Yockey’s Warrior
by Avalyn Hunter
Yockey’s Warrior was typical of the kind of horse who usually ends up starting his stud career in a regional market. While speedy and honest with a respectable race record and quite decent bloodlines, his pedigree is not particularly fashionable and he was easily overshadowed by flashier horses from hot sire lines in the competition for mares as he began his stud career. Nonetheless, he fairly earned a shot at stud by displaying graded-class talent, and he has shown the ability to get nice winners at a bargain-basement fee of only $1,000 for 2025.
Bred by Glen Oak Farm and Gerry Brodsky, Yockey’s Warrior is by 2010 Carter Handicap (G1) winner Warrior’s Reward, a son of Medaglia d’Oro and the Seeking the Gold mare For All You Do. Produced from stakes-placed Salina Cookie (by Seattle Dancer), a half sister to multiple group 3 winner Leap Lively (by Nijinsky II) and stakes winner Whata Belle (by Honest Pleasure), For All You Do is from the family of 1987 Goffs Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Forest Flower, multiple grade 2 winner Miss Golden Circle, 1976 American Derby (G2) winner Fifth Marine, and the very fast Beau Purple, a star of the 1960s who carried on a three-cornered rivalry with the great gelding Kelso and the popular Kentucky Derby winner Carry Back and held his own with both.
On the distaff side, Yockey’s Warrior is out of the stakes-placed Gone West mare Silla, who showed her best form as a juvenile but is a half sister to Sundin (by Kris), a top steeplechaser of 1999. Their dam, Silver Fling (by The Minstrel), won the 1989 CIGA Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (G1), a sprint over about 5 furlongs, and is a full or half sister to three other stakes winners including Imperial Fling (by Northern Dancer), a group 3 winner in Germany over about 10 furlongs. This female line goes back to 1964 champion 2-year-old filly Queen Empress (by Bold Ruler).
Yockey’s Warrior showed marked promise in his debut, a maiden special weight at the Fair Grounds on February 21, 2015. In that race, he coasted in by 6¾ lengths while ridden out. Although he grabbed a check in each of his next four starts, he did not win again during a year that saw him take seven months away from the races. He won his first start of 2016, a six-furlong allowance at Oaklawn Park, but then had two months before his next start and five more before his next start after that, suggesting that he continued to struggle with physical issues.
Brought back in a turf sprint at Kentucky Downs, Yockey’s Warrior showed no affinity for the grass and finished up the track. But after he switched back to dirt, he went on a tear, winning six of his last seven starts. He kicked off his skein in a salty Keeneland optional claimer on October 16, 2016, in which he defeated Crewman by 4 ½ lengths while completing 6 ½ furlongs in a smart 1:15.60. Crewman later won the 2017 Hanshin Handicap (G3) and two other stakes races, and the beaten field included future grade 2 winner Conquest Big E and future grade 3 winner Squadron Big A. From there, Yockey’s Warrior came down to the Fair Grounds for the Thanksgiving Handicap. In that race, he handily defeated multiple grade 3 winner Clearly Now, a horse that set track records for seven furlongs at Belmont and Gulfstream Park, and picked up a 103 Beyer speed figure for the effort.
Rested over the winter, Yockey’s Warrior opened his 2017 season at Oaklawn and defeated multiple stakes winner Bayerd in another optional claimer before throwing in a clunker in the Commonwealth Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. Injury may have been an issue as he was then off for six months before resurfacing in an optional claimer at the Keeneland fall meeting, defeating grade 3 winner Far Right by 1¾ lengths with Crewman and multiple stakes winners Wilbo and Wings Locked Up further back. He went out with a flourish at the Fair Grounds with back-to-back stakes wins at the expense of grade 3 winner Chublicious, capturing a second edition of the Thanksgiving Handicap by five lengths over that rival (Beyer 102) and winning eased up by 2¼ lengths in the 2018 Duncan F. Kenner Handicap. Yockey’s Warrior concluded his racing career with eight wins and three placings from 15 starts, earning $360,270.
Yockey’s Warrior entered stud in 2019 at Holly Hill Farm, where he has been throughout his stud career, and has gotten respectable results considering his opportunities. His first small crop, foals of 2020, has yielded nine winners including Luyv. A daughter of stakes-placed Southpine (by the winning Mr. Prospector horse Laabity), Luyv has improved with age and is having her best year yet in 2025. Racing for owner-trainer Garland Goins, Luyv kicked off her 5-year-old season on January 3 by winning the Orleans Stakes at Delta Downs. On May 2, she earned her second stakes win in the Creole Lady Stakes at Evangeline Downs. To date, Luyv has won or placed in 16 of her 25 starts and has earned $286,270.
Luyv typifies some pedigree patterns that appear to be working for Yockey’s Warrior. Although he is inbred 4x3 to Mr. Prospector, he seems to be doing well with mares that themselves descend from Mr. Prospector, especially if they also return Northern Dancer and/or Mr. Prospector’s sire, Raise a Native. He also has multiple winners from mares stemming from the Seattle Slew male line.
A well-balanced horse with a nice shoulder and a long pelvis, Yockey’s Warrior looks the part of a horse with speed. “He’s a nice big horse, well-conformed, and he has nice manners,” says Robert Hewlett, DVM, who is managing the horse’s stud career on behalf of the owning partnership. “His foals are good-sized, strong, and smart, and they want to run. Considering the mares he’s gotten, I think he’s been doing well.”
Avalyn Hunter is the author of five books on Thoroughbred pedigrees and history including Dream Derby: The Myth and Legend of Black Gold (2023, University Press of Kentucky) and The Kentucky Oaks: 150 Years of Running for the Lilies (2024, University Press of Kentucky). Her website is www.americanclassicpedigrees.com.