Texas: Gaff, leading freshman sire

Gaff recorded a runaway victory to lead the Texas freshman sire standings for 2012.

The 11-year-old son of the late Maria’s Mon, who stands at the Seguin Horse Center in Seguin, Texas, was represented by four winners from 11 starters in 2012 for seasonal earnings of $119,796, easily outpacing the other handful of freshman sires in Texas.

[MORE: See a list of Texas’s leading sires from 2012]

The stallion’s chief earner, and only repeat winner, was the Florida-bred filly Bloody Smart, who won two of her eight starts for earnings of $49,918.

Gaff’s other winners in 2012 were Nilsa M and Alinator, neither of whom was unplaced while making three starts each, and Body by Gaff.

Bred in Kentucky by Earle Mack, Gaff won eight of 23 career starts, earning $569,513 over four seasons of racing. He began his career in Ireland, where he was a stakes-winner as a juvenile and twice Group 3-placed. Sent to the U.S., Gaff was a Grade 3-winning sprinter on multiple surfaces, taking the 2006 Mr. Prospector Handicap at Gulfstream Park and the 2007 Aegon Turf Sprint Stakes at Churchill Downs. He also won two stakes races at Fair Grounds.

Out of the winning Tunerup mare Ionlyhaveeyesforu, a full sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Ifyoucouldseemenow, Gaff is a half-brother to eight winners, including stakes-placed Christina d’Oro and stakes producers Chasing Lightning and Takealookatmenow.
Gaff is standing for a fee of $1,500 in 2013.