There were five New York-bred Grade/Group 1 winners in 2018 in a banner year for the state program – Audible, Diversify, Fourstar Crook, Mind Your Biscuits, and Voodoo Song. Of that quintet, two are by stallions currently standing in New York – Diversify, by Bellamy Road, and Fourstar Crook, by perennial leading sire Freud.

The dark bay with the flashy blaze and white stockings first walked into a breeding shed in New York in 2002. That same season, his full brother, European Horse of the Year Giant’s Causeway, headed to Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky after standing one year at the outfit’s Irish headquarters due to high demand from U.S. breeders.

As he prepares to stand his 10th season in his adopted home of Pennsylvania, Jump Start continues to reign as the state’s leading sire. But with two solid newcomers joining him, a competitive stallion market looms in coming years for the Keystone State, which is in the national spotlight following the Eclipse Awards.

No matter the location, Northview Stallion Station seems to have the market cornered when it comes to first-year stallions in the Mid-Atlantic region for 2019. The hard-knocking multiple Grade 1 winner Hoppertunity is set to enter stud at the Pennsylvania division in Peach Bottom, Pa. Meanwhile, classic-placed Irish War Cry will stand at the flagship farm in Chesapeake City, Md.

Kantharos entered stud in Florida in 2011 and rapidly rose to national prominence, moving from his regional pond into Kentucky’s deep waters for the 2017 season.

Among the stakes winners helping to propel Kantharos forward has been Bucchero. The multiple graded stakes winner gets a chance to make a splash of his own, an anticipated addition to the Florida stallion ranks this year, as he fills the void as the first son of Kantharos to enter the market.

First Dude had something of a star-crossed career. The dual classic-placed runner was among the most respected performers of his division, but suffered a frustrating string of narrow defeats in major events. He finally broke through with his first Grade 1 victory – but was promptly forced into retirement by an injury.

Champion Songbird delivered her first foal, a filly from the first crop of champion Arrogate, early Monday morning at Timber Town Farm in Kentucky.

Songbird has been boarded at Timber Town since Mandy Pope purchased her for a near-record $9.5 million as a broodmare prospect at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale.

"Songbird is a fantastic mother and both she and her foal are doing well," Timber Town wrote on its social media channels.

Awesome Again and English Channel aren’t just represented in Gulfstream Park’s Pegasus World Cup races this Saturday, they’re represented in double. Awesome Again has two offspring in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup, and English Channel has two in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf.

Love the Chase, dam of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, will be among the highlights of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Accelerate’s first book when he begins his stallion career in a few weeks’ time at Lane’s End Farm.

Kitten's Joy clawed his way past Candy Ride atop the general sires earnings list for 2018.