2016 First-Crop Sires - Eleven Developing Leaders
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The
2016 Triple Crown is in the history books. The Three-Year-Olds will continue to battle each other and older horses
throughout the year. Meanwhile, the 2017
Kentucky Derby and Kentucky
Oaks hopefuls are preparing for their racing careers. The more precocious two-year-olds have made their debuts,
and some have compiled stakes earnings.
The
freshman sires' offspring are emerging,
and the leading first-crop sire list is
beginning to take shape. The list will undergo
some changes by year-end as the later maturing pedigreed foals gain ground on
the precocious types.
There are
various ways to look at sire lists, by
earnings, winners, repeat winners, and stakes horses. Each category shows a
different story. Let’s review the current top five first crop sires by earnings
and by winners.
Stallions by Earnings:
1. Mission
Impazible (Unbridled's Song - La Paz, by Hold Your Peace)
Stands at:
Sequel Stallions New York, NY Stud fee:
$7,500
Current 2YO: 48
Runners:
3
Winners: 2 (66% winners/starters)/Stakes
winners: 1 / Stakes placed: 0
Profile: Mission Impazible is leading the Freshmen
Sire list by earnings. During his racing days, the pretty gray stallion earned victories from 4 ½ furlongs to 1 1/8 miles
over the dirt, although 1 1/8 miles wasn’t
an optimal distance for him. The very
precocious Mission Impazible won his debut in an April maiden race at Keeneland
and just two weeks later, placed third in the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes (G3). Mission Impazible showed a strong affinity for the Fair Grounds dirt
course. He twice raced in the New
Orleans Handicap (G2), winning once and
placing second. He also won the
Louisiana Derby and placed in the
Mineshaft Handicap (G3). Mission Impazible was second in the Donn, Stephen
Foster, and Clark Handicaps, all Grade 1 events. Mission Impazible is a half
brother to Del Mar Futurity hero Forest Camp (Deputy Minister) and three other
stakes earners. Their dam is also a multiple stakes winner.
Offspring: Mission Impazible’s highest earning son
Silver
Mission captured the Tremont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 10.
He ran away from three over-matched rivals by
6 ¼ lengths getting the 5 ½ furlongs in a blazing 1:03.78, barely a second off
of the track record of 1:02.26 set in 2004.
The track at Belmont was extremely fast during Belmont Stakes
weekend, and we saw
a number of new stakes and course records. Mission Impazible’s
other maiden winner,
Proud
Mission, captured her 4 ½ furlong debut at Lone Star. Mission Impazible’s
offspring will be win-early speedsters with distance limitations. Some less
precocious types might handle 1 1/8 miles in
the right circumstances.
2. Bodemeister (Empire
Maker - Untouched Talent, by Storm Cat)
Stands
at: WinStar Farm, KY
Stud fee: $30,000
Current 2YO:
131
Runners:
3
Winners: 1 (33% winners/starters) / Stakes winners: 1 / Stakes placed: 0
Profile: Bodemeister was a phenomenal blip on
the 2012 racing scene. After made six starts in five months, he trotted off to
the breeding shed. During those five months, Bodemeister won the Arkansas Derby
(G1) and was beaten by a neck in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He also
placed in the San Felipe Stakes. The late-developing son of Empire Maker developed
a shoulder injury a shoulder injury that would have required a 60-day layoff, but since the stallion deal was done,
Bodemeister was retired. Bodemeister’s preferred running style was to lead the
field on a merry chase. He won at a mile and 1 1/8 miles and placed at
distances ranging from 5 ½ furlongs and 1
¼ miles. Bodemeister’s half sister Fascinating (Smart Strike) placed in the Del Mar Debutante. His first five dams all own blacktype. His
fifth dam Bitty Girl was a Champion Two Year Old in England.
