Antiquarian, a major player in the Aug. 31 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, represents generational talent for both his breeder and owner.
In his fourth start as a 4-year-old in the $1 million event going 1 1/4 miles, the son of Preservationist seeks to build on a near-miss in the July 4 Suburban Stakes (G2) where he landed second, a head behind Phileas Fogg, who also is back for Sunday's test.
The influence of Brereton C. Jones, founder of Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky., continues to be felt throughout the Thoroughbred industry two years after his passing. Jones bred Antiquarian, along with the colt's first three dams, in a master stroke of horsemanship that began with almost comic modesty.
"Dad bought Now That's Funny (the fourth dam of Antiquarian) out of the classified ads section in the back of the BloodHorse in 1992," said Bret Jones, who operates Airdrie for his family. "Bought her sight unseen. And at the time she happened to be carrying what would become Lucayan Prince."
Thus, Brereton Jones bred the European champion of 1996 at five furlongs to seven furlongs. But Now That's Funny wasn't through. She also yielded multiple graded stakes winner Comic Strip and graded stakes winner Silver Comic, both bred by Jones. When the former governor of Kentucky sold Now That's Funny in foal to Storm Cat in 1998, she brought $2.65 million, at the time the highest-priced horse realized by Jones at public auction.
Airdrie kept Silver Comic (Antiquarian's third dam) to race and breed. To the cover of Airdrie stallion Harlan's Holiday, Silver Comic got graded stakes winner Silver Reunion, the second dam of Antiquarian, and the producer of a graded stakes winner and an additional stakes performer. Lifetime Memory, the winning dam of Antiquarian, is a daughter of Silver Reunion and has also produced this year's Delaware Oaks (G3) and Virginia Oaks winner Fondly.
"This may be my favorite family that we have," Bret Jones said. "Silver Reunion is starting to make a significant legacy of her own based on her produce and now what her daughters are producing. I believe that when you look back years from now, she will be one of the most important fillies Dad ever bred."
Airdrie stood Preservationist at the start of his stallion career. The son of Arch was a millionaire at the races. Campaigned by Centennial Farms, he won the 2019 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga and that year's Suburban Stakes at Belmont Park. Airdrie sent Lifetime Memory his way, getting a good-looking foal who blossomed into a desirable yearling. Knowing its connection to the youngster, Airdrie kept Centennial abreast of the progress of the colt.
At the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Centennial went to $250,000 to bring Antiquarian into its racing fold.
"We like to support the stallions we've made going forward, and he was from the first crop of Preservationist," said Centennial co-owner Don Little Jr. "He was one of the individuals that caught our eye at the sale. Credit goes to our team of Dr. Stephen Carr and Paula Parsons, who do our preselecting. We liked his pedigree and his presence. And he reminded us a lot of his sire as a yearling. He had a striking presence and a big walk."
Centennial, a partnership group that buys six to eight yearlings per season, always seems to come up with a Saturday horse. Antiquarian joins a list of banner runners for Centennial that includes Rubiano, Colonial Affair, King Cugat, Wicked Strong, Corinthian, and Preservationist.
Unraced at 2 and a two-turn horse off jump street for trainer Todd Pletcher, Antiquarian earned his maiden win at second asking last year at 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Two races later, he scored in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack, earning a start in the Belmont Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. There, he checked in fifth after a bumping incident with eventual 3-year-old champion male Sierra Leone knocked him off stride. He emerged from the classic with bone bruising.
"We gave him time, hoping he'd improve as a 4-year-old," Little said. "And he has moved forward mentally and physically."
Returning to the races this April at Gulfstream Park, Antiquarian took a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming event, displaying more speed than he showed as a 3-year-old. He has followed up that effort with a second behind 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan in the Blame Stakes (G3), and the head defeat in the Suburban. With a victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series event, Antiquarian would earn a fees-paid berth into the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).
"His last two races were excellent, and since the Suburban, he couldn't be doing any better," Little said. "We are fortunate to have partners in Centennial who are patient as well as consistent. It's pretty neat to have a son of a stallion who we campaigned become a really nice horse, because it isn't easy to come up with these."
To date, Antiquarian has won three of eight starts, with another trio of runner-up efforts. He has banked $394,100. He'll start from post 8 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, where nine older horses have been entered including recent Whitney Stakes (G1) winner and last year's Breeders' Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone, two-time grade 1 winner Mindframe, and 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner White Abarrio.
Antiquarian carries generations of excellence that all started with a brilliant horseman answering a classified ad in the BloodHorse.
