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In recent reports, we’ve given plenty of props – and deservedly so – to the stellar group of U.S. second-crop sires. The most recent weekend, however, belonged to their seniors, the stallions whose first foals were born in 2005.

One of these, Macho Uno (TrueNicks,SRO), had the weekend's big winner, Macho Again, who took the Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I). Macho Again is one of seven stakes winners (three graded) for his sire, and Macho Uno's actually a little unlucky not to have three grade I winners in that group, as in addition to Wicked Style (a grade I winner at 2) and Macho Again, he's also responsible for Harlem Rocker, who was first past the post in the Hill 'N' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I) only to lose the race in the stewards' room. Out of the Wild Again mare Go Donna Go Macho Again is an A++ rated horse. What particularly interests us in his pedigree is that Wild Again's dam is by the English-bred Hyperion (GB) son Khaled. Now, Khaled is very similarly-bred to the granddam of Blushing Groom (FR) (broodmare sire of Macho Uno), and all three of Macho Uno's graded scores have Khaled in the pedigree, as do six of his seven stakes winners.

Sky Mesa (TrueNicks,SRO) , currently second on the Third-Crop Sire table (behind Empire Maker (TrueNicks,SRO)), also added a stakes winner when Matchless Orinda took the What a Summer Stakes at Belmont. She's his 10th stakes winner and sixth graded scorer. Out of a Silver Deputy mare whose third dam is also the third dam of Medaglia d'Oro, Matchless Orinda has Mr. Prospector 4 x 4, along with a cross of that horse's genetic relative Alydar in the third generation.

D'wildcat (TrueNicks,SRO) , who started in Canada before moving to Vinery's Florida division, had a one-two in the Ballade Stakes at Woodbine. Winner Authenicat, who's owned by Vinery, took her earnings to over $600,000 with the score. She's out of a mare by Alydeed (by Shadeed out of an Alydar mare). With D'Wildcat, leading freshman Wildcat Heir (TrueNicks,SRO) , and South African sensation Var, Forest Wildcat looks at least a good minor sire of sires.

Still on a Vinery tack -- and they had a big week, with freshman Limehouse (TrueNicks,SRO) getting a first-out stakes winner -- we turn to  Repent (TrueNicks,SRO) , a third-crop sire who started at the Florida division before earning the transfer to Vinery Kentucky.  Repent was represented by the Snack Stakes winner Hoosier Kingdom. This is his seventh stakes winner, two of them being graded. Hoosier Kingdom is out of a Quiet American mare and is linebred to Bold Ruler through closely-related Bold Lad and Secretariat.

The last third-crop sire we'll mention is Cactus Ridge (TrueNicks,SRO), an undefeated son of Hennessy who stands at Walmac. He had the Cinderella Stakes winner Well Deserved from his third crop. He's also sire of 2009  graded scorer Hot Cha Cha (Bourbonette Oaks (gr. III)) from his second crop.

Filed under: Recent Winners, Sires