Offspring: With the bloodlines of Empire Maker,
A.P. Indy and Roberto in the first three generations of his pedigree, one would
expect Bodemeister’s offspring to be later maturing types. Most will be. Three of Bodemeister’s offspring have raced, one is a winner, and another has finished third in two
starts. Bodemeister’s daughter Bode's Dream
won her debut at Gulfstream Park, zipping 4 ½ furlongs in :51.26. Less than a month later, the well-bred filly earned the
victory in the Astoria Stakes over six rivals. Expect to see Bodemeister’s
babies appear at the summer race meets and they should mature into strong
runners as they grow. Many will prefer
running in longer sprints through classic distances.
3. Tapizar (Tapit -
Winning Call, by Deputy Minister)
Stands at: Gainesway, KY Stud fee:
$15,000
Current 2YO: 100
Runners: 6
Winners: 3 (50% winners/starters) | Stakes winners: 0 |
Stakes placed: 0
Profile:
Tapizar made his appearance as an August two-year-old,
but he didn’t earn his initial victory until late November. Tapizar raced for three years. The
distance-challenged colt was successful
between a mile and 1 1/16 miles. Tapizar’s triumphs included the Sham (G3), San
Fernando Stakes (G2), West Virginia Governor's Stakes and he ended his career
on a high note as the victor of the 2012
Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Tapizar is the sole blacktype earner among his
siblings. His second dam Call Now won the Del Mar Debutante. She’s a half
sister to the stallion Olympio. Call
Now’s half sisters and their daughters have produced a number of excellent runners, including Three Year Old Champion
filly Untapable, Grade 1 winners Pyro and Cuvee and the stallion Early Flyer.
Offspring: Tapizar’s is represented by three
maiden winners
Draft Beer (4
½ furlongs, Gulfstream Park);
Thurman Merman
(5 furlongs, Delaware Park); and
Tip Tap Tapizar
(5 furlongs, Churchill Downs).
Tapizar’s
babies should be strong sprinter/milers, up to 1 1/16 miles. Naturally, a few
may want to go longer, but they will be the exception.
4.
Empire Way (Empire
Maker - Delta Princess, by A.P. Indy)
Stands at: Loveacres Ranch, CA Stud fee: $5,000
Current 2YO: 21
Runners: 6
Winners: 2 (33% winners/starters)/ Stakes
winners: 0 / Stakes placed: 0
Profile:
See anything familiar about Empire Way’s pedigree? He’s Champion Royal Delta’s little brother. A
week after winning his debut as a late-maturing two-year-old,
Empire Way was rushed into the Hollywood Prevue Stakes, where he finished
sixth. Barely given time to get his feet under him, Empire Way was turned
around three weeks after that in the Cash Call Futurity, where he finished
fifth. In his first start at three, Empire
Way was second in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes
but never lived up to his pedigree in California. Empire Way raced over dirt, turf and
synthetics.
Offspring:
Empire Way is one of four Freshmen Sire sons of Empire Maker with
progeny on the track this year. The stallion has a small crop of 21 foals. Two
of his six starters are winners,
Dutt Bart (4 ½
furlongs, Los Alamitos) and
Mr. Ability (4
½ furlongs, Santa Anita). In speed-oriented California, Empire Way was likely
mated to many sprint mares. His offspring out of these types of
mares will naturally be more distance challenged.
However, Empire Way’s pedigree lends itself to
stamina,
and he could get classic distance runners if bred to the proper
mares.
5.
Creative Cause
(Giant's Causeway - Dream of Summer, by Siberian Summer)
Stands at: Airdrie Stud, KY Stud fee: $15,000
Current 2YO: 86
Runners: 6
Winners: 2 (33% winners/starters) / Stakes
winners:0 / Stakes placed: 0
Profile:
Creative Cause and his full brother
Destin, who was a
whisker away from victory in this year’s Belmont Stakes, are another lesson in
genetics. Both are classy, pretty gray horses, but one can handle classic
distances while the other couldn’t. Go figure. Interestingly, both are the only
sons of Giant’s Causeway to hit the board in at Triple Crown race. Creative
Cause finished third in the 2012 Preakness.
