Freshman sires: Yaupon leads as juvenile campaigns intensify
The 2025 freshman sire crop continues to build momentum as the season heads into September, with Yaupon maintaining his commanding lead with 17 winners from 58 starts through Monday. The son of Uncle Mo has posted a solid 29.3% strike rate, establishing himself as the clear leader among this talented group of debut stallions. The crop has surpassed 250 collective starts.
Knicks Go has been making his presence felt with 11 winners from 58 starts, followed by Maxfield, who has produced 10 winners from 41 starts for an impressive 24.4% win rate.
Rock Your World and Beau Liam are tied for fourth with seven winners each, and Uncle Chuck has impressed with six winners from just 25 starts for a 24.0% strike rate.
With the crop now well into their 2-year-old campaigns, trainers are beginning to step up in class with some of their better prospects. The next few months will be crucial as connections look to identify potential stakes horses for the remainder of the season and beyond.
Recent winners
The past week brought impressive action from several sires, with Yaupon adding two more winners to his tally. The Spendthrift Farm stallion registered victories with debut winner Rina's Revenge at Saratoga on Aug. 28 and Embrace the Moment at Delaware Park the same day.
Maxfield also enjoyed a productive week with two winners, including debut scorer Boomington at Saratoga on Sunday and My Lady Jbella at Charles Town on Thursday. Engage contributed two more victories to his first two last from week, with debut winner Rockstar Casanova scoring at Tampa Bay Downs on Monday and La Resolana winning at Monmouth Park on Aug. 24.
Several other sires registered single winners during the period, notably Just Leo with his first winner Pronti O Meno at Monmouth on Sunday. Just Leo is a full brother to Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire, who stands in Japan. Florida-bred Just Leo won two of six starts in his career and stands at Waldorf Stud in New York for a private fee.
Freshman sire standings
| Sire | Starts | Wins | Places | Shows | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yaupon | 58 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 29.3 |
| Knicks Go | 58 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 19.0 |
| Maxfield | 41 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 24.4 |
| Rock Your World | 48 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 14.6 |
| Beau Liam | 43 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 16.3 |
| Uncle Chuck | 25 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 24.0 |
| Independence Hall | 39 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 12.8 |
| Modernist | 30 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 16.7 |
| Code of Honor | 29 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 17.2 |
| Raging Bull | 40 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 10.0 |
| Tacitus | 29 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 13.8 |
| Global Campaign | 26 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 15.4 |
| Halladay | 25 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 16.0 |
| Basin | 24 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 16.7 |
| Lexitonian | 19 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 21.1 |
| Combatant | 34 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 8.8 |
| Mo Forza | 28 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 10.7 |
| Engage | 21 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 14.3 |
| Silver State | 20 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 15.0 |
| By My Standards | 15 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 20.0 |
This week's entries
Several stakes races highlight the weekend action. Friday's action includes the Im Smokin Stakes at Del Mar with Max Ciao representing Maxfield. Saturday features multiple stakes opportunities, including the Kitten's Joy Stakes at Colonial with Kid Charlemagne and Jutland. Gulfstream Park hosts the Florida Sire Series Desert Vixen stakes with Leinster's Royal Ascot runner, Lennilu, who returns for the first time since her overseas trip. Squire, a Leinster colt, will contest the Dr. Fager stakes at Gulfstream the same day.