Giant's Causeway gone but still highly influential

Champion and leading sire Giant’s Causeway, who recently died at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky, will continue to make a colossal impact on Thoroughbred racing for years to come.

Not only does the late stallion have several sizeable crops of foals yet to race, he also will be influential through the second generation. One needs look no further than the potential field for this year’s Kentucky Derby, as Giant’s Causeway will be represented as both a sire of sires and a broodmare sire.

Multiple graded stakes winner My Boy Jack is from the second crop of Giant’s Causeway’s Grade 1-winning son Creative Cause, who stands at Airdrie Stud in Kentucky. Creative Cause was represented by Grade 3 winner Pavel and stakes winner Twisted Tom from his first crop.

In addition to consistent stallions such as First Samurai, Frost Giant, and Giant Gizmo, Giant’s Causeway will have a number of younger sons emerging at stud in the coming years. Fed Biz will have his first juveniles racing this year, while multiple Grade 1 winner Carpe Diem will have his first yearlings at sales this season. Multiple Grade 1 winner Brody’s Cause leads a trio of Kentucky sons whose first foals are arriving, along with Not This Time and Protonico.

Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby hopeful Free Drop Billy is one of two Grade 1/Group 1 performers out of Giant’s Causeway’s daughter Trensa. The other is Hawkbill, a major winner in Dubai this season.

Giant’s Causeway’s performance as a broodmare sire is led by 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner. His daughters have also produced South African champion Soft Falling Rain, Venezuelan champion An Serafini, New Zealand champion Warhorse, French 1000 Guineas winner Beauty Parlour, and Grade 1/Group 1 winners Awesome Rock, Eden’s Moon, Verrazano, Giant Killing, Loch Garman, Evening Jewel, Sea Dream, Romantic Vision, Planteur, and Escado.