Anne Peters
P.O. Box 3926
Midway, KY 40347
(859) 846 - 9794
pedgoddess
@yahoo.com

2018 Triple Crown winner Justify heads up this year's first-crop sires (entering stud in Kentucky with first foals two-year-olds of 2022). He entered stud in 2019 with the introductory fee of $150,000. There was a long gap in starting stud fee back to City of Light, Mendelssohn and West Coast, all at $35,000. Good Magic was $30,000. Always Dreaming and Bolt d'Oro started at $25,000.

Justify and Mendelssohn tied for the most mares bred in 2019, both with 252 mares. Bolt d'Oro attracted 214 mares in his first book, and Sharp Azteca covered 195. City of Light got a much more conservative 146 mares in his first book, West Coast with 168.

This stallion class has reshuffled itself a little over the last three years both in the size of their books of mares and the yearling averages when their first crops went through the sales ring. The final proof will be on the racetrack, and 2022 marks the first steps for these guys toward success or failure. We wish them all the best of luck.

Undefeated Justify is a giant who experienced a few bumps on the way to his Triple Crown title. As a yearling he had OCD lesions in his right stifle joint which were corrected by surgery. Since he sold later that year for $500,000, it was clearly a success. Once in training, he was laid off for 60 days due to a muscle strain in his rear end, which threw him off off schedule and eliminated the possibility of a start at two. At three he took the fast track to the classics via wins in a maiden in February, an allowance in March and the G1 Santa Anita Derby in April, despite a controversial positive for scopolamine that was revealed much later. Justify splashed to an easy win in the G1 Kentucky Derby, although the next morning appeared lame on his left hind from what was described as either "scratches" or a hoof bruise. In the G1 Preakness Stakes, he won an early speed duel with Good Magic and held off a late rush by Bravazo to win the second jewel. In the G1 Belmont Stakes, he led throughout and won by two lengths. A filling in his left front ankle was the reason given in his retirement annoucement in July. Justify is from the second-to-last crop of the remarkable sire Scat Daddy, who died unexpectedly at age 11, and is out of the G3-placed mare Stage Magic, by Ghostzapper, a mare who also produced the G3 winner The Lieutenant. Justify stands at least 16.3 hands, and is a leggy, lengthy, magnificent-looking horse on all points. The market loved his yearlings which averaged $370,329. His size may work against him since his offspring will probably need time, but he'll also have a lot of two-year-olds out of excellent mares, so a good first crop is highly likely.

City of Light is a top class runner who won G1 races at three, four and five. He's by Quality Road out of Paris Notion by Dehere, with his second dam being the G1 winner Fabulous Notion. A $710,000 yearling, City of Light was brought along slowly to grow into his large frame. He was unraced at two, and didn't start until July of his three-year-old year, running second in his debut. He broke his maiden in his second start in September at Del Mar. In his fourth start that year, City of Light won the G1 Malibu Stakes wire to wire. In his next race, as freshly turned four-year-old, he won the G1 Triple Bend Stakes and G2 Oaklawn Handicap, ending the year with a front-running win the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He returned at five to score in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational before retiring to stud. Perhaps best at sprinting on the lead, City of Light stretched his speed to nine furlongs twice. He's 16.3 hands, a rangy horse similar to Quality Road, with a big shoulder and long hip, but he's got a stronger topline than his sire. He's been booked full (146, 146, and 148 mares) for his first three years and his first yearlings sold spectacularly, averaging $318,017, nearly ten times his initial stud fee. As a front-running speed horse himself, despite his own later maturity, he has the possibility of having a lot of good juveniles this year.

Mendelssohn has been a golden boy from the day he was born. By Scat Daddy, and from the same crop as Justify, out of Leslie's Lady by Tricky Creek, his older half-brother Into Mischief was becoming a sire sensation and his half-sister Beholder was in the midst of her mutli-championship career when he topped the Keeneland September Sale at $3,000,000. Initially trained in England, Mendelssohn placed in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes at two, before winning the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in great style. He won the G2 U.A.E. Derby by 18 lengths when racing on dirt for the first time. His three-year-old career in the U.S. was troubled but showed he had a lot of class. He was slammed at the start of the G1 Kentucky Derby and ran last; was third in the G3 Dwyer, second in the G1 Travers; and third in the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup against older horses. He was fifth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic and fourth in the G1 Cigar Mile in his last two starts. A versatile horse, Mendelssohn ran well out to 10 furlongs. He's medium-sized, just shy of 16.1 hands, and is a lovely, neatly made, well muscled individual who has attracted very large books every year at stud. His first yearlings averaged a solid $145,456 from his initial $35,000 fee. Being a top juvenile himself and a Scat Daddy half-brother to speed influence Into Mischief, I expect his first two-year-olds to come out flying.

