Through the first half of 2024, five-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief has established a big lead on that list and has put himself on pace to break his own single-season earnings record. He also continues to add to his legacy with his son Goldencents, now a classic sire, joining him in the top five. Into Mischief, standing at Spendthrift Farm, had progeny earnings of $20,427,515 through June 30, topping the general sire list ahead of Lane’s End Farm’s Mineshaft, at $14,027,169. Both have had success in some of the world’s richest events early in the season, with Into Mischief’s son Laurel River winning the Group 1, $12 million Dubai World Cup, and Mineshaft’s Senor Buscador finishing second in the Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup, winning the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup, and finishing third in the Dubai World Cup. But neither stallion is a one-hit wonder – especially Into Mischief. The stallion, who is well on pace toward besting his single-season earnings record of $28,568,753 for a North American stallion established in 2022, had 150 winners from 358 starters overall through June 30. He is approaching a milestone in that regard, with 995 career winners to date. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Into Mischief has 17 individual stakes winners in 2024, with Laurel River leading a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners. The others are Santa Anita Handicap winner Newgate and Ashland Stakes winner Leslie’s Rose. His other stakes winners this season include some upwardly mobile runners who could factor in the summer season. Pyrenees appears to be hitting his best stride, winning the Grade 3 Pimlico Special before finishing second in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster last Saturday at Churchill Downs. Almostgone Rocket won the Jersey Girl Stakes in impressive fashion in June, and her graded stakes debut this summer is anticipated. Into Mischief also is atop Daily Racing Form’s exclusive Beyer Sire Performance Standings. His progeny have recorded 58 benchmark Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or higher this season to lead midway through the year; he also has the most individual runners to achieve that figure, with 37. Horse of the Year Mineshaft has sired 47 winners from 93 starters this year – a fine 50 percent strike rate. While Senor Buscador is by far his most accomplished runner this year, he also is the sire of Shaft’s Bullet, a stakes winner at Laurel, and Miner League, a stakes winner at Emerald Downs. Hoist the Gold, winner of the Grade 2 Cigar Mile last year, was third in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap and third in the Kelly’s Landing last Saturday at Churchill. Third on the general sires list behind Into Mischief and Mineshaft is Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Three Chimneys Farm), who will be inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame this summer. His progeny earnings stand at $10,625,648 this year, with eight stakes winners led by Grade 1 winners Gun Pilot, Sierra Leone, and Vahva. That brings his career total to 10 individual Grade 1 winners from his first three crops. Quality Road (Lane’s End), whose 2023 Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure has established himself as one of the best older horses in the country with wins in the Pegasus World Cup and Met Mile, is next at $9,494,823. Goldencents (Spendthrift), who stands alongside his sire Into Mischief, also joined his father as a classic sire this season as Mystik Dan won the Kentucky Derby. His progeny earnings sit at $8,624,181 through June. Rounding out the top 10 are Triple Crown winner Justify (Coolmore’s Ashford Stud), a champion who has been a breakout young sire and also will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year; Constitution (WinStar Farm), who currently leads the turf earnings list; champion Uncle Mo (Ashford Stud), who recorded his most recent Grade 1 winner with Kingsbarns in the Stephen Foster; Practical Joke (Ashford Stud); and the late champion Arrogate (Juddmonte Farm), sire of Preakness Stakes winner Seize the Grey. Gun Runner and Constitution are second and third to Into Mischief on the Beyer Sire Performance Standings ranking, with 44 and 33, respectively. Gun Runner, Constitution, Quality Road, and Practical Joke are tied with the most triple-digit Beyers thus far this year, with four each. Unlike the general sire lists, 2-year-old and freshman sire standings cannot quite be considered at their “midway” point. With 2-year-old racing in North America beginning in early April, the statistics are more limited. At this point of the year, however, freshmen Complexity (Airdrie Stud), Vekoma (Spendthrift), and Thousand Words (Spendthrift) have all made a strong start to their careers to also lead the overall 2-year-old sire lists. Complexity has nine winners from 14 starters for earnings of $447,786. He has a narrow earnings lead over Vekoma at $445,248; the latter does have the most individual winners in this class to date, with 10 from 16 starters. Thousand Words has six winners from 16 starters for earnings of $381,766. He recorded his first stakes winner as Vodka With a Twist won the Debutante on Sunday at Churchill. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.