With some important 10 furlong fixtures like the Pacific Classic (G1), Alabama S. (G1) and Travers S. (G1) on tap over the next two weekends, we decided to analyze which stallions are true 'distance sires'. The Horses & Sires feature in the Betmix handicapping software makes it easy.
The first two charts below show the top sires by Win Return and by Win % at distances of 9 furlongs or longer.
Quality Road has had a sensational 18 months and leads all sires in the sample with a $60.70 Distance Win Return. This figure is buoyed by Spring Quality's double-digit wins in this year's Manhattan H. (G1) at 10 furlongs and last year's 11-furlong Red Smith S. (G3) (not to mention Abel Tasman's $20.40 victory in the 2017 Kentucky Oaks at 9 furlongs).
The Adena Springs tagline is 'Classic Bloodlines, Classic Performance' and that's proven true for horseplayers as well as for breeders. Their Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again and his son Breeders' Cup Classic-winning son Ghostzapper are the only other sires with positive Distance Win returns. Ghostzapper is also the leader with a nearly 20% distance win rate.
Another way to parse this data is to look at the percentage of distance starts for each sire. Anecdotally, sires like Giant's Causeway, Medaglia d'Oro, Kitten's Joy, English Channel and Tapit are top U. S. 'distance' sires. Chart #3 backs that up as those five are the leaders in percentage of distance starts, an indication that owners and trainers are more willing to send the progeny of these stallions longer distances.
To search Betmix Angler for sire progeny data for any race type:
Open Betmix Angler>Set Race Conditions>Click Expand Horses & Sires>Type in Sire Name>Click Search>Click Off Box>Click Start Search Button