Champion Three-Year-Old West Coast didn't find fame in the Triple Crown races (won by Always Dreaming, Cloud Computing and Tapwrit) but instead as a result of his late season form that year. He is a son of Flatter and out of the Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Caressing, by Honour and Glory and was a $425,000 yearling. Unraced at two, West Coast was second in his debut at three in February at Santa Anita, then won next time out in March at a mile and a sixteenth in a field of three. In his third start, he was second in the G3 Lexington Stakes by a head behind Senior Investment, then went on a five-race win streak that included an allowance at Santa Anita in May, the Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont in June, the G3 Los Alamitos Derby in July over Klimt; then the G1 Travers Stakes and G1 Pennsylvania Derby. His Travers win was over a very good field that included Gunnevera, Irap and all that year's Triple Crown race winners and basically any other good three-year-old. The Pennsylvania Derby was a seven and a quarter length romp over Irap. West Coast ran third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic behind the older horses Gun Runner and Collected. At four, he returned with a second in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational behind Gun Runner, then was second in the G1 Dubai World Cup behind Thunder Snow. Given a break, he returned in September with a second place in the G1 Awesome Again Stakes behind Accelerate but was off the board in that fall's G1 Breeders' Cup Classic. He attracted a full book his first season with 168 mares, but experienced a significant drop in his second and third years (103 and 67). His 2021 yearling average was not very satisfying, just $60,838, so not even twice the return on his initial $35,000 fee. West Coast is a big, classy, handsome horse with tremendous bone. With his size and his own later maturity, I wouldn't expect a major attack on this year's Freshman Sire List but don't forget his dam was a champion at two herself, so who knows?

Just by his title as Champion Two-Year-Old, Good Magic owns the credentials to get good two-year-olds. He's one of the earlier-maturing sons of Curlin and is out of stakes-winning Glinda The Good (by Hard Spun), a nice filly who was G2-placed at two. Good Magic was a $1,000,000 yearling and breeder Stonestreet stayed in as owner. Second in his debut at Saratoga, he was second to Solomini in the G1 Champagne Stakes before breaking his maiden in his third start, the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, beating Solomini easily by four and a half lengths, with Bolt d'Oro third. At three Good Magic was third in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes, then won the G2 Blue Grass Stakes over Flameaway and Sporting Chance. He ran second in the G1 Kentucky Derby behind Justify, but made the mistake of collaring that one early in the G1 Preakness before fading to fourth. He bounced back with an impressive win in the G1 Haskell Stakes but ran an uncharacteristic ninth in the G1 Travers Stakes and was retired at the end of September. Although very similar in build as his great sire with a lot of power and substance, Good Magic is not as big, standing 16 hands. He's had good-sized books (164, 142, 92 mares) his first three years and he had an excellent first crop yearling average of $144,133. Good Magic has every right to be well represented by his two-year-olds in 2022.

Always Dreaming is from the first crop by Bodemeister and out of the G3 winner Above Perfection by In Excess (IRE), so he's a half-brother to G1 winner Hot Dixie Chick and G2 winner Positive Spirit. Always Dreaming was a $350,000 yearling. In two starts at two, he was third in his debut, then second. At three, he won a maiden special in January, an allowance, and then the G1 Florida Derby, all by wide margins. Leading most of the way, he came home victorious in the G1 Kentucky Derby as favorite, but in the G1 Preakness, burned up in a speed duel with Classic Empire and came in eighth behind Cloud Computing. He came back with a third in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes but after a poor ninth in the G1 Travers, was laid off, reportedly treated for ulcers. Returning at four, Always Dreaming was second in the G2 Gulfstream Park Hardacre Mile, then fifth in the G2 Alysheba Stakes in May before his retirement was announced in September. Always Dreaming stands 16.1 hands and is a scopey, handsome horse with the looks of a classic middle distance horse, lighter and leaner than his sire. His book size declined from 165 his first year to 85 his third season, and his 2021 yearling average of $36,543 suggests why the drop in popularity. Still, this is an extremely well bred horse with a lot of natural speed, so don't write him off as a freshman sire.

