Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Freshman sire class of 2019 strikes again in Belmont
The 2019 freshman sire class in North America, with Triple Crown winner American Pharoah leading a bevy of champions and major winners, was lauded as a historically strong class even before its first runners hit the track. The group lived up to its billing last year, with 12 graded/ group stakes winners, led by a pair of Breeders’ Cup winners. Turning the corner into 2020, the class has continued to shine in major events. Constitution was the first to strike with a classic winner, with his son Tiz the Law handily winning the Belmont Stakes. Third-place finisher Max Player also is from the first crop of his sire, Honor Code.
Through Saturday, Constitution, who stands at WinStar Farm, leads second-crop sires by earnings, with $2,413,485 to Honor Code’s $1,269,429 and American Pharoah’s $1,252,096. Constitution, a multiple Grade 1 winner in his own right, had finished second on the 2019 freshman earnings list while leading by stakes winners and tying for the most winners. While Tiz the Law, a Grade 1 winner as a juvenile, is still leading the way for Constitution this season, with victories in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes, Grade 1 Florida Derby, and Grade 3 Holy Bull, the stallion also has been represented by multiple Grade 3 winner Laura’s Light and stakes winner Independence Hall in 2020.
“Constitution was very spirited and tough,” said Randy Gullatt of Twin Creeks Farm, which co-campaigned Constitution, bred and sold Tiz the Law, and co-owns Independence Hall. “He was all racehorse. We’re seeing that in a lot of his offspring.”
Honor Code, who stands at Lane’s End, was the Eclipse Award champion older male of 2015. In addition to Grade 3 winner Max Player, he is the sire of another major Kentucky Derby hopeful in Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P.
Meanwhile, American Pharoah, who led the freshman class by earnings for Coolmore, is leading the group by black-type stakes winners in their 3-yearold season, with four worldwide – Cafe Pharoah, Harvey’s Lil Goil, Ocean Atlantique, and Sweet Melania. American Pharoah enjoyed an outstanding week, with Monarch of Egypt a close second in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot; Sweet Melania winning her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on the Belmont undercard; and Cafe Pharoah establishing himself as Japan’s leading Kentucky Derby hopeful with a win in the Group 3 Unicorn Stakes.
Gamine, Ruffian related
Gamine stole the show on Belmont Stakes Day by devastating the field in the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes by 18 3/4 lengths, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 110. Her time for the mile was 1:32.55, a stakes record and just off Najran’s track record of 1:32.24, set in 2003.
The stakes record for the Acorn was once held by the great and star-crossed Ruffian, who won the 1975 edition by 8 1/4 lengths in 1:34 2/5, before times were recorded in hundredths. While Gamine has a long way to go before being mentioned in the same breath as Ruffian and other greats, she does share a blood link with that champion as she is inbred to her speedy half-brother Icecapade.
Gamine, who sold for a salerecord $1.8 million at the FasigTipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale, is by leading sire Into Mischief, who is out of blue hen Leslie’s Lady. Leslie’s Lady’s sire, Tricky Creek, is by Icecapade’s son Clever Trick. Meanwhile, Gamine is out of the Kafwain mare Peggy Jane, who is out of the Chief Seattle mare Seattle Splash. Chief Seattle is out of the Icecapade mare Skatingonthinice.
Icecapade, foaled in 1969, was by Nearctic and out of the stakes-placed Native Dancer mare Shenanigans, the dam of Ruffian. Shenanigans also produced Grade 2 winner Buckfinder and finished her career with six winners from as many starters.
Icecapade, who once ran six furlongs at Monmouth in a track-record 1:08, won 13 of 32 starts in three seasons of racing before retiring to stud in Kentucky. He is best known for siring Wild Again, winner of the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1984. He also sired 1990 Canadian Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Izvestia, Canadian champion Kingsbridge, and Italian champion Ice Cool.
Wild Again went on to be a successful sire in his own right, represented by 2002 Belmont Stakes winner Sarava, 1997 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Elmhurst, Canadian champion and Grade 1 winner Wilderness Song, Canadian champion Free At Last, Metropolitan Handicap winner Wild Rush, two-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Milwaukee Brew, and Grade 1 winners A Wild Ride, Offlee Wild, Shine Again, Wild Event, and Vicar.