Thousand Words
Thousand Words
Pioneerof the Nile's Best-Bred Son At Stud
2017, Bay, 16.1½h | Entered Stud: 2021 | Nominated to: Breeders' Cup, KTDF
Submit Mare
Physicals you would expect from a million-dollar yearling himself:
First yearlings in 2023 have averaged $45,393 – over 6x stud fee – from 31 sold to date, including fillies up to $250,000 and colts up to $170,000.
Covered 184 mares in his first book in 2021 – the 5th most popular first-season sire in North America – and covered 121 mares in his second book in 2022.
Undefeated G2 winner at 2: Won the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) for trainer Bob Baffert — just like his sire Pioneerof the Nile 11 years prior. Other recent Los Al Futurity winners incl. leading sires Into Mischief, Lookin At Lucky, Violence, etc.
Two-time Derby prep winner at 3: Began his career 3-for-3 after winning the Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita in his 3yo debut — just like his sire Pioneerof the Nile 11 years prior.
Defeated Honor A. P. and a leading cast of 3yos in the Shared Belief S. at Del Mar in California’s final Kentucky Derby prep race, becoming a top four choice in the Run for the Roses.
104 Beyer speed: The second-fastest 3-year-old on the Derby Trail behind Tiz the Law; faster than Authentic, Honor A. P., Art Collector, etc.
“Big, beautiful horse. He’s got the pedigree, he’s got everything. I thought I was going to win the Derby with him.” —Bob Baffert
$1,000,000 Book 1 yearling at KEESEP: The first ever seven-figure yearling by Pioneerof the Nile to sell at public auction.
Won 6 1/2-furlong MdSpWt on debut at Santa Anita at two, instantly becoming one of the early winter book choices for the 2020 Kentucky Derby.
The best-bred son at stud by Empire Maker’s sire of sires PIONEEROF THE NILE: Out of multiple G2 winner & Saratoga G1-placed POMEROYS PISTOL ($574,678), who hails from the family of HARLAN, grandsire of INTO MISCHIEF.
Only Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and Breeders’ Cup winner Classic Empire won more stakes or graded stakes on dirt among sons of Pioneerof the Nile.
Earned $327,500 from 4 wins and a second in 9 starts — entered stud with a similar profile as another Los Al Futurity winner who became Spendthrift’s first stallion on the Share The Upside program, Into Mischief.
First crop are yearlings in 2023.
| Age | Starts | 1st (SW) | 2nd (SP) | 3rd (SP) | Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | $151,000 |
| 3 | 7 | 2 (2) | 1 (1) | 0 | $176,500 |
| Totals | 9 | 4 (3) | 1 (1) | 0 | $327,500 |
Racing Highlights
Won at 2
- Los Alamitos Futurity at Los Alamitos (G2, 8.5f in 1:43.19, defeating Anneau d'Or, High Velocity, Wrecking Crew)
- Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita (6.5f in 1:16.77, defeating Thunder Code, Divine Armor, Friar's Road, Rushie, etc.)
Won at 3
- Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita (G3, 8.5f in 1:43.64, defeating Royal Act, High Velocity, Tizamagician, Encoder, Zimba Warrior)
- Shared Belief S. at Del Mar (8.5f in 1:43.85, defeating Honor A. P., Kiss Today Goodbye, Cezanne)
2nd at 3
- Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos (G3, 9f, to Uncle Chuck, defeating Cosmo, Great Power)
Pedigree
Alan Porter’s 2023 Breeding Analysis for Thousand Words
A graded stakes winner at two and three, Thousand Words has a pedigree to match. He’s by Pioneerof the Nile – classic runner, classic sire and sire of sires – out of multiple graded stakes winner Pomeroys Pistol, who is also the granddam of current grade one winner Faiza, and from the immediate family of Harlan, the grandsire of Into Mischief.
