Commandment (horse)
| Commandment | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Into Mischief |
| Grandsire | Harlan's Holiday |
| Dam | Sippican Harbor |
| Damsire | Orb |
| Sex | Colt |
| Foaled | February 23, 2023[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Bay |
| Breeder | Lee Pokoik |
| Owner | Wathnan Racing |
| Trainer | Brad H. Cox |
| Record | 7: 4 - 1 - 0 |
| Earnings | US$1,377,339[2] |
| Major wins | |
| Fountain of Youth Stakes (2026) Florida Derby (2026) | |
| Last updated on June 7, 2026 | |
Commandment (foaled February 23, 2023) is a Grade I winning American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2026 Florida Derby.
Background
Commandment is a bay colt who was bred in Kentucky by Lee Pokoik and is out of a mare he raced—Sippican Harbor, winner of the 2018 Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga Racetrack.[3] Initially, Commandment was offered twice, once as a weanling at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale, failing to meet his reserve at $485,000, and again at Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale as a yearling, with a final bid of $475,000. In the fall of 2023 at Keeneland's September Yearling Sale, Case Clay Thoroughbred Management bought the colt for $500,000 for Wathnan Racing.[3]
Commandment's sire is Into Mischief, a Grade I winner at the age of two who has been North America's leading sire by purse winnings in multiple years since 2018.[4]
Commandment is trained by US Champion trainer Brad H. Cox.[2]
Commandment was the leading qualification point earner in the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Derby.[5]
Statistics
| Date | Distance | Race | Grade | Track | Odds | Field | Finish | Winning Time |
Winning (Losing) Margin |
Jockey | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 – Two-year-old season | |||||||||||
| Oct 4, 2025 | 6 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | Keeneland | 2.63* | 12 | 4 | 1:10.23 | (5+1⁄4 lengths) | Irad Ortiz Jr. | [6] | |
| Nov 1, 2025 | 7 furlongs | Maiden Special Weight | Churchill Downs | 1.49* | 9 | 1 | 1:24.63 | 5+1⁄4 lengths | Jaime Torres | [7] | |
| 2026 – Three-year-old season | |||||||||||
| Jan 3, 2026 | 1 mile | Mucho Macho Man Stakes | Listed | Gulfstream Park | 0.50* | 7 | 1 | 1:38.23 | 6+3⁄4 lengths | Irad Ortiz Jr. | [8] |
| Feb 28, 2026 | 1+1⁄16 miles | Fountain of Youth Stakes | II | Gulfstream Park | 2.40 | 9 | 1 | 1:43.33 | neck | Irad Ortiz Jr. | [9] |
| Mar 28, 2026 | 1+1⁄8 miles | Florida Derby | I | Gulfstream Park | 1.90 | 6 | 1 | 1:49.99 | nose | Flavien Prat | [9] |
| May 2, 2026 | 1+1⁄4 miles | Kentucky Derby | I | Churchill Downs | 6.18 | 18 | 7 | 2:02.27 | (5+1⁄4 lengths) | Luis Saez | [10] |
| Jun 6, 2026 | 1+1⁄4 miles | Belmont Stakes | I | Saratoga | 6.04 | 9 | 2 | 2:03.49 | (1+1⁄4 lengths) | John Velazquez | [11] |
Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Commandment was the post-time favourite.
Pedigree
| Sire Into Mischief (2005) |
Harlan's Holiday (1999) |
Harlan (1989) |
Storm Cat (1983) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country Romance (1976) | |||
| Christmas in Aiken (1992) |
Affirmed (1975) | ||
| Dowager (1980) | |||
| Leslie's Lady (1996) |
Tricky Creek (1986) |
Clever Trick (1976) | |
| Battle Creek Girl (1977) | |||
| Crystal Lady (1990) |
Stop the Music (1970) | ||
| One Last Bird (1980) | |||
| Dam Sippican Harbor (2016) |
Orb (2010) |
Malibu Moon (1997) |
A.P. Indy (1989) |
| Macoumba (1992) | |||
| Lady Liberty (1999) |
Unbridled (1987) | ||
| Mesabi Maiden (1993) | |||
| Blossomed (2003) |
Deputy Minister (1979) |
Vice Regent (1967) | |
| Mint Copy (1970) | |||
| Texas Cinema (1990) |
Mt. Livermore (1981) | ||
| French Flick (1978) (Family: 16-g)[12] |
References
- ^ a b "Pedigree of Commandment". Equineline. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ^ a b "Profile of Commandment". Equibase. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ^ a b Newman, Olivia (March 1, 2026). "Commandment Aims to Fulfill Derby Dream for Pokoik; The son of Into Mischief won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) Feb. 28". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
- ^ McCarthy, Charlie (February 28, 2026). "Commandment Surges to Win Fountain of Youth; The Into Mischief colt earns 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby". bloodhorse.com. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
- ^ "Road to the Kentucky Derby 151" (PDF). www.kentuckyderby.com. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
- ^ "Chart for October 4, 2025 at Keeneland (MSW – Race 2)" (PDF). equibase.com. October 4, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ^ "Chart for November 1, 2025 at Churchill Downs (MSW – race 6)" (PDF). www.equibase.com. November 1, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
- ^ "Mucho Macho Man Stakes Listed - (race 10)". equibase. 3 January 2026. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
- ^ a b "Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa Grade 1 - (race 14)". equibase. 28 March 2026. Retrieved 29 March 2026.
- ^ "CHURCHILL DOWNS - May 2, 2026 - Race 12 - Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve" (PDF). Equibase. May 2, 2026. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
- ^ "2026 NYRA Bets Belmont Stakes - (Race 13)". Equibase. June 6, 2026. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ^ "Polly Agnes – Family 16-g". Bloodlines.net. Archived from the original on 17 May 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2026.