Constitution Poised for 'Breakout' September Sale

WinStar Farm's fourth-crop sire Constitution   pushed through the lean years young sires routinely face by siring a steady stream of graded stakes winners and is now poised this year to be lauded with a breakout year at auction.

During Constitution's freshman year in 2019, the son of Tapit   was represented by an $87,603 yearling average. On the track, he was represented by four graded stakes winners—the most of his sire class peers—and ranked second by progeny earnings.

As a second-crop sire, Constitution led his sire class by progeny earnings and by total black-type performers with 19. His top runner of 2020 was Tiz the Law  , a three-time grade 1 winner who captured the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), Curlin Florida Derby (G1), and Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1). Tiz the Law also was runner-up in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Predictably, Constitution's yearling average jumped to $136,896 in 2020.

The cycle of a stallion's career, however, follows a predictable downturn as the stallion's progeny just start to prove themselves at the track. Constitution, for example, entered stud at $25,000 and by his fourth year at stud, just as his first crop were starting their racing careers, his fee dropped to $15,000. What a sire's runners prove as they mature and how those runners from lesser quality mares perform is where a stallion truly shows his potency.

"The elite stallions keep the quality and level of performance up no matter what," said Elliott Walden, president, CEO, and racing manager for WinStar Farm. "It takes that second cycle after they've proven themselves and you see the mare quality climb to a point where they are attractive in the sales ring as well. That is what we are seeing with Constitution now. This is hopefully a break out year for him that will just continue and continue."

To date, Constitution has sired 40 black-type winners, which is a robust 8% from foals of racing age. His top runners include 22 graded stakes winners, of which eight are grade/group 1 winners worldwide. Besides Tiz the Law, his other North American grade 1 winner is Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Americanrevolution . The sire shuttled for three seasons to Chile, which has yielded six group 1 winners so far, led by 2021 Chilean Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male Breakpoint . Also notable, from the crop of mares bred on the $15,000 stud fee, Constitution has already sired a 2-year-old stakes winner in Showgirl Lynne B , who won the Sharp Susan Stakes and is undefeated in three starts, and multiple stakes-placed winner Sparkling Jewel .

Frank Taylor, vice president of sales for Taylor Made Sales Agency, said Constitution is the type of stallion he loves; one that is capable of siring top class runners from a variety of mares.

"He didn't start out with the highest quality mares and he threw some average-looking horses, but they were athletes that ran great. Now he is getting better mares and his physicals are getting better and better," he said. "We've seen this happen with a number of top sires like Saint Ballado, Distorted Humor, and with Into Mischief  , who started out with no opportunity and became a top sire. Constitution fits that mold and now his pipeline is fully loaded with great horses."

These yearlings by better mares have already made an impact at auction. Constitution was represented at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., by his first seven-figure yearling, a $1.25 million colt out of Dothraki Sea, a winning daughter of Union Rags   and half sister to grade 1 winner Dixie Chatter  and grade 3 winner Rumor . Lane's End sold the colt to Mayberry Farm. For the year to date, Constitution's yearling average is $332,273 from 11 sold (excluding short yearlings sold at winter mixed sales).

As of Sept. 8, Constitution will be represented by 15 yearlings during Book 1 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale that begins Sept. 12. Book 1 includes the first two days of the sale that runs through Sept. 24.

WinStar Farm is selling two it bred and raised in Book 1 through Denali Stud and Warrendale Sales as agents. Denali has Hip 121, a colt and first foal out of the grade 1 stakes-placed Ghostzapper   mare Zapperkat , while Warrendale has Hip 172, a colt out of the Pioneerof the Nile  grade 1-placed stakes winner Catch My Drift .

"The colt out of Zapperkat is a beautiful colt with a lot of depth and good movement. He is a good combination of Constitution and Ghostzapper," said Walden. "The colt out of Catch My Drift is a nice colt, too. She was third in the Beldame and also the dam of a stakes-placed Into Mischief colt we have named Strava  that Coach (Denny) Crum (former University of Louisville basketball coach) owns with us."

Taylor Made Sales has three Constitution yearlings in Book 1, including a half sister to this year's Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Early Voting , who was bred by Three Chimneys Farm.

