First winner for Liam's Map comes at Saratoga

Basin became the first winner for freshman sire Liam’s Map when he won a maiden special weight by 1 1/4 lengths on Sunday at Saratoga.

Basin, who earned an 86 Beyer for Sunday’s victory, finished second by a nose in his career debut on June 14 at Churchill Downs. He was subsequently flattered when that race’s winner, By Your Side, returned to win the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes on opening weekend at Saratoga.

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Liam’s Map, by Unbridled’s Song, won the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland in his career finale. The horse also won that year’s Grade 1 Woodward Stakes and finished second to Honor Code in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes, with fellow multiple Grade 1 winner Tonalist in third. Honor Code ultimately earned the divisional Eclipse Award championship, and he, Liam’s Map, and Tonalist all entered stud in 2016 at Lane’s End Farm. Liam’s Map has had two starters.

Liam’s Map is one of several well-regarded young sons at stud for Unbridled’s Song, who died in 2013 and was posthumously represented by two Eclipse Award champion sons. One of those, Will Take Charge, finished fifth on last year’s freshman sire list by earnings, while the other, leading money winner Arrogate, is represented by his first foals arriving this year. Meanwhile, the Unbridled’s Song horse Cross Traffic led last year’s freshman earnings list, buoyed by his daughter Jaywalk, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies to clinch an Eclipse Award divisional title.