Creative
Cause’s only off of the board placing in ten starts was a fifth-place finish in
the Kentucky Derby where he missed the winner’s circle by less than three
lengths. His dam Dream of Summer is a multiple graded stakes winner from
6 ½ furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. She placed in three stakes at 1 1/8 miles.
Offspring:
Creative Cause is off to a strong start at stud. His first winner,
Milton Freewater,
set a new track record at Los Alamitos for 4 ½ furlongs
in :51.37, beating only three other entrants. A month later on the
other side of the country at Gulfstream Park, Creative Cause’s daughter
Theonewewaitedfor
won her 4 ½ furlong debut
in :51.97.
Creative Cause’s offspring should handle
sprints through 1 1/8 miles, depending upon the stamina in the distaff line.
Stallions by Winners:
1.
Astrology (A.P.
Indy - Quiet Eclipse, by Quiet American)
Stands at: Taylor Made
Stallions, KY Stud fee: $6,500
Current 2YO: 84
Runners: 7
Winners: 4 (57% winners/starters) / Stakes
winners: 0 / Stakes placed: 0
Profile: Astrology was a later-maturing two-year-old.
Getting his initial victory out of the way in September, A.P Indy’s son
continued on to win the Iroquois Stakes (G3) and just miss the win in the Kentucky
Jockey Club Stakes (G2) by one-half length. Astrology recorded second place
finishes in the Sunland Derby (G3), Jerome Stakes (G2) and third, beaten less
than two lengths, in the Preakness (G1).
Astrology is a half-brother to
three stakes winners, G3 winner Lunarpal, Lunarlady,
and Lunargal.
Offspring:
Astrology’s babies are showing precocity uncommon for sons of A.P. Indy.
Surprisingly, his highest earner,
Capt. Grider,
who is out of a Dynaformer mare, won at first asking in late April at
Keeneland. Given his pedigree, one would think Astrology’s would prefer longer
distances. Expect them to win at sprints through 1 1/16 miles. 1 1/8 miles and
even classic distances, given the right pedigree, aren’t out of the question.
2. Shackleford (Forestry
- Oatsee, by Unbridled)
Stands at: Darby Dan Farm Stud fee: $20,000
Current 2YO: 119
Runners: 6
Winners: 3 (50% winners/starters) /Stakes
winners: 0 / Stakes placed: 0
Profile:
Every year, racing fans select an unofficial
favorite, due to the horse’s exploits on and/or off of the track. Shackleford was
a big fan favorite in 2011 – 2012. The brilliant Chestnut with the white blaze
tried hard in every race. As a son of Forestry, one would think that Shackleford
would have been a precocious sprint type. Nope. He took after his damsire,
Kentucky Derby hero Unbridled. Shackleford was a late-maturing juvenile and made
only two starts in the fall. After winning an allowance race in February, Shackleford
began his Triple Crown journey. Forestry’s son just missed the Florida Derby
victory by a head, then gave a good
account in Kentucky, completing the Derby Superfecta. Shackleford played the
spoiler in the Preakness, denying Animal Kingdom
a shot at Triple Crown fame. After a hand-full of runner-up placings in various
graded stakes through the rest of his three-year-old
and early four-year-old season, Shackleford
earned back-to-back victories in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) and Metropolitan
Handicap (G1). He retired after a earning his last win in the Clark Handicap
(G1).
Shackleford has one of the best pedigrees of
this year’s stallion crop. Half of his dam Oatsee’s ten starters are stakes
winners, four of them earned graded stakes wins, including Alabama Stakes (G1)
heroine, Lady Joanne (Orientate). Shackleford sisters are bearing blacktype
earners, among them, multiple G3 winner Florida One and Santa Anita Derby
runner-up Uncle Lino. Oatsee is a blue hen (superior female). Shackleford’s
fourth and fifth dams, Taminette and Tamerett are also blue hens.
Offspring: The majority of Shackleford’s
offspring will likely be mid-to-late developing
two-year-olds who will mature with age.
