he also has stakes winners from daughters of Lemon Drop Kid, Carson City (sire of City Zip, Pollard’s Vision, Five Star Day and Cuvee); Strong Hope (by Grand Slam, also sire of Limehouse) and Mr. Greeley (sire of El Corredor and Whywhywhy) – with both Strong Hope and Mr. Greeley coming from the Gone West line, which also suggests Elusive Quality (sire of Quality Road, Smarty Jones and Great Notion), Speightstown (sire of Munnings and Central Banker) and Proud Citizen; Thunder Gulch (sire of Point Given); Hawk Wing (by Woodman); and Victory Gallop (by Cryptoclearance, who might also be brought in through Candy Ride and Twirling Candy).

Cryptoclearance is from the Fappiano branch of Mr. Prospector, which has enjoyed success under Giant’s Causeway through Unbridled’s Song (by Unbridled), Quiet American (grandsire of Midnight Lute, who could be interesting here) and Rubiano (sire of Too Much Bling and Burning Roma). Unbridled’s Song could also be introduced through Cross Traffic, Arrogate, Liam’s Map, Rockport Harbor, First Defence, Old Fashioned, Half Ours, Dunkirk, Even The Score and Songandaprayer. Other sources of Unbridled include Broken Vow and Empire Maker (sire of Pioneerof the Nile and Bodemeister; grandsire of American Pharoah, Classic Empire and Cairo Prince).

Additional branches of Mr. Prospector worthy of consideration include Northern Afleet and his son, Afleet Alex; Seeking the Gold, the sire of Mutakddim, Petionville and Cape Town; Smart Strike (sire of Curlin, Lookin At Lucky and English Channel), Distorted Humor (sire of Maclean’s Music, Jimmy Creed and Flower Alley) and Fusaichi Pegasus.

Eskendereya’s brilliant grade one-winning son, Mor Spirit, is out of a mare by Dixie Union, from the Dixieland Band branch of Northern Dancer. Dixie Union is sire of Union Rags, and other sources of this strain would include Citidancer, Overanalyze and High Cotton. From the Deputy Minister branch of Northern Dancer, there are Eskendereya stakes winners out of mares by Deputy Minister himself and his son, Dehere (sire of Graeme Hall), suggesting crossing over Awesome Again (sire of Ghostzapper, Paynter, Oxbow, Daaher and Toccet), Silver Deputy (sire of Posse, Badge of Silver and Spring At Last) and Touch Gold.

There is an Eskendereya stakes winner out of a mare by Dayjur, a son of Danzig, a strain that might be introduced through Belong To Me, Polish Numbers, Langfuhr, War Chant, Hard Spun, Exchange Rate and War Front (sire of Declaration of War, The Factor, Summer Front and Hit it a Bomb). From the Sadler’s Wells line there is a stakes winner out of a mare by Kitten’s Joy (by El Prado, also sire of Medaglia d’Oro and Artie Schiller; grandsire of Violence and Warrior’s Reward), and there is also a stakes winner out of a mare by Unusual Heat, who is by Sadler’s Wells’ three-quarters brother, Nureyev (also available through Stravinsky and Theatrical).

From his own Storm Cat line, Eskendereya sired stakes winners out of mares by Henny Hughes (by Hennessy, also sire of Johannesburg and Cactus Ridge, and grandsire of Scat Daddy) and Tiger Ridge.

Out of mares from the Halo line, Eskendereya has two stakes winners from mares by More Than Ready (sire of Ready’s Image, Verrazano and Daredevil) and Halo could also be introduced through Devil’s Bag (sire of Devil His Due and Diablo) and Saint Ballado (sire of Saint Liam, Yankee Victor and Sweetsouthernsaint) whose sister, Champion Glorious Song, is in the pedigree of Giant’s Causeway.

Mitole is out of a mare by Indian Charlie, and it could be worth returning that strain through his son, of Uncle Mo, or considering bringing in Indian Charlie’s sire, In Excess, who is by Siberian Express, also sire of Siberian Summer, the broodmare sire of two Giant’s Causeway classic performers. This is a branch of the Caro line, and Maria’s Mon who is out of a Caro mare, has worked under Giant’s Causeway. His son, Monarchos, is also broodmare sire of a Giant’s Causeway line stakes winner and might be interesting here, while Super Saver mares also appeal.

The Giant’s Causeway line has done well with a number of Relaunch line broodmare sires, including Honour and Glory (sire of Put It Back), Cee’s Tizzy, Tiznow and Bertrando (sire of Officer). Relaunch is by In Reality, and from the Valid Appeal branch of that line, Eskendereya son, Mor Spirit, has first year stakes winner Velocitor out of a mare by Successful Appeal.