The name of champion sprinter and 2020 freshman sire Runhappy was inescapable last week at Gulfstream Park, as owner Jim McIngvale continued his robust marketing campaign for his stable star.
Primal Force was a foundation broodmare for Frank Stronach's Adena Springs operation, producing two Grade 1 winners who went on to be prominent sires for the farm in Awesome Again and Macho Uno.
Gainesway’s Tapit, who has surpassed $150 million in career progeny earnings and who still holds the single-season North American earnings record, led all North American stallions with 13 graded stakes winners in the hemisphere for 2019, and also led by all black-type winners with 26. The quality of Tapit’s progeny was further borne out by the Beyer Sire Performance Standings.
More Than Ready scored his biggest victory in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop Stakes in 2000 at Saratoga. Two decades after his exploits on the track, the 23-year-old stallion hasn’t slowed down. Neither have his progeny.
Few stallions have dominated their niche of the marketplace as thoroughly as Kitten’s Joy has over the last decade. Kitten’s Joy has been North America’s leading living turf sire every year since 2013, keeping that position last season with top-flight performers worldwide.
Take Charge Indy is the rare exception of a stallion who was sold to overseas interests and then returned to the United States to resume stud duties after being repurchased.
English Channel has been a model of consistency as a sire ever since his first foals raced in 2011.
A number of stallions would be poised to capitalize if additional tracks installed synthetic surfaces – notably Twirling Candy and his sire, Candy Ride, both versatile stallions standing at Lane’s End.
The Jockey Club announced in December that it is continuing consideration of its proposed rule to limit the annual breeding of individual stallions, a move that would have a major commercial impact on leading stallions.
Cowtown Cat finished as Ohio's leading stallion with state-sired progeny in 2019 – but a recent influx of Grade 1/Group 1 winners into the state, all of whom sired stakes horses while standing in larger markets, means that position may not be secure in coming years.
