Constitution leads freshmen sires

Constitution, unstarted as a juvenile, won the first three starts of his career, including the 2014 Florida Derby in just his third outing. His offspring are proving similarly quick studies.

In a competitive freshman sire class, Constitution had a huge weekend from coast to coast to put himself atop the earnings chart. Undefeated Amalfi Sunrise won the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar, hours after Our Country rolled to victory in a maiden special weight at Saratoga. Amalfi Sunrise is the second graded stakes winner from Constitution’s first crop, joining Saratoga’s Grade 3 Sanford Stakes winner By Your Side.

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Through Sunday, Constitution, who stands at WinStar Farm, had six winners from 16 starters for progeny earnings of $494,487. That puts him ahead of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, already the sire of Group 3 winner Maven, on the earnings list. American Pharoah has seven winners from 25 starters for earnings of $404,022.

Constitution, by perennial leading sire Tapit, also won the 2015 Donn Handicap. The multiple Grade 1 winner is part of a solid quartet of freshman sires this year for WinStar, along with Grade 1 winners Carpe Diem and Daredevil, and classic-placed Commissioner. In fact, the WinStar freshmen swept the trifecta in the Sorrento, with Commissioner’s Powerfulattraction finishing second, and Daredevil’s Shedaresthedevil finishing third.

Commissioner is represented by seven individual winners – including Glory Road, a maiden winner on Saturday at Saratoga – and sits fifth on the freshman earnings list. Carpe Diem is 10th.