Freshman Sire Race Could Be Determined By Breeders' Cup Races

Besides the eight Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Day races, the race for leading freshman sire of 2002 could be determined Oct. 26 at Arlington Park.

Elusive Quality, the current leading first-crop sire who stands at Gainsborough Farm near Lexington, does not have a pre-entrant in either the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) or Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).

Distorted Humor is the second leading first-crop sire and he could wrap up the title with a winner. He has a filly competing, though not the one most people thought a few months ago. The WinStar Farm stallion would have had one of the favorites in the Juvenile Fillies, but his leading earner, Awesome Humor, is sitting on the sidelines with an injury. He is represented by a pretty good back up, Humorous Lady (out of the It's The One mare My Glamorous One), a winner of four of five starts including the recent Astarita Stakes (gr. II).

Through Oct. 18, Elusive Quality and Distorted Humor had separated themselves from the pack, with earnings of $913,000 and $821,000, respectively. Grand Slam, at $571,000, currently holds down third place on the list.

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies are worth $1 million each, with $520,000 to the winner and $200,000 for second.

Only one other stallion could jump all the way to the top of the list with a winner on Breeders' Cup Day. The Adena Springs stud horse Awesome Again has earnings of $539,000, so a win would put him over the $1 million mark. In the Juvenile, he is the sire of Toccet (out of Cozzene's Angel, by Cozzene). A winner of three of four starts, Toccet won the Oct. 5 Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont.

Two other freshman sires are represented by a Breeders' Cup runner, but even a victory would not vault either to first on the sire list. Stormy Atlantic and Touch Gold both have earnings of $322,000, so a win would not pass Elusive Quality's earnings.

Stormy Atlantic, who stands at Bridlewood Farm near Ocala, Fla, is the sire of Juvenile Fillies runner Atlantic Ocean (produced from Super Chef, by Seattle Slew), while Touch Gold, who also stands at Adena Springs near Versailles, Ky., is represented by a runner in the same race, Composure (out of Party Cited, by Alleged).