Constitution poised for strong 2023

Constitution was among the best in a strong class of freshman sires of 2019, as he and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah slugged it out. Multiple Grade 1 winner Constitution, who stands at WinStar Farm, has continued on in strong fashion, and it looks like the best could be on the horizon for 2023.

Constitution finished 12th on the general earnings list for 2022, just behind familiar foe American Pharoah in 11th. Also a popular shuttle sire to Chile, Constitution recorded four graded stakes winners on the season, including Breakpoint, his Chilean Horse of the Year who came to the U.S. to win the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano.

With his top-class progeny, Constitution was also the leader in a key metric on the Beyer Sire Performance Standings. He had nine individuals break the triple-digit Beyer ceiling, more than any other stallion. Into Mischief had seven reach that milestone, followed by six each for Curlin, Dubawi, Gun Runner, and Munnings.

While Constitution has found success with his early crops, he also has a loaded pipeline for the future. The foals conceived following the success of the stallion’s first crop, led by Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law, are juveniles of 2023, and were extremely well received last year at the yearling sales.

The stallion recorded a yearling average of $236,848, nearly six times the conception stud fee of $40,000. Those were led by a pair of seven-figure yearlings at Keeneland September, including a $1.8 million colt who was the second-highest price of the sale overall when purchased by Jim and Dana Bernhard.

“The blood is there. He looks like a Derby horse – a lot of presence, a big walk, a lot of substance. Very strong,” consignor Mark Taylor said of the colt. “I think Constitution is a stallion on the rise and is on his way to the top.”