Many will be distance challenged beyond 1 1/8 miles, but yes, Shack could get
some classic runners with stamina on the distaff side.
Shackleford has two winners over Polytrack,
Shackin Up (Arlington Park) and
Oxblood (Woodbine).
His son
Little Nappy
held on to win his debut by a head on the
Gulfstream
Park dirt. All victories were at 4 ½ furlongs.
3. Tapizar
(see above).
4. Algorithms (Bernardini
- Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance)
Stands at: Claiborne Farm, KY Stud fee: $5,000
Current 2YO: 88
Runners: 5
Winners: 2 (40% winners/starters) /Stakes
winners: 0 /Stakes placed: 0
Profile:
Algorithms won his debut as an early June two-year-old. He was shelved for six months, then raced twice more,
earning victories in an allowance race and the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) before
fracturing a splint bone. After being
rehabbed, the colt was injured again and retired. Algorithms descends from a stakes winning family. His older half-brother, G1 hero Justin Phillip, will have
his first offspring on the track next year.
Algorithms’ half-brother Keyed Entry stood for four years in Florida and
now stands at stud in Saudi Arabia. Algorithms
full brother Greenpointcrusader was briefly on this year’s Triple Crown trail.
Offspring: Algorithms
carries some precocity through his distaff line, so it is no surprise to see
his babies winning early. Most will be sprinter/miler types while some may handle middle distances in
the right circumstances. Algorithms’ son
Recruiting Ready
put on a show at Pimlico on May 28, finishing a zip code ahead of six
over-matched colts. Recruiting Ready stopped the clock in :51.78, just a tick off of the track record of :51.50 for 4 ½ furlongs. Algorithms’ other
winner is Storm of Race, who earned a victory in Russia.
5. Hansen (Tapit -
Stormy Sunday, by Sir Cat)
Stands at: Republic of Korea Stud fee: N/A
Current 2YO: 102
Runners: 4
Winners: 2 (50% winners/starters) / Stakes
winners: 0 / Stakes placed: 0
Profile:
Hansen won his September debut and followed up with victories in the Kentucky
Cup Juvenile Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He earned 2011 Champion 2 Year Old Colt
honors. At three, Hansen won the Gotham
(G3) and placed in the Holy Bull (G3) and Blue Grass Stakes (G1) before suffering
his first loss in the Kentucky Derby, where he placed ninth. Hansen raced only two more times. He earned a
victory in the Iowa Derby (G3) and retired after finishing fourth in the West
Virginia Derby (G2). Hansen stood at Coolmore's
Ashford Stud for a year before being sold
to South Korea.
There is very little blacktype in Hansen’s pedigree.
Offspring: Hansen’s babies should be
racy, precocious types with distance
limitations. Some may earn victories at middle distances, but that won’t be
typical of the majority. Hansen has two winners from four starters. His son
Hansen’s Victory
was his sire’s first winner, at Hastings Park. Hansen’s daughter
Platinum Spark recently won at first asking
in a 5 ½ furlong maiden event at Belmont Park.
6.
Stay Thirsty
(Bernardini - Marozia, by Storm Bird)
Stands at: Ashford Stud, KY Stud fee: $10,000
Current 2YO: 91
Runners: 5
Winners: 2 (40% winners/starters) /Stakes
winners: 0 / Stakes placed: 1
Profile:
Stay Thirsty showed average
precocity and class as a two-year-old.
Earning his maiden prize in August and
following up with a second place finish in the Hopeful Stakes (G2). He finished
off of the board in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Stay Thirsty needed time to
mature through the early spring of his three-year-old
season. Although he won the Gotham (G3), he was off of the board in the Florida
and Kentucky Derbies. Stay Thirsty
rebounded in the Belmont Stakes and missed the victory by less than a length.
He picked up victories in the Jim Dandy (G2) and Travers Stakes (G1) before
falling off form with a third-place
finish in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and finishing off the board in the
Breeders’ Cup Classic. Stay Thirsty hit the board in three of five starts as a four-year-old and went out on a high note,
earning the trophy in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1).
