In fact, Midshipman, whose two Grade One wins in his first season saw him named Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Male in 2008, not only emulated his sire in winning at America's richest race meeting but he is also Unbridled's Song's highest-rated runner ever, with a Timeform rating of 125, and his only son to ever win a Grade One event at two.
Furthermore, he was awarded the top weight of 126 on the 2008 Experimental Free Handicap, ahead of the likes of Vineyard Haven (124), Stardom Bound (124), Square Eddie (123) and Street Hero (122).
Starting his career racing in the colours of his breeder Stonerside Stable, Midshipman made his first outing from the powerful Bob Baffert stable on 17 August 2008. He duly returned to his barn the winner of a five-and-a-half furlong Maiden Special Weight at Del Mar, finishing a length and a quarter ahead of a horse with whom he would tussle on several subsequent occasions, Street Cry's talented son Street Hero.
Such a positive start saw the colt bounced straight into Graded Stakes company for his next appearance at the track in the G1 Del Mar Futurity. Street Hero was once again in the line-up, this time gaining third place while Midshipman kept his unbeaten record intact in a race which saw him always in the van over the seven furlongs and pouncing to claim his first Stakes victory in the dying strides.
Twenty-five days later he was back again, this time at Santa Anita, where he was beaten less than a length behind his old friend Street Hero when finishing runner-up in the G1 Norfolk Stakes.
With an excellent record leading into the Breeders' Cup meeting, Midshipman was about to make his first start for Sheikh Mohammed having been purchased, along with Raven's Pass, when Stonerside sold the majority of its bloodstock and studland.
Starting third favorite behind his two fellow Grade One winners Square Eddie and Street Hero, Midshipman left onlookers in no doubt as to which of the three was the superior colt that day, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in decisive fashion having taken the lead with more than three furlongs left to travel. His impressive run was the fastest record in the race since 1988, from when it has been run at its current distance of eight and a half furlongs.
Square Eddie and Street Hero duly filled the minor places and further down the field were the horses who would go on to finish first and second in the following year's Kentucky Derby, Mine That Bird and Pioneerof The Nile.
Subsequent victories at Belmont and Meydan, plus third in the following year's Breeder's Cup Dirt Mile, saw Midshipman retire with a race record which reads eight starts for five wins, a second, third and fourth. His earnings from that excellent tally stand in excess of $1,275,000.
With performance figures such as this, it's no surprise to learn that Midshipman hails from a thoroughly distinguished family: his dam Fleet Lady, by Avenue Of Flags, won at Grade Two level among her ten victories and she has also produced another Graded Stakes winner, the G2 Cotillion Handicap victor Fast Cookie. It is a family that also includes the French Champion three-year-old and Group One-winning sire, Salse, who is a half-brother to Midshipman's grand-dam Dear Mimi.
Such attributes will give Midshipman ample opportunity to ensure that he is remembered not just as the leading juvenile of his generation but as a producer of leading juveniles for years to come.
