War Front quietly continues high-level performance

War Front, the flagship of the current roster at historic Claiborne Farm, quietly put together another consistently outstanding season.

War Front was North America’s leading living turf sire by progeny earnings in 2023. He had a remarkable strike rate with 33 winners, including 10 stakes winners, from 91 starters for a turf bankroll of $5,863,936.

That placed him behind only the late English Channel (Calumet Farm), and just ahead of the versatile leading sire Into Mischief (Spendthrift Farm) to make him the living leader in the category.

War Front was the sire of 2023 graded/group stakes winners Ancient Rome, Full Count Felicia, Random Harvest, Safeen, Seal Team, Smokin’ T, Teena Ella, Verstappen, War At Sea, and War Bomber. But his progeny showed quality whether or not they had stakes success. The average Beyer Speed Figure for one of his 158 overall starters was a 68, best on the continent. Next behind him were Gun Runner (Three Chimneys Farm) and the late Arrogate (Juddmonte Farm) who tied with a 64.

Among living stallions standing in Kentucky with more than 10 starters in 2023, War Front and Gun Runner tied for the percentage of their runners to earn Beyer Speed Figures of 90 or higher, at 16 percent each, according to Daily Racing Form’s Beyer Sire Performance Standings. Gun Runner had 30 of his 83 starters reach that benchmark, while War Front had 17 of his 57 starters hit it.

War Front will stand for a fee of $100,000 in 2024.