A number of stallions and their sons continue to exert considerable influence over certain countries, with a number of young sires making a big impression in 2018.
Sarah Whitelaw writes that two stallions dominated proceedings in Europe during 2018 with Galileo and Dubawi finishing first and second on the Leading Sires in Europe List for 2018.
Galileo
Perennial leading sire Galileo has had runners earn in excess of €9.734 million in 2018 thus far, with his triple Gr1 winning rival Dubawi’s offspring having banked €6.842 million. Galileo and Dubawi’s dominance is clearly highlighted by the fact that between them, the pair were responsible for more than 50 stakes winners this year.
Galileo’s progeny included seven Gr1 winners in 2018 (including British classic winners Forever Together and Kew Gardens), while Dubawi’s seven Gr1 winners – he also had a big race winner in Qatar – this year include brilliant 2yo’s Too Darn Hot and Quorto – two of the main classic hopes for 2019.
Frankel
Galileo’s half-brother, Sea The Stars, and son, Frankel, also enjoyed excellent seasons in 2018, with Sea The Stars’ progeny banking over €6.6 million this season and Frankel responsible for the winners of more than €5.5 million in 2018.
Sea The Stars’ best offspring were headed by star stayer Stradivarius and Arc runner up Sea Of Class, while the unbeaten Frankel’s best included the Gr1 winners Cracksman, Call The Wind and Without Parole.
Superstar Enable
Another son of Galileo, Enable’s sire Nathaniel, was fifth on the Leading Sires by Earnings list, with his runners banking over €5 million in 2018.
Half brothers Invincible Spirit and Kodiac were two other stallions to enjoy big seasons in 2018, with Invincible Spirit responsible for 18 black type winners thus far, and Kodiac ending 2018 as Europe’s Leading Two Year Old Sire by both prize money and individual winners – he had 53 according to various statistics. Invincible Spirit, also sire of boom stallions I Am Invincible and Kingman, had a stellar year in 2018 with his black type winners headed by the Gr1 winners Eqtidaar (Commonwealth Cup), Magna Grecia (Vertem Futurity Trophy) and Royal Meeting (Criterium International).
North America
Taking US earnings only, the unbeaten Gr1 Pacific Classic winner Candy Ride heads the US General Sires List for 2018. The Lane’s End sire enjoyed, yet again, a remarkable season this year with his big race winners headed by Pegasus World Cup victor Gun Runner, Gr1 Test Stakes heroine Separationofpowers, Gr1 Clark Handicap hero Leofric, and likely 2YO Champion, and 2018 Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, Game Winner.
In total, Candy Ride (whose progeny in the US banked over $17.565 million) has been represented by 16 black type winners in North America thus far, with his runners winning graded stakes on both dirt and turf this year.
Scat Daddy
However, both Into Mischief (second on the log) and the deceased Scat Daddy (3rd) had more US black type winners than Candy Ride in 2018, with the pair responsible for 18 stakes winners apiece.
Unbridled’s Song son Cross Traffic, whose first runners include Gr1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Jaywalk, ends 2018 as Leading First Crop Sire, with his 16 winners including five black type winners.
Giant’s Causeway
Triple US Champion Sire Giant’s Causeway ends 2018 as the Leading Broodmare Sire, according to Blood-Horse statistics, with his daughters responsible for 19 black type winners, in the Northern Hemisphere alone, during 2018. Notable big race winners, out of Giant’s Causeway mares, included the above mentioned Gun Runner, and the graded stakes winners Sophie P, Blamed, Liora, Mucho Gusto, Liam The Charmer and King Zachary, as well as star SA 3yo One World, in 2018.
Japan
The Sunday Silence sired Triple Crown winning champion Deep Impact is well clear on the Japanese General Sires List, with his offspring have banked more than 6,798,000 000 yen in 2018 thus far.
Deep Impact’s runners in 2018 have earned more than double that of former champion sire King Kamehameha, who at the time of writing is second on the list. Four of the top five sires on the list are sons of the all conquering US Horse Of The Year Sunday Silence.
Deep Impact (Sunday Silence – Wind In Her Hair)
Deep Impact, who is seeking a seventh Sires Title in 2018 – and seventh in a row, also enjoyed a big year internationally with his runners including 2000 Guineas hero Saxon Warrior and French Derby winner Study Of Man. Deep Impact, who also tops the Leading Sire of 2YOs list in his country, was also responsible for big race winners in Japan in 2018 in the form of Wagnerian (Japan Derby), Keiai Nautique (NHK Mile Cup), Jour Polaire (Victoria Mile), Fierement (St Leger) and Danon Fantasy (Hanshin Juvenile Fillies).
The Kingmambo sired King Kamehameha is the sire of young sire sensation Lord Kanaloa – Japan’s Leading Second Crop Sire of 2018 – whose first crop runners are headed by the brilliant Gr1 Japan Cup winning filly Almond Eye.
Sunday Silence grandson Just A Way, who beat South African champion and promising young sire Vercingetorix when victorious in the 2014 Gr1 Dubai Duty Free, is currently the Leading First Crop Sire in Japan for 2018.
