Another stallion-making Met Mile renewal in the works

The Grade 1, $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap has a history of being a stallion-making race because it showcases the brilliance that is so desired in the American market. Recent history has lived up to the race’s reputation, continuing to make this a coveted prize.

The Met Mile has been won through its 125-year history by prominent stallions such as Tom Fool (1953), Native Dancer (1954), and Buckpasser (1967). A Grade 1 race since the North American graded-stakes system began in 1973, it has been won since then by prominent sires Tentam (1973), Cox’s Ridge (1978), Fappiano (1981), and Gulch (1987-88).

More recent winners of the Met Mile include Ghostzapper, who rolled by 6 1/4 lengths in the 2005 edition, completing the mile in 1:33.29 and earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 122. Now standing at owner-breeder Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs in Kentucky, Ghostzapper is the sire of Eclipse Award champion Judy the Beauty, Sovereign Award champion Shaman Ghost, and Grade 1 winners Better Lucky, Contested, Molly Morgan, Moreno, Paulassilverlining, Starship Truffles, and Stately Victor. He is also the broodmare sire of Triple Crown winner Justify and Eclipse champion Drefong.

Five years later, Quality Road won the Met Mile in 1:33.11 for a Beyer of 112. The Lane’s End stallion is currently the leading general sire in North America. His standouts include Kentucky Oaks winner and Eclipse Award champion Abel Tasman, Eclipse champion Caledonia Road, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner City of Light, and Grade 1 winners including Bellafina and Roadster this spring.

With that history in mind, several other recent Met Mile winners are eagerly anticipated at stud, including Honor Code (2015) and Palace Malice (2014), both of whom are among this year’s freshman sire class. Frosted earned 2016’s highest Beyer Speed Figure, a 123, when he romped by 14 1/4 lengths in the Met in a sparkling time of 1:32.73. The young stallion has his first yearlings this year. The two most recent Metropolitan winners, Mor Spirit (2017) and Bee Jersey (2018) both entered stud this season in Kentucky.

This year’s winner of the Metropolitan will become a hot stallion commodity, especially considering the depth of the field. The field includes two-time Dubai World Cup winner and multimillionaire Thunder Snow, exciting recent Grade 1 winner Mitole, Grade 1-winning millionaires Firenze Fire, McKinzie, Pavel, and Promises Fulfilled, and an additional millionaire in Coal Front. Of those, none has yet had a stud deal made public. Thunder Snow races as a homebred for the international Godolphin operation, which will presumably stand him upon his eventual retirement.