East Avenue

Connections

Owner: Godolphin, LLC
Breeders: Godolphin
Trainer: Brendan P. Walsh
Jockey: Luan Machado

East Avenue: 2025 Kentucky Derby Contender Profile

East Avenue, a 3-year-old colt by Medaglia d’Oro out of Dance Music, heads into the 2025 Kentucky Derby with key wins, including the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) (1:43.50 over 1 1/16 miles) and a strong second in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) (1:51.09 over 1 1/8 miles). Despite inconsistent runs, his 90 Derby points secure his spot. With a pedigree featuring El Prado and Ghostzapper, East Avenue aims for success on May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs.

Pedigree

East Avenue
├── Sire: Medaglia d’Oro
│   ├── Sire: El Prado
│   └── Dam: Cappucino Bay (by Bailjumper)
└── Dam: Dance Music
    ├── Sire: Ghostzapper
    └── Dam: Dance Card (by Tapit)

1st Generation Pedigree

• Sire: Medaglia d’Oro
  Medaglia d’Oro, a son of El Prado, was a multiple Grade 1 winner, taking the 2002 Travers Stakes (G1) at 1 1/4 miles and the 2003 Whitney Handicap (G1) at 1 1/8 miles. He finished second in the 2002 and 2003 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and has sired top runners like 2009 Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra and 2014 Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable. Standing at Darley for $75,000 in 2025, Medaglia d’Oro’s progeny often excel at classic distances, which bodes well for East Avenue .
• Dam: Dance Music
  Dance Music, by Ghostzapper, is a winning mare who earned $87,000, primarily at sprint distances, with her best win in a 6-furlong allowance race at Belmont in 2018. She’s produced East Avenue as her most successful foal to date, and her pedigree through Ghostzapper adds a blend of speed and stamina to East Avenue’s lineage.

2nd Generation Pedigree

• Medaglia d’Oro’s Parents (East Avenue’s Paternal Grandparents)
  Medaglia d’Oro’s sire is El Prado, as you confirmed, a son of Sadler’s Wells who won the 1991 National Stakes (G1) in Ireland at 7 furlongs. El Prado, who died in 2009, became a leading North American sire, producing classic-distance runners like 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazil. His influence often imparts stamina and versatility. Medaglia d’Oro’s dam is Cappucino Bay, by Bailjumper, a stakes winner at 1 1/16 miles who adds toughness to the lineage—her family includes 1994 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Flanders.
• Dance Music’s Parents (East Avenue’s Maternal Grandparents)
  Dance Music’s sire is Ghostzapper, a son of Awesome Again who was the 2004 Horse of the Year, winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.02. Ghostzapper also won the 2004 Woodward Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles, showing versatility from sprints to classic distances, and his progeny often inherit speed with some stamina. Dance Music’s dam is Dance Card, by Tapit, a Grade 1 winner who took the 2012 Gazelle Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles. Tapit, a leading sire, has produced classic winners like 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist, adding stamina and class to this line.

Additional Notes on East Avenue’s Pedigree

• Paternal Line (Medaglia d’Oro): El Prado, a Sadler’s Wells son, brings stamina—his progeny like Jazil and Kitten’s Joy (a leading turf sire) often excel at longer distances. Medaglia d’Oro himself was a classic-distance runner, finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic twice, and his daughters have produced Derby winners like 2015 winner American Pharoah (out of a Medaglia d’Oro mare). Cappucino Bay adds durability, with her family’s history of producing graded stakes winners.
• Maternal Line (Dance Music): Ghostzapper, by Awesome Again, blends speed and stamina—his Breeders’ Cup Classic win at 1 1/4 miles shows he can handle the Derby distance, and his progeny like 2016 Travers winner Arrogate (via a Distorted Humor mare) have excelled at classic distances. Dance Card, by Tapit, reinforces this stamina—Tapit’s influence has produced Belmont winners like Tonalist and Creator, and her own Gazelle win at 1 1/8 miles suggests East Avenue can stretch out .
• Pedigree Fit for the Derby: East Avenue’s pedigree is ideal for the 1 1/4-mile Derby distance. Medaglia d’Oro and El Prado provide classic stamina, while Ghostzapper and Tapit add a mix of speed and endurance, as seen in East Avenue’s Breeders’ Futurity win (1:43.50 at 1 1/16 miles). However, his poor performances in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (9th) and Risen Star (10th) raise concerns about consistency, though his Blue Grass Stakes run (2nd in 1:51.09) shows he can compete with top contenders like Burnham Square.

East Avenue’s Race Record