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The following is a continuation from last week's article Close Race for Second-Crop Sires.

There seems to be something of a blight on Saint Ballado’s branch of the Halo line. Saint Ballado himself died at the age of 13, and his best son, Horse of the Year Saint Liam (the sixth leading second season sire), was euthanized after a paddock accident when he had served only one season at stud. Saint Liam’s only black type stakes-winning son, Buddy’s Saint, was among the winter favorites for the 2010 Kentucky Derby after winning the Nashua Stakes and Remsen Stakes (both gr. II) at two, but was sidelined by surgery for a bone chip in his right front ankle. He returned to training in the fall and was nearing a return to action when he suffered a fatal breakdown in a workout in mid-November. That single first crop includes three other stakes winners, including Havre de Grace, one of the best three-year-old fillies of 2010, and graded winner Liam’s Dream, but, unfortunately, unless one of Saint Liam’s sons makes beyond average progress with age (as did Saint Liam), the line stops here.

Turf Champion [KittensJoy] was the fifth leading freshman last year, and follows Medaglia d'Oro (TrueNicks,SRO) as the second young son of El Prado to figure prominently among the young stallions. He has five stakes winners, headed by Dean’s Kitten, winner of the Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II), and Sweet Kitten, Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in Puerto Rico.

Closing Argument (TrueNicks,SRO), a Kentucky Derby (gr. I) runner-up by former leading freshman Successful Appeal (TrueNicks,SRO), was tenth in the group at the end of 2009, and has advance two places this term. He’s sire of three stakes winners, including last year’s quick juvenile filly Midst, and 2010 black type scorer My Irish Girl.

Now standing in Pennsylvania, ninth-placed Grand Reward is by Storm Cat out of Serena’s Song. He had 24 two-year-old winners last year, and was represented by Kent Stakes (gr. III) victor Grand Rapport this year. He also has some smart performers in Argentina from his first shuttle crop. Rounding out the top ten is Pulpit’s son Purge (TrueNicks,SRO) who is now in New York. He has three stakes winners, the best being the sharp California colt Macias, who is linebred to Pulpit’s family.

Below these, there are few others to note. Limehouse (TrueNicks,SRO) has had five stakes winners, including graded winner Lou Brissie, Canadian classic winner Miami Deco, and classic contender Uptowncharlybrown, as well as the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) third Delightful Mary. Consolidator (TrueNicks,SRO), who is now in Florida, has four stakes winners, including Bank Merger, also runner-up in the King’s Bishop Stakes (gr. I). Rock Hard Ten (TrueNicks,SRO) has five stakes winners, but four, Doubles Partner, Kypton, Long Lashes, and The Mailet, are graded. Offlee Wild (TrueNicks,SRO), last year’s Leading Freshman Sire due to the exploits of Champion Two-Year-Old Filly She Be Wild, now has four stakes winners and six stakes-placed horses, including 2010 two-year-old stakes winner Dreamsrunwild. Florida’s Bwana Charlie (TrueNicks,SRO) was fairly quiet with his first crop, but in his second crop has the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) captor Comma to the Top and Debutante Stakes (gr. III) second Tristanme.

Finally, we’ll give a call to North Light (IRE) (TrueNicks,SRO), an English Derby (gr. I)-winning son of Danehill. Never a horse who was going to sire early runners, he has three stakes winners, including Arctic Cosmos, hero of the English St. Leger (gr. I), the third leg of that country’s Triple Crown, and graded winning filly Go Forth North.