Stanford

Winning his maiden in his first start as a 2-year-old, Stanford ran a disappointing sixth in the Grade Saratoga Special Stakes in his next start and took the rest of the season off. Even after a sixth-place finish in an early March stakes race, his connection didn't give up on him and sent him to the Fair Grounds to run in the Louisana Derby where he finished second, qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. His connections, however, opted to bypass the Kentucky Derby and focus on other targets.

Stanford sunsequently finished second in the WinStar Farm Easy Goer Stakes before earning a breakthrough stakes win in July at Monmouth Park in the Long Branch Stakes.

Stanford opened his 4-year-old season with back-to-back runner-up finishes in graded stakes before a dominant 2-length win in the Grade 2, $1.25-million Charles Town Classic Stakes.

A $550,000 2-year-old in training purchase, Stanford is by Malibu Moon who sired 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb. On his female family his granddam is a half-sister to European and U.S. 2-year-old champion Johannesburg, who was also owned and raced by Stanford's co-owners. One generation back, Stanford's third dam is a half sister to Tale of the Cat, who stands at his co-owner's Ashford Stud. The family also includes Fed Biz, who set multiple track records during his career as a multiple Grade 2 winner.