Where Champions Clash: Tropical Racing’s Keeneland Challenge

The venue? Tropical Racing’s home track, Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, resplendent in autumnal golds, reds, and yellows. The event? A very competitive race (in which particular conditions for over 1 1/16 miles on the turf.) The competition? Fierce.

• Miranda Rights loads into the gate.
• To his left, the favorite – a $1.1 million colt owned by a California millionaire.
• To his right, Peter Blum’s horse, the breeder of Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.
• Calling our horse the underdog would be an understatement.
• As the gates open, Miranda Rights is a 40-to-1 longshot.
• What happens next shocks the entire crowd at Keeneland…

(1) Theismann powers home to take the victory under @luissaezpty in race 8. (2) Miranda Rights a close second, (5) Degree of Risk finishes third. pic.twitter.com/bDH7wtKC4X

— Keeneland Racing (@keenelandracing) October 18, 2025

High Stakes on the Rail: Theismann vs. Miranda Rights in a Photo Finish

In the inside post, on the rail, was Theismann. Aboard was Luis Saez, who has won the globe’s richest horse race; Theismann sold for a jaw-dropping $1.15 million as a yearling. He carried top weight in the race among all competitors (124 pounds, as opposed to the other horses’ 122 pounds), and was heavily favored at odds of 2.62-1. Towards the outside? The likes of Siege of Boston—a frequent entrant in graded stakes all over the country—and Green Light—whose breeder, Peter E. Blum, bred and raced 2020 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Authentic.

In the two slot was Miranda Rights, a talented runner for Tropical Racing. The five-year-old gelding hung back early on, letting Theismann loose on the lead. In the stretch, Miranda Rights unleashed a furious closing run, surging forward to just miss Theismann in the shadow of the wire. In another stride or two, he would have caught his competitor! The official margin of victory was just a nose…and he went off at odds of 40.62-1.

Brains and Bloodlines: Why Miranda Rights Is Built for Racing Longevity

Miranda Rights is part of Dr. Michelle Nihei’s stable. Tropical Racing’s in-house trainer, Michelle is also a bloodstock agent and a researcher with a doctorate in neuroscience. Her varied accomplishments—she’s trained graded stakes winners and worked as a researcher at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University—allow Michelle to intuitively understand the horses she works with and bring out the best in her equine charges.

Miranda Rights has a very bright future ahead of him. Because they aren’t eligible to be stallions, geldings can have very long racing careers, and some of the game’s greatest-ever horses—such as five-time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Kelso and the immortal turf/dirt superstar John Henry—have been geldings.

Moreover, Miranda Rights has the bloodlines to back up his standout performance. He’s a son of superstar sire Constitution. Currently ranked fifth among all sires by progeny earnings in 2025, he is represented by the likes of multiple grade 1 winner Mindframe this year (Relive Mindframe’s Stephen Foster Handicap victory here). Constitution’s offspring perform well on dirt and grass; he currently ranks eleventh among all turf sires by progeny earnings this year. His top grass runner in 2025 is Pin Up Betty, who scooped up the Old Forester Mint Julep Stakes (G3T) a few months back.

A Champion’s Lineage: The Broodmare Power Behind Miranda Rights

Miranda Rights’ broodmare sire (the sire of his dam, or mother) is Into Mischief, who sits atop the leading sires list for the seventh straight year. In 2025 alone, daughters of Into Mischief produced the likes of $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) winner White Abarrio.

Miranda Rights’ maternal granddam, Yara, won the 2012 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) over grade 1 winner Grace Hall. Yara also foaled stakes winner Moon Swag, who earned $369,000 in a 16-start career, and $493,220-earner Heavy Roller. His fourth dam, Lady Laika, produced grade 1 winner Healthy Addiction, who then foaled grade 1 winner My Sweet Addiction.

Watch for Miranda Rights’ next start; it’s sure to be a special moment for Tropical Racing!