Wicked Strong (foaled April 28, 2011 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He established himself as a contender for the 2014 Kentucky Derby with a win in the Wood Memorial Stakes. He finished fourth in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes before winning the Jim Dandy Stakes. Background Wicked Strong is a bay colt with a white star bred in Kentucky by William F. Lynn. He is one of the best horses sired by Hard Spun, who finished second in the 2007 Kentucky Derby before winning the King's Bishop Stakes. Hard Spun's other progeny includes CCA Oaks and Alabama Stakes winner Questing. His dam, Moyne Abbey was a half sister to the Grade III winner Gulch Approval and a descendant of the influential broodmare Lisette, making her a distant relative of Snow Chief, Al Bahathri and Haafhd. Originally named Moyne Spun, the colt was sent to the yearling sale at Keeneland in September 2012. He was bought for $375,000 by Centennial Farms, a group from Boston who renamed their purchase "Wicked Strong". "Boston Strong" became a rallying cry for the city after the 2013 Marathon bombings, while "Wicked" is Bostonian for "very". Racing career 2013: two-year-old season Wicked Strong made his racecourse debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Park on September 21. Ridden by Edgar Prado, he started slowly but made steady progress and finished second, five and a half lengths behind winner Manhattan Johnnie. In the following month, he was moved up in distance for a one-mile maiden at the same track. Prado moved the colt up to dispute the lead on the outside with five sixteenths of a mile left to run. Wicked Strong gained the advantage after a brief struggle with Endowment Manager and recorded his first success, winning by two lengths from Cool Samurai. Wicked Strong was moved up in class for his final start of the year, the Grade II Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct on November 30 in which Rajiv Maragh took over from Prado. He started awkwardly but finished well to take third, beaten a nose and half a length by Honor Code and Cairo Prince despite tossing his head and shying away from his rider's stick in the straight. 2014: three-year-old season Wicked Strong began his second season with two runs at Gulfstream Park. In January, he started the 4.3/1 third favorite for the Grade II Holy