Tiz the Law's Florida Derby win puts sire Constitution in exclusive club

The white-hot young sire Constitution has already proven himself an elite member of his class, among the leaders of an intensely talented and competitive group of first-crop sires. But with Tiz the Law's second career Grade 1 victory in Saturday's Curlin Florida Derby, Constitution has joined an elite club alongside an established stallion who is one of the most influential of the modern era.

Constitution, who earned the first of his two Grade 1 victories at Gulfstream in the 2014 Florida Derby, joined 1990 victor Unbridled as Florida Derby winners to later sire winners of the race. Unbridled was represented by 1996 winner Unbridled's Song in his first crop; later, Empire Maker won the 2003 Florida Derby and Belmont Stakes. Unbridled sired a winner of each of the three Triple Crown races, with his 1996 Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone going on to sire 2004 Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone, the sire of two classic winners in his own first crop. Both Unbridled's Song and Empire Maker also went on to be influential stallions, with Unbridled's Song the sire of Eclipse champions and promising young stallions Arrogate and Will Take Charge, and Empire Maker's sons and grandsons including Always Dreaming, American Pharoah, Bodemeister, Classic Empire, Pioneerof the Nile, and others.

Constitution, by perennial leading sire Tapit, finished a close second on the 2019 freshman earnings list to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. Constitution tied for the lead among freshman sires by individual winners and led the way by graded stakes winners, with Tiz the Law, winner of the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, on his résumé along with graded stakes winners Amalfi Sunrise, By Your Side, and Independence Hall.

Constitution is one of four Florida Derby winners currently standing at WinStar Farm, along with Take Charge Indy (2012), whose early crops were so successful that he was repatriated following a brief stint in Korea; Always Dreaming (2017), who followed up with a Kentucky Derby victory, and whose first foals are arriving now; and classic-placed Audible (2018), who entered stud this year. WinStar also stood the late Harlan's Holiday (2002), the grandsire of Audible.