Bolt d'Oro was one of the top two juvenile colts of his crop, and might have been the division champion were it not for some bad racing luck. The son of Medaglia d'Oro out of Globe Trot by A.P. Indy is a half-brother to G1 winner Global Campaign and stakes winner Sonic Mule. Bolt d'Oro was a $630,000 Saratoga yearling. At two, he won his first three starts including a maiden special at Del Mar, the G1 Del Mar Futurity and G1 FrontRunner Stakes before coming home third after a very troubled trip in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile behind Good Magic and Solomini. At three, he won the G2 San Felipe Stakes through the disqualification of McKinzie, who beat him by a head. He was second in the now controversial G1 Santa Anita Derby won by Justify, who tested positive for scopolamine after the race. Bolt d'Oro finished far back in both the G1 Kentucky Derby and G1 Metropolitan Handicap and was retired in October that year after coming up sore following a morning work. He stands 16.2 hands and has topline similar to both his sire Medaglia d'Oro and grandsire El Prado, lengthy with a long hip and big hindquarter, although maybe even longer and leaner. He's maintained good-sized books, with 214 mares, 146 mares and 153 mares in his first three seasons, followed by a good yearling average of $145,757. His popularity resulted in an increase in stud fee from $15,000 in 2021 to $20,000 in 2022, almost unheard of for a stallion whose foals haven't even hit the track. Being a top two-year-old himself, I'd be very surprised if he didn't make a good showing as a freshman sire this year.

Accelerate was the Champion Older Male in 2017. He's the best son of Lookin At Lucky, an excellent sire who struggles in the commercial market due to some leg issues, as did Lookin At Lucky's sire Smart Strike, but they run well on those legs. Accelerate is out of stakes-placed Issues (by Awesome Again), a mare who has also produced stakes winners Daddy D T and Amarish. He was a $380,000 yearling, one of the highest priced yearlings ever for his sire. Unraced at two, he was second in his debut at three in April but didn't win until his fourth start in late July at Del Mar. He then won the Shared Belief Stakes and G2 Los Alamitos Derby consecutively, and placed third in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. At four Accelerate won the G2 San Diego Handicap, and blossomed at five, when Champion Older Male after five G1 wins including the Santa Anita Handicap, Gold Cup at Santa Anita, Pacific Classic, Awesome Again Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic. In his only start at six he was third in the G1 Pegasus World Cup. Standing 16.1 hands, Accelerate is a handsome, muscular horse who could benefit from a mare with a little more precociousness and speed, and like his sire, probably needs a mare with better legs. His first two books were solid (167 and 137 mares) but his third season dropped off to 76 mares. His first yearlings averaged a reasonable $66,148 off his initial $20,000 fee. Due to his later maturity, I don't expect a strong showing from his first crop juveniles but they should improve as they get older.

Oscar Performance is bred like a turf horse, by Kitten's Joy out of stakes winner Devine Actress (a winner on turf and all weather) by Theatrical (IRE). Devine Actress is also the dam of G2T Award Winner and G3T Oscar Nominated. An Ammerman homebred, Oscar Performance won three of four starts at two, including a maiden special, the G3T Pilgrim Stakes and the G1T Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in good style. At three he won the G3T Pennine Ridge, G1T Belmont Derby Invitational and G1T Secretariat Stakes. At four he won the G3T Poker Stakes, setting a new course record at Belmont for a mile on turf in 1:31.23, and equalling the world record. Before the year was out, he also scored in the G1T Woodbine Mile. Although he carried his speed to ten furlongs, a mile was clearly his forte. Oscar Performance stands 16.2 hands, is full of quality and power, and bears a strong resemblence to Kitten's Joy. He bred 118 mares his first year, then 116, then 80 mares. His first yearlings averaged $42,345. No doubt his progeny will excel on the grass but there are plenty of opportunities for two-year-olds on turf, and a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf like he did could push him high in the year-end rankings.