Pioneerof the Nile has sired a Triple Crown winning Horse of the Year out of a mare by Yankee Gentleman and Champion Two-Year-Old Classic Empire out of a mare by Cat Thief, both sons of Storm Cat. We can also note a grade one winner by a son of Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by Teton Forest and a graded winner out of a mare by Discreet Cat (both by Storm Cat son, Forestry, also sire of Shackleford). There are also graded stakes winners by Pioneerof the Nile and sons out of mares by Heatseeker and his sire, Giant’s Causeway (also sire of Not This Time,First Samurai and Eskendereya, himself already broodmare sire of a Pioneerof the Nile graded stakes winner); by Tale of the Cat, whose son Lion Heart is broodmare sire of two Pioneerof the Nile line stakes winners, and is also sire Kantharos and Uncaptured, with Tale of the Cat also available through Tale of Ekati, grandsire of Faiza from a half-sister to Thousand Words; Harlan’s Holiday, whose sire is from the family of Thousand Words, and who is sire of Into Mischief, Shanghai Bobby and Majesticperfection; and a stakes winners out of mares by Stormy Atlantic and Scat Daddy (by Johannesburg, a son of Hennessy, also sire of Henny Hughes). Other Storm Cat sources include Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir and D’Wildcat), Storm Boot, Tabasco Cat, Stormin Fever, Bernstein, Mountain Cat, Sir Cat, High Yield, Tactical Cat, Storm Creek, Sea of Secrets and Catienus (whose son, Talent Search is broodmare sire of a Pioneerof the Nile line stakes winner).
Storm Cat is a Northern Dancer line horse and from the Deputy Minister branch of that line there is a Pioneerof the Nile graded winner out of a mare by Ghostzapper (by Awesome Again, also sire of Daaher and Toccet) and a stakes winner out of a mare by Touch Gold.
Dixieland Band branch of Northern Dancer, Pioneerof the Nile is the sire of grade two winner Nolde out of a mare by Dixie Union (sire of Union Rags), and another son of Empire Maker – sire of Pioneerof the Nile – has a stakes winner out of the same horse.
There are two stakes winners by Pioneerof the Nile and sons out of mares by Medaglia d’Oro (sire of Warrior’s Reward and Violence), from the Sadler’s Wells branch of Northern Dancer. Medaglia d’Oro is by El Prado (also sire of Artie Schiller and Kitten’s Joy). Pioneerof the Nile’s son, American Pharoah has European Champion Two-Year-Old Van Gogh out of a mare by Sadler’s Wells himself, and a grade two winner out of mare by his son Galileo (represented in the U.S. by Magician and Cape Blanco). Sadler’s Wells is three-quarters brother to Nureyev, and there is also a stakes winner by American Pharoah out of a mare by Strut the Stage, who is by the Nureyev son, Theatrical, with other Nureyev sources including Unusual Heat, Stravinsky, Fasliyev and Spinning World.
Thousand Words is out of a mare from the Danzig line, and crossing him back over mares by Danzig son, War Front, appeals here, as would mares by sons of that horse such as The Factor, Summer Front, and Declaration of War. There are also Pioneerof the Nile stakes winners out of mares by Danzig stallions Hard Spun and Belong to Me.
Grade one winner Harvey’s Lil Goil is by American Pharoah out of a mare by Tapit (sire of Constitution, Frosted,Trappe Shot, Tonalist, Tapiture and Tapizar), and there is also a Pioneerof the Nile graded stakes winner out of a mare by that horse’s sire, Pulpit. Tapit is bred on a similar A.P. Indy/Fappiano cross to Bernardini (sire of Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve), and there are three stakes winners, one graded, by Pioneerof the Nile out of mares by that horse. From other branches of the A.P. Indy line, Pioneerof the Nile and sons have sired a grade one winner out of a mare by Flatter (a brother to Congrats) and stakes winners out of mares by Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In and Discreetly Mine), Jump Start, Friends Lake and Old Trieste.
In general, crossing Pioneerof the Nile – who comes from the Fappiano branch of Mr. Prospector line mares – back over Mr. Prospector has produced below opportunity results. There are some exceptions, including graded winner Jojo Warrior out of a mare by Carson City (sire of City Zip) and a graded winner out of a mare by Carson City son, Five Star Day. Pioneerof the Nile graded winner Insta Erma out of mare by Woodman (who gives the combination of the three-quarters related Seeking the Gold and Woodman). There are four stakes winners out of Gone West line mares, from daughters of Muqtarib, El Corredor (by Mr. Greeley, also sire of Whywhwywhy), Limehouse (by GrandSlam) and Munnings (by Speightstown, also sire of Central Banker). Pioneerof the Nile son, American Pharoah, has graded winner Maven out of a mare by Any Given Saturday, a son of Distorted Humor (sire of Maclean’s Music,Jimmy Creed, Flower Alley, Drosselmeyer and Brethren). Distorted Humor is by Forty Niner, and there are also Empire Maker line stakes winners on this cross from daughters of Coronado’s Quest and End Sweep (sire of Trippi). There are two Pioneerof the Nile stakes winners, one graded, out of mares by Smart Strike (sire of Curlin, Lookin At Lucky and English Channel) and a stakes winner out of a mare by Street Cry (sire of Street Sense and Street Boss).