Stay Thirsty’s half
brother Andromeda’s Hero was also second in the Belmont Stakes. That one’s full
brother Superfly was third in the Champagne Stakes (G1). Their second and third
dams are Grade One placed.
Offspring: Stay Thirsty has two winners from five
starters. Not surprising, since many of his babies will be mid-to-late season
types and round into shape as three and
four-year-olds.
Their distance scope will be sprinters through middle distances, and some may
prefer running longer. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility that we’ll see
some of Stay Thirsty’s offspring on the Triple Crown trail.
Stay Thirsty’s son
Thirstforlife
made his debut in the five-furlong Kentucky Juvenile Stakes three days before
the Kentucky Derby. The colt finished
third
but came back to win at the same distance a month later.
Stay Thirsty’s daughter
Cheval
Blanche gave the stallion an international presence when she bested a
field of maidens running six furlongs on the lawn at Redcar
Racecourse in England.
Honorable Mention:
Union Rags (Dixie Union - Tempo, by Gone West)
Stands at: Lane’s End Stud fee: $35,000
Current 2YO: 106
Runners: 5
Winners: 2 (40% winners/starters) /Stakes
winners: 0 / Stakes placed: 0
#6 by earnings; #7 by winners
Profile:
Union Rags could have been the 2011 Two Year Old Champ instead of
Hansen, but fell a head shy in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after a four-wide
trip. Union Rags entered the Breeders’ Cup with three victories under his
girth, including the Saratoga Special (G2) and Champagne Stakes (G1). The large, muscular colt raced four times as
a three-year-old. His only off of the
board finish was seventh in the Kentucky Derby, after winning the Fountain of
Youth and finishing third in the Florida Derby.
Union Rags rebounded with a gutsy neck victory over Paynter in the
Belmont Stakes (G1). Union Rags was injured after the Belmont Stakes and
retired a month later.
Union Rags is the only
son of Dixie Union to win a stakes race beyond 1 1/8 miles. The large 16.2 ½
hands high stallion physically resembles
his damsire, Intermediate/Classic Chef-de-race Gone West. Union Rags descends
from a distaff line of champions. His
half sister bore England’s 2013 Champion Older Male Declaration of War. We’ll
see his babies on the track next year. Union Rags’ second dam was a long-winded turf
router who set course records at 11 and 13 furlongs. His third dam was an Irish
Juvenile Filly Champ.
Offspring:
Dixie Union’s sons haven’t set the breeding shed on fire. Gone Astray
and High Cotton are decent Florida studs.
Dixie Chatter gets the random
winner in California and….that’s it. Union
Rags is the most accomplished of Dixie Union’s sons on the track. Will he pass that talent to his offspring? Buyers hope so, especially Charles Chu's Baoma Corp and Bob Baffert, who spent $975,000
on a colt now named Dre Dan after he breezed in :10 1/5 at the March Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-olds in
training sale.
Union
Rags’ two precocious daughters, Lady Stardust
and Silver Threads,
won their 4 ½ furlong debuts at Aqueduct and Monmouth, respectively. Silver
Threads’ dam Golden Mean is a half-sister
to the dam of one of Tapizar’s first winners, Tip Tap Tapizar.
Other
stallions with debut winners include Eye of the
Leopard, Dominus, and Indian Firewater,
who just happens to be a half brother to Union Rags’ sales topper, Dre Dan.
The
Freshmen Sire scene will undergo changes throughout the year as later maturing
stallions are represented by more offspring on the track. So far, there’s no
super-sire like Uncle Mo in this
group. I’ll go ahead and predict that the top five stallions, in no particular
order will be Union Rags, Creative Cause, Shackleford, Bodemeister, and Tapizar. Mission Impazable could certainly hold a top ten rank. To Honor and
Serve, Stay Thirsty, The Factor and
Gemologist may
hit the top twenty.
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