Collected is one of the last good sons of City Zip and is out of a mare by Johannesburg, both good speed sources. He won from six and a half to ten furlongs on dirt and turf, making him one of the most versatile runners in this sire class. A $150,000 yearling Collected made two starts at two, both on turf, winning a maiden at Santa Anita in October and placed second in the G3T Cecil B. DeMille Stales but moved up when switched to dirt for the rest of his career. At three, he won the G3 Sham Stakes and G3 Lexington Stakes. At four he won the G2 Californian Stakes, G3 Precisionist Stakes and G1 Pacific Classic before bowing to Gun Runner in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic. He was unplaced in two starts at five. Collected goes back in female line to a half-sister to Blushing Groom and bears a strong resemblence to that ancestor (who found in the pedigree of City Zip). He stands 16.0 hands, which depending on how you look at it is small to medium-sized. He's an attractive, muscular individual with a lot of class. Collected covered 156 mares his first year, then 155, and a little dip to 103 mares his third year. His first yearlings averaged a strong $74,067 off an initial $17,500 fee. A truly versatile horse with good form at two, he has the pedigree to get good two-year-olds and I expect his first runners to make a good showing this year.

Good Samaritan is a Grade 2 winner on both dirt and turf. At two he won the G2T Summer Stakes and ran third in the G1T Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. At three he placed in the G3T American Turf Stakes and G2T Pennine Ridge Stakes, but moved up significantly when making the switch to dirt, winning the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes by four and three quarter lengths over Giuseppe the Great, Always Dreaming and Cloud Computing. Later in the year he placed second in the G1 Clark Handicap behind Seeking the Soul. His final win was at four in the G2 New Orleans Handicap, and he also placed in the G2 Alysheba Stakes before the year's end. Good Samaritan is by Harlan's Holiday (also sire of Into Mischief) out of Pull Dancer by Pulpit, from a female family that has produced successful sires like Bernstein, Wiseman's Ferry and Sky Mesa. He got 162 mares his first year, then a drop to 104 and again a drop to 87 in 2021. His first yearlings averaged $34,618 from an initial $12,500 fee. He's a leggy 16.1 hands but a nice type with a good shoulder and big hindquarter. Showing good form at two and from a precocious male line, he should be well represented by his first runners at two, and they might perform on dirt or turf like their dad.

Mo Town won Graded stakes on dirt and turf and has a high-powered pedigree to match. He's by Uncle Mo out of Grazie Mille by Bernardini and brought $200,000 as a yearling. He made three starts at two, all on dirt. He was second in his debut in August, then broke his maiden at Belmont in September going a mile and won the G2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct over nine furlongs. After disappointing in classic preps in the spring, he was treated for EPM and was out of action until later in the summer. His first win back was at Belmont in October when switched to turf in an allowance, which he followed up with victory in the nine furlong G1T Hollywood Derby also on turf a month later. In his only start at four in April, he was third in the Danger's Hour Stakes over a turf mile at Aqueduct. He was retired shortly after due to a torn suspensory in his left fore. At 16.2 hands, he's a slightly smaller version of his dominant sire Uncle Mo, being a handsome, strongly-made, correct horse with good bone. He covered 144 mares his first year, dropped to 108 in his second, then made a remarkable rebound to 204 mares in 2021, showing strong breeder support. His first yearlings averaged $57,920 a good return from his initial fee of $12,500. This is a precocious male line through Uncle Mo, and with his own good form at two, Mo Town should have more than a few good two-year-olds this year.

Tapwrit, by Leading Sire Tapit out of G1 Spinaway Stakes winner Appealing Zophie by Successful Appeal, has the kind of pedigree and conformation to warrant a $1,200,000 price tag at the Saratoga Yearling Sale. His dam has also produced G2T winner Ride a Comet and stakes winner Inject. At two, Tapwrit ran last in his debut at Saratoga but won his next time out in November over a mile at Gulfstream Park West. In his final start that season he won the mile Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream. At three he was second in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes not far behind McCraken who set a new track record. Tapwrite then scored impressively in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby, setting a new stakes record. He was unplaced in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes and G1 Kentucky Derby but vindicated himself by winning the G1 Belmont Stakes beating Irish War Cry and Patch. His last start of the year was a fourth in the G1 Travers Stakes behind West Coast, then was out for the rest of the season due to an injury to his frog. At four he placed once in four starts and was retired. A big, rangy horse at 16.2 hands, Tapwrit is a really good looking, leggy type with a big shoulder and good hindquarter. He covered a full book of 154 mares his first year, dropped to 95, then 69 last spring, but his yearlings sold well, averaging $50,546 from a $12,500 initial fee. Although Tapwrit is one of his sire's four Belmont Stakes winners, his dam was a high class two-year-old, and being a stakes winner at two himself, he has the right to sire some good two-year-olds this year.