Empire Maker and sons have three stakes winners out of Cherokee Run line mare, including a stakes winner by Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by that horse’s son, Yonaguska, making mares by Kafwain a possibility. Cherokee Run is by Blushing Groom, and there is also a stakes winner by Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by that horse’s sonMt. Livermore (sire of Orientate and Housebuster).
The cross of Pioneerof the Nile and sons with mares by More Than Ready – giving the three-quarters related Seeking the Gold and Woodman – has produced three stakes winners, and could be brought in the through Ready’s Image, Verrazano and Daredevil.
There is a Pioneerof the Nile graded stakes winner out of a mare by In Excess and two stakes winners by sons of Pioneerof the Nile out of mares by that horse’s son, Indian Charlie. In Excess is also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat and Indian Charlie is sire of Uncle Mo (also broodmare sire of a Pioneerof the Nile stakes winner, and sire of Nyquist, Laoban and Outadore), Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie. Grade one winner Midnight Storm is by Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by Bertrando (sire of Officer), from the Relaunch line that can also be brought in through Tiznow (sire of Tiz Wonderful, Colonel John, Gemologist, Morning Line and Tizway) and Honour and Glory (sire of Put It Back). From a mare by Holy Bull (sire of Macho Uno), Pioneerof the Nile has grade two winner, Cairo Prince.
Alan Porter’s 2023 Breeding Analysis for Thousand Words
A graded stakes winner at two and three, Thousand Words has a pedigree to match. He’s by Pioneerof the Nile – classic runner, classic sire and sire of sires – out of multiple graded stakes winner Pomeroys Pistol, who is also the granddam of current grade one winner Faiza, and from the immediate family of Harlan, the grandsire of Into Mischief.
Pioneerof the Nile has sired a Triple Crown winning Horse of the Year out of a mare by Yankee Gentleman and Champion Two-Year-Old Classic Empire out of a mare by Cat Thief, both sons of Storm Cat. We can also note a grade one winner by a son of Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by Teton Forest and a graded winner out of a mare by Discreet Cat (both by Storm Cat son, Forestry, also sire of Shackleford). There are also graded stakes winners by Pioneerof the Nile and sons out of mares by Heatseeker and his sire, Giant’s Causeway (also sire of Not This Time,First Samurai and Eskendereya, himself already broodmare sire of a Pioneerof the Nile graded stakes winner); by Tale of the Cat, whose son Lion Heart is broodmare sire of two Pioneerof the Nile line stakes winners, and is also sire Kantharos and Uncaptured, with Tale of the Cat also available through Tale of Ekati, grandsire of Faiza from a half-sister to Thousand Words; Harlan’s Holiday, whose sire is from the family of Thousand Words, and who is sire of Into Mischief, Shanghai Bobby and Majesticperfection; and a stakes winners out of mares by Stormy Atlantic and Scat Daddy (by Johannesburg, a son of Hennessy, also sire of Henny Hughes). Other Storm Cat sources include Forest Wildcat (sire of Wildcat Heir and D’Wildcat), Storm Boot, Tabasco Cat, Stormin Fever, Bernstein, Mountain Cat, Sir Cat, High Yield, Tactical Cat, Storm Creek, Sea of Secrets and Catienus (whose son, Talent Search is broodmare sire of a Pioneerof the Nile line stakes winner).
Storm Cat is a Northern Dancer line horse and from the Deputy Minister branch of that line there is a Pioneerof the Nile graded winner out of a mare by Ghostzapper (by Awesome Again, also sire of Daaher and Toccet) and a stakes winner out of a mare by Touch Gold.
Dixieland Band branch of Northern Dancer, Pioneerof the Nile is the sire of grade two winner Nolde out of a mare by Dixie Union (sire of Union Rags), and another son of Empire Maker – sire of Pioneerof the Nile – has a stakes winner out of the same horse.
