Curlin's fillies perform, earn $5,000 more per start
Curlin, the 2007 and 2008 horse of the year who captured the Preakness Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic during his championship campaigns, has established himself as one of North America's premier stallions. Standing at Hill 'N' Dale at Xalapa in Kentucky, Curlin commanded a stud fee of $225,000 for the 2025 breeding season, among the industry's elite. With over 12,700 starts from his offspring generating nearly $149.2 million in earnings, Curlin's progeny have demonstrated exceptional ability across various surfaces and distances.
The son of Smart Strike has sired 157 graded-stakes winners to date, including multiple Grade 1 champions Vino Rosso, Malathaat, Elite Power and Stellar Wind. His offspring show particular strength on dirt surfaces while maintaining competitive performance on turf and synthetic tracks, with notable success at both sprint and route distances.
Surface analysis reveals dirt dominance
Curlin's offspring excel most notably on dirt surfaces, where they achieve their highest win percentage and earnings per start. With over 9,000 starts on dirt generating more than $126.5 million in earnings, his progeny demonstrate clear superiority on the main track compared to other surfaces.
| Surface | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt | 9,022 | 1,601 | 17.8% | 89 | $14,022 |
| Synthetic | 893 | 123 | 13.8% | 89 | $5,987 |
| Turf | 2,867 | 350 | 12.2% | 89 | $6,052 |
| Overall | 12,782 | 2,074 | 16.2% | 89 | $11,673 |
On dirt, Curlin's offspring win at a 17.8% clip while earning more than double per start ($14,022) compared to turf ($6,052) or synthetic surfaces ($5,987). Despite maintaining consistent Horse Racing Nation speed figures of 89 across all surfaces, their dirt performance significantly outpaces their efforts on other racing surfaces.
Distance versatility with route preference for earnings
Curlin's progeny demonstrate effectiveness at both sprint and route distances, though with notable differences in win percentage versus earnings potential. Sprint runners show a higher win rate, but route competitors generate substantially higher earnings per start.
| Distance | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint | 4,345 | 719 | 16.5% | 88 | $7,801 |
| Route | 8,437 | 1,355 | 16.1% | 90 | $13,666 |
Although the win percentages are nearly identical at 16.5% for sprints versus 16.1% for routes, route runners earn $5,865 more per start on average. Route competitors also post slightly higher HRN speed figures at 90 compared to 88 for sprint runners.
Surface and distance combinations show clear preferences
Breaking down performance by both surface and distance reveals specific strengths where Curlin's offspring excel most notably.
| Surface/ Distance |
Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt sprint | 3,521 | 600 | 17.0% | 88 | $8,187 |
| Dirt route | 5,501 | 1,001 | 18.2% | 90 | $17,756 |
| Synth sprint | 374 | 52 | 13.9% | 92 | $5,028 |
| Synth route | 519 | 71 | 13.7% | 88 | $6,677 |
| Turf sprint | 450 | 67 | 14.9% | 83 | $7,088 |
| Turf route | 2,417 | 283 | 11.7% | 90 | $5,859 |
Dirt routes represent Curlin's offspring strongest category with an 18.2% win rate and earnings averaging $17,756 per start. Dirt sprints also perform well at 17.0%, and turf routes show the lowest win percentage at 11.7%. Notably, synthetic sprints produce the highest HRN speed figures at 92 despite a more modest win rate.
Distance range analysis shows stamina strength
Examining specific distance ranges reveals where Curlin's progeny perform most effectively across the spectrum of racing distances.
| Distance Range | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 6F | 831 | 117 | 14.1% | 75 | $4,617 |
| 6F to 6.5F | 2,545 | 441 | 17.3% | 90 | $7,668 |
| 6.51F to 8F | 4,429 | 704 | 15.9% | 89 | $8,208 |
| 8.01F to 9F | 4,506 | 750 | 16.6% | 90 | $15,090 |
| Greater than 9F | 471 | 62 | 13.2% | 100 | $45,648 |
At distances greater than nine furlongs, Curlin's offspring produce exceptional HRN speed figures of 100 and remarkable earnings averaging $45,648 per start. The 8.01-furlong to nine-furlong range shows strong performance with a 16.6% win rate and solid earnings of $15,090 per start.
