Stallion Spotlight: Distorted Humor

If breeders had to pick only one attribute to breed on, it would be speed. Speed kills … the competition. That is the trump card of Distorted Humor and also nearly every top-class stallion, but in the case of Distorted Humor, he surpassed his own racing record when he bred on his wild and crazy speed.
 
On the racetrack, the chunky chestnut son of champion Forty Niner was known as a horse who had tons of speed but perhaps not one ounce of willingness to conserve it in a fashion that allowed his jockey to get him home first most of the time. Distorted Humor's idea of a good time was to bust out of the gate and take his field as fast as he could go for as far as he could go.

Despite this “take no prisoners” style of racing, Distorted Humor won five stakes, including a pair of G2s, and earned more than three-quarters of a million dollars.
 
As a result, not many breeders were surprised that Distorted Humor was able to send out a first-crop laden with winners and quick, young athletes. What surprised most was that the bright and shiny new sire also sired colts and fillies who routinely were able to carry their speed at least a mile, and many of the stallion's best went further.
 
From his first crop, Distorted Humor got Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, and his subsequent stars include such G1 winners as Commentator (Whitney), Flower Alley (Travers), and Any Given Saturday (Haskell), all successful at 9 or 10 furlongs at the highest level.
 
It was not a surprise, therefore, when Distorted Humor got a sire's Triple Crown with the victory of his son Drosselmeyer in the 2010 Belmont Stakes, nor when that colt came around last fall in such fashion that he won the Breeders' Cup Classic at 10 furlongs over a salty field.
 
To date, 11 sons and daughters of Distorted Humor have harnessed their talent in such fashion that they have earned more than $1 million, and his stock are in demand around the world for their trademark speed and tenacity.

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This article was originally featured in the Jan. 9 Paulick Report Special distributed exclusively at the Keeneland January Sale.  Click here to view a PDF version of the publication.