"This is a family that's dear to my heart," said Taylor. "With Aaron and Marie Jones, we bred all the horses on that catalog page."

The September yearling is out of the unraced Tiznow  mare Amour d'Ete, who is out of Canadian champion Silken Cat , making her a half sister to champion sprinter and prominent sire Speightstown   and a full sister to grade 1-placed, multiple graded stakes winner Irap . Three Chimneys Farm owner Goncalo Torrealba bought Amour d'Ete as a yearling for $1.75 million and then she nearly lost an eye to a severe infection and never raced.

"Amour d'Ete is absolutely beautiful and the best-looking filly we ever sold out of that mare," said Taylor. "I really felt bad that they spent that kind of money on her and she never raced. Then when Early Voting won the Preakness, I called Goncalo and told him I don't feel guilty anymore."

Taylor said all three of the Book 1 Constitution yearlings (Hips 55, 134, and 311) consistently scored high each time they've been evaluated and are all well-balanced, solid athletic horses with good necks, shoulders, and toplines.

"From a physical standpoint, I really can't separate them," he said.

Hip 55 is a colt out of the Lemon Drop Kid grade 2 winner Sparkling Review , who is the dam of stakes-placed winner Fawning  (Into Mischief). Hip 311 is a colt out of grade 1 winner Last Full Measure , making the yearling a half brother to grade 1 winner Valiance  (Tapit), who also was second in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) of 2020.

Hunter Valley Farm has a Constitution yearling in Book 1 closely related to the sire's multiple graded stakes winner Independence Hall  , who won the Hagyard Fayette Stake (G2) and was third in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1). Hip 168 is a colt out of the Arch daughter Caribbean Babe, who is a half sister to Independence Hall and also to grade 3 winner Black Onyx  and grade 3-placed stakes winner Francois .

"He has a very good temperament and he seems to be getting really good now," said Adrian Regan, managing partner at Hunter Valley Farm. "Before he was a little behind our other yearlings, but in the last couple of months he has really improved. He has good bone and good action. He has really improved and impressed us."

Regan has high hopes for the reception of Constitution's September yearlings.

"Constitution has proved to be a very solid sire. He is as popular as any stallion on the grounds," he said. "The yearlings are out of the best crop of mares he's had."

Stone Farm has consigned two Constitution yearlings (Hips 88 and 320) to Book 1 that are both out of Tiznow mares and both bred by celebrity chef Bobby Flay. Hip 88 is a filly out of grade 2 winner Tizahit , who is the dam of grade 1 winner Come Dancing . Hip 320 is a colt out of the winner Life Well Lived, who is a full sister to Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) winner Well Armed . Life Well Lived also is the dam of grade 1 winner and sire American Patriot  and to stakes winner Well Humored .

"Both of the yearlings we have are well put together and have all the right angles," said Lynn Hancock, director of sales at Stone Farm. "Constitution has proved he can throw a big horse and they both have great walks and look athletic, like runners. It is looking like Tapit is a sire of sires and for breeders like us that goes a long way. Obviously, there is good blood there and that goes a long way, too, in giving buyers confidence."

The other Book 1 Constitution yearlings are as follows:

• Hip 137, f, out of Another Day of Sun (Arch), a half sister to stakes winner Cerro ; consigned by Lisa and Tim Turney
• Hip 192, c, out of grade 3 winner Cozze Up Lady  (Cozzene), the dam of grade 1 winner Kimari ; consigned by Highgate Sales
• Hip 276, c, out of High Performer (Candy Ride  ); consigned by St. George Sales
• Hip 303, f, out of winner Kittery Point (Include), the dam of grade 1 winner Sam's Sister ; consigned by Airdrie Stud
• Hip 332, f, out of winner Majestic Jewel (Cindago), dam of stakes winner Concept  and a half sister to grade 1 winner Evening Jewel ; consigned by Warrendale Sales
• Hip 362, c, out of Nono Rose (Hard Spun  ), from the immediate family of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mine That Bird  and grade 1 winner Bolo ; consigned by Betz Thoroughbreds
• Hip 367, c, out of Orabella (More Than Ready), dam of graded-placed stakes winner Louder Than Bombs ; consigned by Lisa and Tim Turney