Freshman sires: Yaupon leads, Knicks Go has 1st stakes runner
The 2025 freshman sire crop continues to build momentum, with Yaupon solidifying his position atop the standings. The son of Uncle Mo now leads with nine winners from 24 starters, boasting an impressive 37.5% win rate that has established him as the clear leader among the debut stallions.
While Yaupon commands the wins column, three sires are tied with four wins each, Rock Your World, Maxfield and Leinster. Leinster has been particularly efficient with a 33.3% strike rate from just 12 starters.
New sires with stakes runners
At this midpoint of the summer, several freshman sires will be represented with entrants in some of the earliest 2-year-old stakes. First up is Basin, whose The Wright Way takes on five other fillies in the Assiniboia Downs Debutante on Wednesday night.
Yaupon's Fly Strong and No Parole's High Class Trip line up for the D.S. Shine Young Futurity going 5 1/2 furlongs at Evangeline on Friday night. Both Louisiana-bred fillies come in off maiden wins. On Saturday, No Parole has Parole Drama and Sky Mischief has Unlawful in the Shine Young Futurity edition for colts.
Saturday is a busy one with Knicks Go's speedy Ewing stepping up into the Grade 2 Saratoga Special vs Sanford (G3) winner Obliteration and Bashford Manor runner-up Comport. Ewing posted an impressive 99 Horse Racing Nation speed figure in his Saratoga debut victory for trainer Mark Casse.
At Colonial, Silver State's Zirconia debuts in the Keswick stakes for 2-year-old fillies going 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt. His 2-year-old colt State Conceal makes his second career start in the Hickory Tree stakes, also going 5 1/2 furlongs. Also in the Hickory Tree are Trendsetter for freshman sire Modernist and G Q Worthy for Beau Liam.
Recent winners
Six freshman sires registered winners in the past week, with Yaupon adding to his tally when Woodstock broke through at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Monday. Combatant picked up his first winner as Boom Boom Bell scored at Hawthorne on Sunday, and Knicks Go added another victory when Soaring Angel won at Del Mar on Saturday.
Raging Bull registered his second winner as In the Aggregate broke through at Belterra Park on July 24, and Code of Honor notched another victory when Wall Art scored at Delaware Park on July 23.
Freshman sire standings
| Sire | Starts | Wins | Places | Shows | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yaupon | 24 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 37.5% |
| Rock Your World | 23 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 17.4% |
| Maxfield | 17 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 23.5% |
| Leinster | 12 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 33.3% |
| Knicks Go | 25 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12.0% |
| Beau Liam | 23 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 13.0% |
| Raging Bull | 19 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10.5% |
| Code of Honor | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 16.7% |
| Uncle Chuck | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 18.2% |
| Modernist | 11 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 18.2% |
| Charlatan | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 22.2% |
| Listing | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 40.0% |
| By My Standards | 15 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6.7% |
| Essential Quality | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7.1% |
| Basin | 10 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 10.0% |
| Lexitonian | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11.1% |
| Known Agenda | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| Combatant | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12.5% |
| Galawi | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16.7% |
| Waiting | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 20.0% |
This week's entries
The freshman sires have 83 entries over the next five days, with heavy action at Saratoga featuring multiple runners from several leading sires.