Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent, who stands his sire, Hip 19 is out of Oaklawn's Valley of the Vapors Stakes winner Merlazza from the same family as GSW & GISP Where's My Ring (Twirling Candy). His fourth dam is GI Test Stakes and GI Ballerina Stakes winner Dream Supreme (Seeking the Gold). Bred by the Curlin Syndicate and Don Alberto Corporation in Kentucky and foaled in February of last year, the colt is the first foal out of his dam. He was a really nice colt like Curlin. So I think as a whole he stood out and he looked like he has a lot of room to develop to be a strong, robust, athletic Curlin colt.