Curlin's fillies are boss babes
Curlin demonstrates unusual success in siring high-performing fillies and mares, with his female offspring substantially outearning their male counterparts.
| Gender | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 9,000 | 1,461 | 16.2% | 91 | $10,159 |
| Female | 3,782 | 613 | 16.2% | 85 | $15,276 |
While win percentages remain identical at 16.2%, female offspring earn $5,117 more per start than males. His fillies have an impressive 89 graded-stakes wins compared to 68 for males, out of nearly 5,000 fewer starts. Among those graded-stakes winners are Breeders' Cup champions Malathaat and Idiomatic as well as Distaff board-hitters Clairiere and Raging Sea. Males post higher HRN speed figures at 91 compared to 85 for females, but the earnings differential highlights the quality of Curlin's fillies and mares in stakes competition.
Wet track performance shows consistent ability
Curlin's offspring maintain strong performance on wet surfaces, with dirt route runners showing particular effectiveness in off-track conditions.
| Surface/ Condition |
Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt sprint wet | 561 | 104 | 18.5% | 89 | $7,297 |
| Dirt route wet | 1,053 | 191 | 18.1% | 89 | $15,291 |
| Turf sprint wet | 74 | 9 | 12.2% | 82 | $4,435 |
| Turf route wet | 381 | 44 | 11.6% | 90 | $6,552 |
On wet dirt surfaces, Curlin's progeny excel with win rates of 18.5% in sprints and 18.1% in routes. These percentages exceed their performance on dry surfaces, suggesting strong adaptability to varying track conditions.
Development pattern shows steady improvement
Curlin's offspring demonstrate typical progression through their first several starts, with notable improvement in win percentage and earnings from their debut efforts.
| Experience | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First start | 838 | 113 | 13.5% | 79 | $7,608 |
| Second start | 774 | 136 | 17.6% | 85 | $10,823 |
| Third start | 718 | 120 | 16.7% | 86 | $13,777 |
The progression shows significant improvement from first starts, with a 13.5% win rate, to second starts, 17.6%, with earnings and speed figures also increasing consistently. By the third start, earnings per start nearly double from debut efforts.
Age progression demonstrates longevity
Curlin's progeny show strong performance across multiple age groups, with 4-year-olds achieving the highest win percentage and mature horses maintaining competitive form.
| Age | Sts | W | W% | Avg HRN | $/start |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-year-old | 991 | 144 | 14.5% | 77 | $14,281 |
| 3-year-old | 3,852 | 652 | 16.9% | 87 | $15,450 |
| 4-year-old | 3,680 | 655 | 17.8% | 92 | $13,777 |
| 5-year-old+ | 4,941 | 733 | 14.8% | 91 | $7,030 |
Performance peaks at age 4 with a 17.8% win rate and strong HRN speed figures of 92. Three-year-olds generate the highest earnings per start at $15,450, reflecting their participation in classic and stakes competition.
Graded stakes excellence across multiple generations
Curlin has sired 157 graded-stakes winners, with his elite performers including multiple Grade 1 winners such as Vino Rosso, Malathaat, Elite Power and Stellar Wind.
Beyond his Grade 1 stars, Curlin has produced 48 Grade 2 winners accounting for 72 Grade 2 victories, and 74 Grade 3 winners with 87 Grade 3 successes. This broad distribution across all graded levels showcases his consistent ability to sire stakes-quality runners.
| Grade Level | Winners | Total Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 16 | 28 |
| Grade 2 | 48 | 72 |
| Grade 3 | 74 | 87 |
| Total | 138* | 187 |
*Some horses have won at multiple grade levels
Recent Grade 1 successes include Journalism's victories in the Preakness Stakes and Haskell Stakes (G1) this year, Highland Falls' Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) triumph, and Raging Sea's La Troienne (G1) victory. With multiple crops still developing and current runners such as Journalism proving competitive in classic competition, Curlin's influence on elite racing continues to expand, and his sire sons, such as Good Magic and Vino Rosso, ensure it will across generations.