Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Curlin high Beyer sire on dirt
Hall of Famer Curlin proved himself able to sire an elite dirt runner early on, getting a Belmont Stakes winner in his first crop. In 2017, he has taken that ability to the next level, leading all sires by progeny Beyer Speed Figures of 100 or more in dirt races with 13.
Those three-digit dirt Beyer efforts were achieved by seven horses, giving Curlin the most to pass that threshold this year through Dec. 14.
Two horses were responsible for Curlin’s top dirt Beyer of the year, both earning a 106.
Keen Ice hit that mark twice, first in a three-length victory in the Grade 2 Suburban Stakes, then two starts later when he was second in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup. In between, he registered a 104 Beyer during a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes.
Also hitting the mark was Connect, who earned his 106 in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes, his lone start of the year.
Three-year-old Irish War Cry turned in a trio of three-digit Beyer performances this year. The colt earned two 101 figures for wins in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes and Wood Memorial Stakes en route to a start in the Kentucky Derby. He then tallied a 100 when second in the Belmont Stakes.
Champion Stellar Wind hit the mark twice in consecutive Grade 1 races, earning a 101 for her win in the Beholder Mile Stakes and a 103 for her Clement L. Hirsch Stakes score.
Good Magic picked up a 100 Beyer in his third career start, winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by 4 1/4 lengths.
Curlin stands at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, Ky., for an advertised fee of $150,000.
Dual champion Lookin At Lucky was second by threedigit dirt Beyers, with nine. The resident of Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., has had four horses pass that milepost in 2017, including Accelerate. Accelerate’s four races with 100-plus Beyers are highlighted by the 110 he earned when third in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic. Accelerate also earned a 109 in his 8 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap.
Other runners by Lookin At Lucky that earned at least one 100-plus Beyer in 2017 include Money Multiplier, Madefromlucky, and Breaking Lucky.
Lookin At Lucky stands for an advertised fee of $17,500.
Freshman sire class tied
The freshman sire race by earnings has been competitive in 2017, and just as apparent was the distribution of efforts by their runners who earned Beyer Speed Figures of 80 or higher.
Overanalyze, North America’s leading first-crop sire by earnings, and champion Shanghai Bobby are atop their class with five races each by their foals resulting in an 80-plus Beyer this year.
That threshold has been passed by three of Overanalyze’s runners, led by Piedi Bianchi, who turned in an 82 in her maiden win at Del Mar, and followed with two 81 figures when running second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Stakes and third in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes.
Overanalyze, a 7-year-old Dixie Union horse, stands at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky., for $15,000.
Shanghai Bobby had two horses surpass an 80 Beyer a combined five times, topped by Shivermetimbers, who got a 90 Beyer for his maiden win at Keeneland. Following closely was Cool Bobby, who won a Del Mar maiden special weight to earn an 89 Beyer.
Shanghai Bobby is a 7-yearold son of Harlan’s Holiday. He stands at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., for $15,000.
Tapizar leads second-crop sires
It has been a big year for the sire class that debuted in 2013. The group’s first crop of 3-year-olds cleared two of the three Triple Crown races, with Always Dreaming winning the Kentucky Derby for Bodemeister and Cloud Computing taking down the Preakness Stakes for Maclean’s Music.
Flying a bit under the radar this year was Tapizar, whose runners put together a consistent campaign that saw the sire finish atop his class of secondcrop sires by Beyer Speed Figures earned over both the 90 and 100 thresholds.
Through Dec. 15, Tapizar’s runners have met or exceeded a 90 speed figure on 13 occasions this year, and four of his foals’ races have resulted in 100-plus speed figures.
Leading the charge for Tapizar is Mr. Crow, who accounted for four of his sire’s 90-plus Beyers and two of the 100-plus figures. The 3-year-old colt turned in Tapizar’s highest Beyer to date, a 109, during a 11 1/2-length maiden special weight win at Saratoga. He followed with an allowance win at the same track, in which he earned a 104 Beyer.
Tapizar’s other two 100-plus figures came from American Pastime, who earned a 105 in a runner-up effort in the Grade 3 Gallant Bob Stakes and a 102 while fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
Tapizar, a 9-year-old son of Tapit, stands at Gainesway in Lexington, Ky., for an advertised fee of $12,500.