New York Stallions: Central Banker repeats as top sire

It seems the baton has been securely passed to Central Banker, as he cashed in to lead the New York general sire list by a comfortable margin in 2022. It was the second consecutive title for the young standout, a graded stakes winner who has quickly climbed the ranks in the Empire State.

Central Banker, by champion sprinter Speightstown, showed speed early, as he was stakes-placed as a juvenile on the Kentucky Downs turf. The following year, he won the Quick Call Stakes sprinting on the Saratoga turf for Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence and trainer Al Stall Jr. The colt also emerged as a versatile force with three stakes placings in dirt sprints, including a third-place finish in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at that Saratoga meet, and a runner-up effort, beaten a half-length, in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita.

Central Banker landed his signature win the following spring, winning the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes at seven furlongs on the Kentucky Derby undercard. Later that year, he was a $400,000 purchase out of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale and headed to New York to begin his stud career at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.

Central Banker was New York’s leading freshman sire of 2018 – the only member of his class with stakes horses – and finished a solid 11th on the state’s general sire list. The following year, he leapt to third on the general list, behind Freud, one of the greatest sires the regional program has seen. Central Banker was second to dual classic winner Big Brown in 2020 on the general list, edged out by just $155,111. He took over atop the list in 2021.

Central Banker’s progeny earned $5,391,160 on the season, easily outdistancing his closest pursuers. State newcomer Tourist moves to Rockridge Stud for 2023 after starting his stud career at WinStar Farm in Kentucky. From his Kentucky-sired crops, the Breeders’ Cup Mile winner earned $2,992,934 in 2022. War Dancer, who stands at Irish Hill and Dutchess Views Stallions, is the next-highest earner with state-sired progeny of racing age, at $2,873,810.

Central Banker led New York sires by a number of other metrics in 2022. He topped the lists with 72 individual winners and seven stakes winners. Tourist recorded three stakes winners, while Big Brown, Bustin Stones, Freud, Union Jackson, and War Dancer had two each.

Central Banker also tied with California resident Grazen on the Beyer Sire Performance Standings as the U.S. stallions outside of Kentucky with the most individual runners to earn 90-plus Beyers, with nine each.

Central Banker’s highest Beyer Speed Figure in 2022 was earned by Bank Sting, who put together another outstanding season. The mare was a multiple stakes winner in 2021 and was honored as the champion New York-bred older dirt female and female sprinter. She added three stakes to her résumé in 2022 and also was second against open company in the Grade 3 Go for Wand, earning a career-high Beyer of 96.

Another of Central Banker’s daughters acquitted herself admirably against open company in 2022, as Morning Matcha, his top earner on the season, was a stakes winner at Parx Racing and placed in multiple graded stakes, highlighted by a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Cotillion.

Central Banker’s top earner overall, from his 15 career stakes winners, is Bankit, who is now entering his sixth season of racing and has earned more than $1.2 million. Bankit, the 2021 New York-bred champion older dirt male, is a six-time stakes winner, both against open and statebred company, and also is graded stakes-placed.

Redesdale leads freshman sires

New York’s reigning leading sire Central Banker is by Speightstown – and McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds has another son of that champion in the pipeline.

Central Banker’s stablemate Redesdale finished as New York’s leading freshman sire of 2022, with a solid strike rate of seven winners from 14 starters for earnings of $455,463. Second on the list was The Lieutenant, a graded stakes-winning half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify, with three winners from 13 starters for $292,816. This will be the only crop for The Lieutenant, who entered stud at Sequel Stallions in New York before shuttling to Peru, where he was killed by intruders at the farm where he was standing.

Redesdale won his first three career starts with Beyer Speed Figures of 86, 91, and finally, a 95 in an allowance/optional claiming victory at Fair Grounds. He finished fifth in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland with a 91 in his final outing.

Redesdale’s first crop was led by a pair of juveniles who placed in divisions of the New York Stallion Series. Ramblin’ Wreck was second in the Great White Way division – to General Banker, by Central Banker – while Midtown Lights was second in the Fifth Avenue division.