2016 class of new sires continues to shine

On one of the first major racing weekends of 2021, the incoming stallion class of 2016 continued its major success. Colonel Liam, from the first crop of Liam’s Map, won the Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park. One race later, his classmates Tapiture and Constitution were represented by Jesus’ Team and Independence Hall, second and third, respectively, in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup.

Colonel Liam became the third Grade 1 winner for Liam’s Map, a son of Unbridled’s Song whose multiple Grade 1 wins were highlighted by the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile before retiring to Lane’s End Farm. His son Basin won the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes in 2019, and was awarded a victory in a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby after crossing the line second last spring. Multiple graded stakes winner Wicked Whisper won the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes as a juvenile.

“Liam’s Map is a beautiful horse himself with an elite level of ability he’s been able to pass on,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Wicked Whisper and handled Basin early in his career.

Colonel Liam is trained by Todd Pletcher, who also conditioned his sire. Colonel Liam sold for $1.2 million to Robert and Lawana Low at the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training and has won 4 of 6 starts. After winning the Tropical Park Derby in December at Gulfstream, he stepped into Grade 1 company.

Pletcher said he was confident Colonel Liam would run well in the Pegasus Turf.

“He showed us a lot of ability in his couple of starts on the grass,” Pletcher said. “We felt like he was getting better and better. We loved the way he handled the turf in the Tropical Derby, and he had trained great. We were very optimistic. He’s a little less experienced than some of the other horses, but I think this proves his quality.”

Tapiture, who stands at Darby Dan Farm, and Constitution, who stands at WinStar Farm, are both sons of perennial leading sire Tapit. Tapiture has quietly been among the most consistent sires of his class, tying for the lead by individual winners while finishing fifth on the freshman earnings list in 2019. Last year he led his class by individual winners and was third by earnings. Jesus’ Team has been his top earner. Jesus’ Team finished third in last year’s Preakness Stakes and second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and, now, second in the Pegasus.

Independence Hall is one of five graded stakes winners in the United States for Constitution, whose first crop was led by four-time Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law.