Constitution, Tonalist Lead Second-Crop Sires Into The Summer

No one could have predicted at the beginning of the year what the 3-year-old racing calendar would have looked like at this point in 2020, and even though much of the schedule was decimated by the COVID-19 shutdown, there was still plenty of room for stars to emerge in a deep class of second-crop sires.

Under normal circumstances, the second-crop sire race heading into June would likely be weighted toward the results of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, along with the final round of Derby preps. The Triple Crown races have been postponed, and late Derby trail was a patchwork of cancelled, delayed, and altered events, meaning the opportunity to make big splashes with earnings and stakes wins were harder to come by. To make it high on the sire list, a stallion’s crop needed a solid middle to back up the stars.

The leader in just about every category so far has managed to excel in both quantity and quality in his first runners’ 3-year-old season.

As of May 26, WinStar Farm’s Constitution leads all North American second-crop sires by 2020 earnings ($1,685,220), wins (28), winners (22, tied with Tapiture), stakes winners (three), and graded stakes winners (two).

Constitution, a Grade 1-winning son of Tapit, hit these marks with 67 starters, which is tied for third among North America’s second-crop sires.

The driving force behind the high-end success among Constitution’s first runners has been Tiz the Law, who has established himself as a division leader with two wins in as many starts at Gulfstream Park for earnings of $598,300, the most by a second-crop-sired runner this season. After taking the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes by three lengths, Tiz the Law cemented his case as a serious classic threat – no matter when they’re run – with a 4 1/4-length coronation in the G1 Florida Derby.

Constitution’s next tier of runners is a high-upside group that includes Independence Hall, who has won the listed Jerome Stakes this year and finished second in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes; Gouverneur Morris, who finished third in the G1 Arkansas Derby; and Kansas Kis, who missed out on the listed Busher Invitational Stakes by just a nose.

Constitution’s across-the-board spot at the top of his class brings a consensus to what has been a group of newcomers with a level of depth not seen in years. The group was fairly scatter-shot when it came to statistical leaders during its freshman season in 2019, but Constitution was a steady presence at or near the top of most categories, leading by winners and graded stakes winners, and finishing in the top three by earnings and wins.

The race for second by earnings is tight between Tonalist, American Pharoah, and Carpe Diem, with Tonalist holding a slight edge at $1,056,868.

Tonalist, a son of Tapit and resident of Lane’s End, is spearheaded this year by Tonalist’s Shape, who has become one of the dominant 3-year-old fillies in South Florida. Her 2020 campaign started with scores in the G3 Forward Gal Stakes and G2 Davona Dale Stakes, and she most recently triumphed by 3 3/4 lengths in the Hollywood Wildcat Stakes on May 15.

Elsewhere, Tonalist’s flag has been flown in graded stakes competition by Alta’s Award, who finished second in the G3 Honeybee Stakes and fourth in the G3 Fantasy Stakes, both at Oaklawn Park.

Triple Crown winner American Pharoah led last year’s freshman sires by earnings, due in large part to Four Wheel Drive’s win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. This time around, the resident of Ashford Stud has taken a less conventional route to his spot on the podium.

American Pharoah sits third on the list by earnings, with $1,051,554. His 73 starters is the most of anyone in his class so far, and his leading earner is Cafe Pharoah, who earned Kentucky Derby qualifying points through the series’ Japanese route when he won the Hyacinth Stakes in Tokyo on Feb. 23. Domestically, American Pharoah’s most decorated runner is Harvey’s Lil Goil, who won the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 2. The same track also saw New York-bred Prince of Pharoahs finish second in the listed Jerome Stakes on Jan. 1.

Rounding out the trio of stallions in the immediate hunt for the second spot by earnings is WinStar’s Carpe Diem, whose runners have cleared $1,002,468 so far. His top earner so far is Monforte, a Florida-bred who won the Sage of Monticello Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 17.

Also worthy of mention in this group is Tapiture, who sits even with Constitution at 22 winners, and just one behind him by wins with 27. Last year’s leading freshman sire by progeny wins is led this season by stakes winners Steph’sfullasugar and Vacherie Girl. Tapiture, a son of Tapit, stands at Darby Dan Farm.

On the regional front, Florida resident Khozan is once again the standout of the class, sitting in sixth by earnings with $911,884 from 51 runners. The Distorted Humor horse and resident of Journeyman Stallions is headed up by Liam’s Lucky Charm, who started the year with a win in the listed Pasco Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Meanwhile, Untitled finished second in the G3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

The New York stallion roster is led at this point by Micromanage, a son of Medaglia d’Oro who stands at Rockridge Stud. His 10 runners this year have earned a combined $123,162, led by starter allowance winner Microscope.

Govenor Charlie is the leading second-crop sire in California at this early juncture, with 12 runners making $91,322. The son of Midnight Lute stands at Lovacres Ranch.