There are two stakes winners by Pioneerof the Nile and sons out of mares by Medaglia d’Oro (sire of Warrior’s Reward and Violence), from the Sadler’s Wells branch of Northern Dancer. Medaglia d’Oro is by El Prado (also sire of Artie Schiller and Kitten’s Joy). Pioneerof the Nile’s son, American Pharoah has European Champion Two-Year-Old Van Gogh out of a mare by Sadler’s Wells himself, and a grade two winner out of mare by his son Galileo (represented in the U.S. by Magician and Cape Blanco). Sadler’s Wells is three-quarters brother to Nureyev, and there is also a stakes winner by American Pharoah out of a mare by Strut the Stage, who is by the Nureyev son, Theatrical, with other Nureyev sources including Unusual Heat, Stravinsky, Fasliyev and Spinning World.
Thousand Words is out of a mare from the Danzig line, and crossing him back over mares by Danzig son, War Front, appeals here, as would mares by sons of that horse such as The Factor, Summer Front, and Declaration of War. There are also Pioneerof the Nile stakes winners out of mares by Danzig stallions Hard Spun and Belong to Me.
Grade one winner Harvey’s Lil Goil is by American Pharoah out of a mare by Tapit (sire of Constitution, Frosted,Trappe Shot, Tonalist, Tapiture and Tapizar), and there is also a Pioneerof the Nile graded stakes winner out of a mare by that horse’s sire, Pulpit. Tapit is bred on a similar A.P. Indy/Fappiano cross to Bernardini (sire of Stay Thirsty and To Honor and Serve), and there are three stakes winners, one graded, by Pioneerof the Nile out of mares by that horse. From other branches of the A.P. Indy line, Pioneerof the Nile and sons have sired a grade one winner out of a mare by Flatter (a brother to Congrats) and stakes winners out of mares by Mineshaft (sire of Dialed In and Discreetly Mine), Jump Start, Friends Lake and Old Trieste.
In general, crossing Pioneerof the Nile – who comes from the Fappiano branch of Mr. Prospector line mares – back over Mr. Prospector has produced below opportunity results. There are some exceptions, including graded winner Jojo Warrior out of a mare by Carson City (sire of City Zip) and a graded winner out of a mare by Carson City son, Five Star Day. Pioneerof the Nile graded winner Insta Erma out of mare by Woodman (who gives the combination of the three-quarters related Seeking the Gold and Woodman). There are four stakes winners out of Gone West line mares, from daughters of Muqtarib, El Corredor (by Mr. Greeley, also sire of Whywhwywhy), Limehouse (by GrandSlam) and Munnings (by Speightstown, also sire of Central Banker). Pioneerof the Nile son, American Pharoah, has graded winner Maven out of a mare by Any Given Saturday, a son of Distorted Humor (sire of Maclean’s Music,Jimmy Creed, Flower Alley, Drosselmeyer and Brethren). Distorted Humor is by Forty Niner, and there are also Empire Maker line stakes winners on this cross from daughters of Coronado’s Quest and End Sweep (sire of Trippi). There are two Pioneerof the Nile stakes winners, one graded, out of mares by Smart Strike (sire of Curlin, Lookin At Lucky and English Channel) and a stakes winner out of a mare by Street Cry (sire of Street Sense and Street Boss).
Empire Maker and sons have three stakes winners out of Cherokee Run line mare, including a stakes winner by Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by that horse’s son, Yonaguska, making mares by Kafwain a possibility. Cherokee Run is by Blushing Groom, and there is also a stakes winner by Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by that horse’s sonMt. Livermore (sire of Orientate and Housebuster).
The cross of Pioneerof the Nile and sons with mares by More Than Ready – giving the three-quarters related Seeking the Gold and Woodman – has produced three stakes winners, and could be brought in the through Ready’s Image, Verrazano and Daredevil.
There is a Pioneerof the Nile graded stakes winner out of a mare by In Excess and two stakes winners by sons of Pioneerof the Nile out of mares by that horse’s son, Indian Charlie. In Excess is also sire of Rocky Bar, Notional and Bring the Heat and Indian Charlie is sire of Uncle Mo (also broodmare sire of a Pioneerof the Nile stakes winner, and sire of Nyquist, Laoban and Outadore), Adios Charlie, Bwana Charlie, Liaison and Cinco Charlie. Grade one winner Midnight Storm is by Pioneerof the Nile out of a mare by Bertrando (sire of Officer), from the Relaunch line that can also be brought in through Tiznow (sire of Tiz Wonderful, Colonel John, Gemologist, Morning Line and Tizway) and Honour and Glory (sire of Put It Back). From a mare by Holy Bull (sire of Macho Uno), Pioneerof the Nile has grade two winner, Cairo Prince.
Media
