It was the year Galileo won the Epsom Derby, Monarchos became only the third horse to break the two-minute barrier for the Kentucky Derby, Arc hero Sakhee got inched out as Tiznow took his second straight Breeders’ Cup Classic, and Northerly won the first of his two Cox Plates. It was also a year when a very special crop of foals came into the world.
Nearly one in eight of the world’s most successful 100 stallions of today were born over the 12 months of 2001 as those equine legends were doing their stuff on the track. Which makes it the most influential year of all as far as current top-level racing stock is concerned.
Headed by the likes of Tapit, Iffraaj, Kitten’s Joy and Fastnet Rock, the class of 2001 have maintained their effectiveness better than any from more recent seasons, as shown in the chart below, taken from the latest sires’ standings in the TRC Global Rankings.
Left axis equals the number of stallions born each year that are in the top 100 in the world sires' rankings
The stallions born in 2004 and 2005 haven’t done badly, with 11 and 10 representatives in the top 100 respectively, but they haven’t been able to catch 2001, which still has 12.
Of course, a stallion’s effectiveness inevitably diminishes as he gets older, so it’s pretty remarkable that five born as long ago as 1993 are still successful enough to hold a place in the top 100.
It takes a few seasons before a sire’s full potential can be realised in these rankings - he needs ideally to have been represented on the racecourse by at least four crops - so no horse foaled since 2007 is likely to take particularly high order in the table. And that makes 2008’s total of six stallions in the 100 particulary impressive. But then that was the year that gave us Frankel, Uncle Mo and Enable’s sire, Nathaniel.
Other facts
- The record of 2002 may not look unusually notable - with eight representatives in the top 100 - but it’s hard to beat in terms of top-end quality: four stallions foaled that year are in the top eight.
- 2003, which you would expect to be as productive as any, fares poorly, with just four representatives.
- Oldest horse in the 100: Monsun (born 1990 - died 2012).
- Oldest stallions still active: Northern Afleet, Pivotal, Distorted Humor (all born in 1993).
- Youngest stallion in the 100: Pierro (born October, 2009).
- Biggest climber last week: Written Tycoon (whose progeny won one G2 and two G3s at Caulfield on Saturday). He gained 12 rankings points to climb from 32 places to #32. He was foaled in 2002.
Which stallions were foaled in which year
Listed in order as they stand in the rankings
1990
Monsun (died 2012)
1992
Smart Strike (died 2015)
1993
Unbridled’s Song (died 2013)
Northern Afleet
Encosta De Lago (retired)
Pivotal
Distorted Humor
1994
Cape Cross (died 2017)
Stay Gold
1995
Arch
Areion
1996
Captain Al (Nov)
Redoute’s Choice
Dansili
1997
More Than Ready
Malibu Moon
Invincible Spirit
1998
Galileo
Street Cry
Freud
City Zip
Lonhro
Mizzen Mast
1999
Medaglia D’Oro
Candy Ride
Dynasty
Acclamation
Equal Stripes
Choisir
High Chaparral
Flatter
2000
Ghostzapper
Exceed And Excel
Greys Inn
Soldier Hollow
2001
Iffraaj
Kitten’s Joy
Fastnet Rock
Not A Single Doubt
Tapit
King Kamehameha
Hearts’ Cry
Savabeel
Black Tide
Al Maher
Azamour
American Post
2002
Dubawi
Deep Impact
Snitzel
War Front
Written Tycoon
English Channel
Shamardal
Manduro
2003
Dylan Thomas
Bernardini
Henny Hughes
Champs Elysees
2004
Scatt Daddy
I Am Invincible
Curlin
Teofilo
Screen Hero
Duke Of Marmalade
Hard Spun
Street Sense
Adlerflug
Authorized
Holy Roman Emperor
2005
Dark Angel
Tavistock
Fast Company
Into Mischief
New Approach
Duporth
Tamayuz
Raven’s Pass
Sebring
Equiano
2006
Sea The Stars
Quality Road
Pioneerof The Nile
Munnings
Harbinger
Le Havre
2007
Siyouni
Lope De Vega
Lookin At Lucky
Hinchinbrook
Makfi
Poet’s Voice
Star Witness
Showcasing
2008
Frankel
Uncle Mo
Helmet
Nathaniel
Foxwedge
Stay Thirsty
2009
Union Rags
Pierro (Oct)
Click here for a list of all last week’s biggest TRC Global Rankings points gainers.
Click here for a list of all the week’s Group and Graded winners.