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The brilliant Army Mule turned his regional pedigree to gold in just three starts. By Maryland-based Friesan Fire out of Crafty Toast by Crafty Prospector, he was a $35,000 yearling who developed into an $825,000 Fasig-Tipton May two-year-old. Sent to train in California, he was put on the shelf with a minor issue, sent to Florida to recouperate and missed a juvenile campaign altogether. His first start at three was in late April in a six and a half furlong maiden at Belmont. He streaked home by eight and a half lengths, but a knee chip flared up and he was put on the sidelines for another nine months. He returned at four in January going six furlongs at Gulfstream and won by seven and a half lengths. In just his third start, Army Mule won the seven furlong G1 Carter Handicap by six and a quarter lengths. Shortly after, another issue put him away, and ultimately it was decided to retire him. Army Mule is not a big horse, just 16.0 hands, but is a well-made, correct horse with a deep shoulder and long hip. He could use a mare with some size, stretch and soundness. He bred 140 mares in Year 1, then dropped precipitously to 47 mares his second year, and recovered to 83 mares in 2021. The reason why breeders came back is evidenced by his first yearlings which averaged a remarkable $82,026 off his original $10,000 fee.

Flashy Free Drop Billy was one of the best two-year-olds of his year, so remember his name. By Union Rags out of Trensa by Giant's Causeway, he's a half-brother to the dynamic English and U.A.E. Champion and G1 winner Hawkbill. A $200,000 yearling, Free Drop Billy broke his maiden in his debut at Churchill, then ran second in the G3 Sanford Stakes to Firenze Fire and second in the G1 Hopeful Stakes by a neck to Sporting Chance. He won the G1 Breeders' Futurity but ran a throw-out race when off the board in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile, won by Good Magic. At three, Free Drop Billy was second in the G2 Holy Bull Stakes, third in the G3 Gotham Stakes and third again in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes. He was unplaced in the G1 Kentucky Derby, G1 Belmont and G3 Saranac Stakes before retiring. Free Drop Billy is not a particularly big horse at 16.0 hands but he's stocky and handsome, harking back to the Gone West part of his pedigree through Union Rags. He's not been a huge draw, getting 82 mares his first year, 91 in his second, and 34 in his third. His first yearlings averaged a moderate $34,404 last year. With his own excellent juvenile form, it would be no surprise to see his first babies run well this year, even if there won't be as many as some of these other stallions.

A rare, precocious son of Ghostzapper, McCraken was undefeated in three starts at two including the Street Sense Stakes and G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. At three he won the G3 Sam F Davis Stakes, setting a new track record for a mile and a sixteenth at Tampa beating Tapwrit. An ankle strain in his left front kept McCraken out of the G2 Tampa Bay Derby won by Tapwrit, but he came back to run third in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes behind Irap and Practical Joke. Involved in a bumping incident with Irish War Cry and Classic Empire at the start of the G1 Kentucky Derby, McCraken finished eighth, well behind Always Dreaming. Next time out he won the G3 Matt Winn Stakes, then lost the G1 Haskell Invitational by a nose to Girvin. Unplaced in the G1 Travers, he finished the year with a third in the G3 Fayette Stakes. At four he won an allowance at Churchill, was unplaced in the G1 Met Mile, then took third in the G3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap before being unplaced in the G1 Whitney Stakes. By Ghostzapper out of Ivory Empress by Seeking the Gold, McCraken bears a strong resemblence to his sire, although a smaller model at 16.0 1/2 hands. At attractive, leggy horse with a deep shoulder and good hindquarter, he got 105 mares his first year. A fertility issue dropped his second book to just 24 mares, and his third to 11. His first yearlings averaged a disappointing $24,778. With his good form at two, his first crop should also come out early but his future is a big question mark.

