Freshman sires fill Rockville Centre Stakes trifecta

Four of the five entries in the $98,000 Rockville Centre Stakes last Saturday at Belmont Park hailed from the first crops of their sires, and three filled out the trifecta.

The six-furlong race for New York-bred juveniles was led at every point of call by What a Catch, a colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Justin Phillip, making him the first stakes winner for the sire.

Justin Phillip, a 9-year-old son of First Samurai, stands at Castleton Lyons in Lexington, Ky., for an advertised fee of $5,000 and has 71 foals in his first crop. He sits fourth in earnings on North America’s freshman sire with $179,234, having gotten three winners from 13 starters.

What a Catch is the second black-type earner for Justin Phillip, following Upset Brewing, who finished second in the Debutante Stakes last month at Churchill Downs.

Justin Phillip’s most notable wins came in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, Grade 2 Woody Stephens Stakes, and Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap.

Finishing second by a length Saturday was Morning Breez, a son of Lane’s End resident Morning Line.

Grade 1 winner Morning Line is a 10-year-old Tiznow horse who retired to the Versailles, Ky., farm and stood the most recent season for $10,000. He ranks fifth on the freshman sire earnings list, with two winners from seven runners netting a combined $170,400.

Leading the way among Morning Line’s runners is Surrender Now, a filly whose two wins from as many starts include the Landaluce Stakes at Santa Anita on July 2.

Morning Line won the Grade 1 Carter Handicap, Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby, and Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap. He also finished second in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Rounding out the top three Saturday was Analyze the Odds, a colt by leading first-crop sire Overanalyze. The sire was also represented by fifth-place Over Salty.

Analyze the Odds is the first black-type earner for the 7-year-old son of Dixie Union, who resides at WinStar Farm in Versailles for an advertised fee of $10,000.

Grade 1 winner Overanalyze leads his contemporaries by starters (18), winners (eight), and progeny earnings ($301,798). He holds a solid lead in the earnings category over second-place Violence ($185,432) and third-place Jimmy Creed ($182,519).

Overanalyze’s ontrack résumé includes wins in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby, Grade 2 Remsen Stakes, and Grade 2 Futurity.