All 2025 Derby Horses Trace Back to Secretariat

The 2025 Derby carries a shared thread that links every horse on the track to a single name from racing history: All 19 horses in the 151st race trace back to the 1973 Triple Crown winner, the Louisville Courier Journal found.

The Secretariat racehorse, known as one of the best racehorses, did more than just win races. His run of 1:59.40 in the 2025  Derby still stands unbeaten. He then won the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes grandly, finishing the Triple Crown winner in a style that still affects how people recall the race and the rules.

From 1974 to his death in 1989, Secretariat racehorse fathered over 660 foals. While many of his direct offspring were competitive, it was the next generations that carried his legacy further. Notable among them are Weekend Surprise, dam of A.P. Indy, and Terlingua, dam of Storm Cat. These names frequently appear in modern bloodlines, forming a long chain of descendants that runs directly through today’s field.

The Courier Journal review revealed that all 19 Derby contenders fall somewhere between the fourth and seventh generations of the Secretariat racehorse. This outcome reflects how deeply his genetics are embedded in modern thoroughbred racing. It’s not unusual to see traces of a champion like Secretariat’s racehorse in a single horse’s ancestry. What stands out this year is that every horse entered shares that same link.

The presence of Secretariat’s racehorse lineage in the field is due in part to his daughters who played a major role in shaping breeding programs through their offspring. Weekend Surprise, for example, produced A.P. Indy, a Belmont winner and Horse of the Year who became a major stallion. His impact on breeding has spanned decades. Likewise, Storm Cat, through his dam Terlingua, passed on traits that led to generations of high-performing horses.

As a result, Secretariat’s bloodline has become a fixture in the pedigrees of top-level horses. Breeders have long valued his influence and repeatedly turned to it when planning matings that aim to produce strong competitors. His genetic imprint can now be found across many lines, making it more common to see the Secretariat racehorse in a horse’s ancestry,  though rarely in every single one.

This year’s complete connection serves as a reflection of how much influence Secretariat’s racehorse continues to hold, even decades after his final race. Though breeding decisions involve many factors,  including speed, stamina, conformation, and racing records,  pedigree remains a foundational part of the decision-making process. Secretariat’s long-term impact is visible not only in statistics but in the ongoing choices made by breeders aiming to produce well-rounded athletes.

The 2025 Derby field brings together top three-year-old racehorses from around the country. They arrive through different paths and have different trainers, owners, and racing records. What links them together, however, is a shared ancestry that goes back more than 50 years. That thread ties the present moment to a past that continues to shape the structure of modern racing.

Though Secretariat racehorse, hasn’t been part of the breeding shed since the late 1980s, the influence of his daughters and grandsons continues. This 2025 Derby doesn’t include a direct son or daughter of the Secretariat racehorse, but it does include his legacy, carried quietly in the blood of every competitor.

As the gates swing open for the 151st Kentucky Derby, fans look on to see who will be the first young horse to reach the end. Behind the scenes, this race shares a tale of hard work, old stories, and a lone horse whose effect reaches all parts of the sport.

The 2025 Derby is more than just a race; it marks the keep up of old ways made by many breeders, trainers, and jockeys. Each horse in the 2025 run is touched by the greats from long ago, showing fans how deep the history goes at Churchill Downs. From the small areas to the big seats, the thrill of the 2025 Derby shows a love for top work that holds the event as a key part of horse races all over the world.