The exciting miler Mor Spirit is a son of Eskendereya out of Im a Dixie Girl by Dixie Union. He was an $85,000 yearling turned $650,000 two-year-old. At two he was second in his debut at Santa Anita in September, then broke his maiden next time out a month later. In November he was second in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes to Airoforce at Churchill and shipped back to California where he won the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity. Turning three, Mor Spirit won the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes, then lost to Danzing Candy in the G2 San Felipe Stakes, followed by a second to Exaggerator in the G1 Santa Anita Derby. After a tenth-place effort in the G1 Kentucky Derby, Mor Spirit was laid off until December, when he finished fourth in the G1 Malibu Stakes. At four he was second in the G2 San Antonio Stakes, then won the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn and the G3 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes at Lone Star. Mor Spirit thrashed Sharp Azteca and a good field by over six lengths in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap in 1:33.71. Laid off for the summer, he fiinshed eighth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. A five-year-old campaign never materialized but he didn't retire to stud until the next year. Mor Spirit is 16.2 1/2 hands and is a strong, rugged-looking horse, showing his Seattle Slew linebreeding through both Eskendereya and Dixie Union. He's covered good-sized books from the start, 176 mares, then 136, and 100 in his third year. His first yearlings averaged $39,931, which is a reasonable return on his initial $10,000 fee. Being a Grade 1 winner at two himself, and owning impressive speed, I would expect Mor Spirit's two-year-olds to make a good showing.

Sharp Azteca was a brilliant miler in a year of brilliant milers. He's by the top New York stallion Freud (a full brother to Giant's Causeway) and out of So Sharp, who was from the only crop by Saint Liam. Sharp Azteca was a $35,000 yearling and a $220,000 two-year-old. He was second his only start at two, in December at Gulfstream. At three, in February at the same track, he broke his maiden then won a mile allowance and then the G3 Pat Day Mile Stakes at Churchill for three in a row. After a fourth in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes and second in the Super Derby Prelude Stakes, Sharp Azteca won the City of Laurel Stakes, but was beaten in the G1 Malibu Stakes by half a length by Mind Your Biscuits. At four, he won the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, placed third in the G2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai, was second behind Mor Spirit in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap then won the G3 Monmouth Cup and G2 Kelso Handicap. Sharp Azteca was second in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to Battle of Midway by half a length then made his most stellar performance when winning the G1 Cigar Mile Handicap by five and a quarter lengths beating Mind Your Biscuits and Practical Joke. At five he ran out of the money in the G1 Pegasus World Cup, his only start that year, although his retirement wasn't announced until September. Standing 16.2 hands, Sharp Azteca is a big, powerful, eye-filling horse with a beautiful head and tremendous muscling. He was wildly popular his first season, getting 195 mares, 101 in his second, but a steep drop to 36 mares in his third season. His moderate yearling average of $34,729 might help explain why. A horse of brilliant speed, it would not be surprising to see Sharp Azteca get a lot of two-year-olds in his first crop but he'll be in trouble if they don't come on and save his reputation.

Preakness winner Cloud Computing is from the first crop by the one-start-wonder Maclean's Music, who is making a strong reputation as a sire. His dam is the multiple Graded-placed Quick Temper by A.P. Indy, so Cloud Computing is bred on that very successful Distorted Humor/Seattle Slew cross. A $200,000 yearling, he was unraced at two, and broke his maiden at three in his debut in February at Aqueduct. Jumping into stakes company right away, he was second in the G3 Gotham Stakes and third in the G2 Wood Memorial. Skipping the Derby, Cloud Computing won the G1 Preakness Stakes by a head over Classic Empire. He was unplaced in the G2 Jim Dandy and G1 Travers Stakes, then missed the rest of the year recovering from surgery to remove ankle chips up front. At four, he returned to competition in May with a fourth in the G3 Westchester Stakes but didn't start again until November when off the board in an allowance at Aqueduct before retirement. Cloud Computing is a good-looking 16.3 hands horse. He's got the chunky look of his sire Maclean's Music and grandsire Distorted Humor but improves on that with better bone. He covered 171 mares his first year, 122 in his second and 113 in his third year. His 2021 yearling average of $41,319 is good for his initial $7,500 fee. He's a big horse and being unraced at two, his babies may take a little longer to make it to the races, but he's got enough speed in his pedigree to pull off a good freshman year.

Turf star Funtastic is by More Than Ready out of Quiet Dance, the stakes-winning granddam of Gun Runner and a daughter of Quiet American. He was unraced at two and didn't start until July of his three-year-old year when fourth on dirt at Belmont. He won his next time out at the end of the July at Saratoga going a mile and a sixteenth on turf. Unplaced in an allowance, he won again in an allowance on turf at Belmont in September. In November he came in second in the Gio Ponti Stakes by a neck to Small Bear over a mile and a sixteenth on turf at Aqueduct. At four he placed twice in allowances before winning one in May when stretched to a mile and a half on turf at Belmont. In his next start Funtastic went wire to wire to win the G1 United Nations Stakes at the same distance of a mile and a half on the grass course at Monmouth. He was unplaced in the G1 Sword Dancer and G1 Canadian International in his final two starts. Funtastic stands 16.1 hands and is built a more like a middle distance horse than the usual More Than Ready, with more leg and less bulk. He's been covering very small books, 27 mares his first year, 51 in his second and 17 in his third. His first yearlings averaged $31,631, which isn't awful for a $7,500 fee and considering how few foals he's got on the ground. Being a late maturing turf router, it's very unlikely he'll have a high standing among freshman sires this year, but give them time to grow up and stretch out on turf.

