TAKE a quick look over the history of the Derby and Oaks in South Australia and it immediately becomes obvious they are races that toss up superstars despite being Group 3 events.

None stand out better than the night Mepunga Nicky put and end to champion Miata's then unbeaten run when winning the Oaks. Both went on to greatness.

Top Honcho won the Derby and went to Ireland to become a legend at stud.

For the first time, the Derby and Oaks have been run on the same night in a bid to lessen the burden on visiting trainers wanting to take on both races.

The result has been this week's finals that have tossed up some potential greats.

And along with them comes some fascinating pedigrees.

Obviously, the fact littermates, Nervous An Weird and My American Girl (Barcia Bale-Father Of Mine) have made the respective finals makes their pedigree well worth looking into.

And it is a VERY interesting pedigree indeed.

In fact, sire Barcia Bale and dam Father Of Mine are bred on a reverse cross.

They both bring in Brett Lee, 4x2 balanced via a son (Hallucinate) in Barcia bale and through Father Of Mine herself.

But they also introduce a 2x2 cross of Go Wild Teddy (sire of Barcia Bale) and Brandeen Misty (2nd dam of My American Girl and Nervous An Weird.

Go Wild Teddy is a son of Head Honcho from a daughter of Malawi's Prince.

Brandeen Misty is by Prince Of Tigers (a SON of Malawi's Prince) and she is out of a bitch called Miss Cleopatra (a DAUGHTER of Head Honcho).

Thus, Go Wild Teddy and Brandeen Misty are an ideal "balance" for each other in the pedigree of the Derby and Oaks finalists.

But, the pedigree of these Group finalists hold another strong key.

It is the fact Prince Of Tigers (damsire of Father Of Mine) is out of a bitch called Amazing Osti (Brother Fox-Osti's Magic). She is a virtual sister to Paris Match (Brother Fox-Osti's Shadow) who is found significantly placed in the damline of Barcia Bale.

Even though Paris Match and Amazing Osti come into this pedigree 6x4, they are positioned to have some impact upon the resultant offspring ... Group finalists Nervous An Weird and My American Girl.

Whoever designed this pedigree did an absolutely fabulous job.

Which brings us to Spring Bridge (My Bro Fabio-Tina Lee by Brett Lee) a finalist for now firmly established South Aussie Greg Board in the Derby.

Flamenco (dam of My Bro Fabio) is a virtual sister to Tina Lee.

Both are bred on the Brett Lee/Bobniak cross.

But the commonality does not end there.

I implore anyone interested in pedigrees to do a "test mating" on Bright Ebony and Chili Berger who come into Spring Bridge's pedigree 4x4 and again positioned to impact.

They are both by Elle's Commando and their second dams are by half brothers Acacia Park and Brother Fox respectively.

The positioned of them 4x4 is fine ... any closer can have a detrimental impact.

Spring Bridge has got all the best attributes of his dominant ancestors. He has now won at Angle Park in a scorching 29.46.

Ben Rawlings too has a powerful hand in the Oaks with litter sisters Alicante Bouchet and Agent Thirteen (Kilty Lad-Mighty Chaos).

It too is a fabulous cross reaping the benefits of proven success.

Kilty Lad is the sire of Kayda Shae the "certainty beaten" when a narrow second to Fernando Bale in a Topgun. Unfortunately, Kayda Shae died before he could have a long stud career.

Kayda Shae is just one great race dog to carry a reinforcement of the "Portrait" family. Others include top stayer Shimaguni and in more recent times Out Of Range and his litter brother Poke The Bear.

Alicante Bouchet and Agent Thirteen are line bred 5x5 to the genetic sisters Polly's Portrait and Lovely Portrait but they are positioned to impact with each other.

The sisters are also in-bred 3x4 to Brett Lee via SONS. No wonder the FEMALES of this litter are showing great ability. being females, they themselves are the balancing effect of the mating.

The sisters also carry a significant double of famous broodbitch Zimbabwe via daughter and son just to add to all the goodies found in the pedigree.

It was pretty brave of Ben Rawlings to undertake this mating considering Kilty Lad, by 2016, had been sold to China for stud.

Next, we come to Often Imitated (KC And All-Sweet It Is) who has already won at Sandown in 29.44 and added to that with a 29.59 win at Angle Park.

Being a daughter of champion Sweet It Is, much was expected of Often Imitated on the track and she certainly looks capable of living up to those hopes.

While she is by US stud dog KC And All, Often Imitated does NOT boast an outcross pedigree.

That's because her mother Sweet It Is carries US stud great Flying Penske as her damsire.

Penske is a SON of that fabulous US race and stud dog Oshkosh Racey.

And, the direct damline of KC And All just happens to bring in a DAUGHTER of Oshkosh Racey to provide an ideal balance to the pedigree of Often Imitated.

And, to add to all this, Often Imitated's litter brother Aston Kimetto is also a finalist in this week's Derby. He is already a Group 3 Warragul St Leger winner.