Big weekend for Maclean's Music at Belmont Park

There were 18 stakes races run from Thursday through Sunday on a marquee weekend at Belmont Park. Although there were some common themes among the victorious sirelines, the only stallion with two of his direct progeny finding the winner’s circle on the competitive weekend was breakout young sire Maclean’s Music, who could be poised for an upswing.

Maclean’s Music, who resides at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm’s nascent Xalapa base in Paris, Ky., began his weekend with Estilo Talentoso’s win in Friday’s Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Stakes. He then swept the exacta in the Grade 1 Woody Stephens Stakes on Saturday afternoon, with Drain the Clock edging multiple Grade 1 winner Jackie’s Warrior by a neck.

Maclean’s Music was retired to stud with just one start under his belt – but in that one start, he posted a Beyer Speed Figure of 114, the highest ever earned in a debut effort. The young stallion is the sire of six graded stakes winners overall, highlighted by 2017 Preakness winner Cloud Computing in his first crop. The first foals conceived following the success of that first crop are 2-year-olds of 2021, meaning that Maclean’s Music could be poised for continued success based on the strength of the book he attracted.

Maclean’s Music is by classic sire Distorted Humor – also the sire of Spendthrift Farm stallion Jimmy Creed, who recorded his first Grade 1 winner as Casa Creed took the Jaipur Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park.

Distorted Humor is one of the stalwarts on the WinStar Farm stallion roster, along with Speightstown; both are grandsons of the great Mr. Prospector. Speightstown also was strongly represented on the stakes slate at Belmont, as he sired Tremont Stakes winner Overbore, and his son Poseidon’s Warrior, who stands at Darby Dan Farm, sired Grade 2 True North winner Firenze Fire.

In other commonalities in sirelines from Belmont’s stakes action:

◗ The late, great A.P. Indy, himself the winner of the 1992 Belmont Stakes, was well-represented throughout the weekend, especially as his grandson Tapit continued to write himself into the classic history books.

Tapit, who is by A.P. Indy’s son Pulpit, sired his fourth Belmont Stakes winner, with champion Essential Quality joining Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016), and Tapwrit (2017). Tapit, who reigns at Gainesway Farm, is the only stallion in more than a century to sire four Belmont winners, and tied the great Lexington with four winners in the classic, as he was represented by General Duke (1868), Kingfisher (1870), Harry Bassett (1871), and Duke of Magenta (1878).

In addition to Tapit’s historic victory, three other sons of A.P. Indy were represented by graded stakes winners on the weekend. Flatter, who stands at Claiborne Farm, is the sire of Grade 1 Acorn winner Search Results; Majestic Warrior was represented by Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap winner Lone Rock; and Commissioner was represented by Grade 3 Wonder Again winner Con Lima. Majestic Warrior and Commissioner both stand overseas.

◗ Stalwart Irish stallion Acclamation’s sons Dark Angel and Harbour Watch were represented, respectively, by Grade 1 Just a Game winner Althiqa and Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup winner Baron Samedi.

◗ Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, who now stands in Turkey, is the sire of one of the top mares in the United States in Mexican champion Letruska, who won her second straight Grade 1 in the Ogden Phipps. Super Saver’s champion son Runhappy, a Claiborne stallion, is the sire of 11 1/2-length Astoria winner Happy Soul.