Grade 1 winner Ransom the Moon is an unusual sprinting son of Malibu Moon, probably thanks to his speedy stakes-winning dam Count to Three by Red Ransom. A Sam-Son Farms homebred, he was unplaced in three starts at two on the Kentucky circuit. Moved to Woodbine, at three he won twice, in a maiden special going nine furlongs on turf and an allowance over a mile and a sixteenth on the all weather track. At four he placed four times in six allowance optional claimers at Woodbine on turf or all weather. Up to this point Ransom the Moon had raced for his breeder but his first start at five was for new owners at a new track at a new distance on a different surface, and he won. Although it was another allowance optional claimer, it was at Santa Anita going six and a half furlongs on dirt, and the switch to dirt sprints was magical. Ransom the Moon won the G2 Kona Gold Stakes at six panels, was second in the G2 San Carlos Stakes to Danzing Candy at seven furlongs, then won the G1 Bing Crosby Stakes at six furlongs. He was unplaced in his next two starts in Grade 1 sprints. At six, he won his second G1 Bing Crosby Stakes and placed in the G2 Kona Gold and G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes, which turned out to be his final start. He was retired in October after injuring a pastern which kept him out of the G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint. Standing 16.2 hands, Ransom the Moon has that big, robust, handsome look his sire is known to pass on. He covered 118 mares his first season, then dropped to 44 in his second and to 14 in his third. His first yearlings averaged $32,653 which isn't bad off a $7,500 fee. Will he get good two-year-olds this year? He wasn't particularly precocious himself but he obviously has a world of speed, so he could get some two-year-olds this year since his dam and family has shown some good form at two.

Grade 1 winning miler Bee Jersey is from the first crop of G1 Cigar Mile winner Jersey Town, who was from the first crop by Champion Sprinter Speightstown. Bee Jersey's dam is stakes-placed Bees by Rahy from the great Lassie Dear family that has produced top sires A.P. Indy and Lemon Drop Kid to name just a couple. He was a $250,000 yearling, which was remarkable considering his sire's stud fee was just $10,000. He placed third in in his only start at two in December at Meydan in Dubai. At three, he was third in another maiden before placing second in the G3 U.A.E. Two Thousand Guineas behind Thunder Snow. He was unplaced in the G2 U.A.E. Derby then was brought to the U.S. In his first start here in October, he won a seven furlong maiden on dirt at Keeneland, then ran second in an allowance at Churchill in November. At four he was a much improved horse and was undefeated in four starts, winning allowances at Oaklawn and Keeneland, the G3 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star and the G1 Metropolitan Handicap by a nose over Mind Your Biscuits. He was retired later that summer due to a tendon injury. Bee Jersey stands 16.1 hands and appears to be a bigger version of both his sire and grandsire, handsome, with a lot of quality and tons of muscle. He covered only 61 mares his first season, then up to 73 the next spring, but down to 39 his third season. His 2021 yearlings averaged an unimpressive $15,324 off a $5,000 initial stud fee. He's from a speed line that gets better with age, so there's a possibility he'll have some two-year-olds but those small crops are going to have a lot of work to do for him to make a go of it.

So who do I like out of this group? My picks for the top freshman sires this year are:

Mendelssohn, who has the pedigree and performance to steal it all;
Bolt d'Oro who was probably the best two-year-old of this group and has a lot of hype following him around;
Good Magic who is an obvious choice as the Champion Two-Year-Old Male of his crop;
Free Drop Billy, who was one of the best juveniles behind Good Magic and Bolt d'Oro;
City of Light, whose progeny will probably get better with age, but are impressing everyone at this early stage.
I'm going to include Justify in this group as well because I'd be foolish to leave him out, even if I think his babies might need more time.

My wild card choice is Collected who has the pedigree to get good juveniles, the race record to make a good sire, and I love that he looks so much like Blushing Groom.

Copyright by Anne Peters 2022