'Song' Signs Off On The Right Note

Since the turn of the century 12 sires have become champion sire in North America. The title is bestowed for the most progeny earnings worldwide by a North American stallion during the calendar year. The apposite phrase here is worldwide earnings. For had it been based on North American earnings only, then four of the titles during the period would have ended up with altogether different winners. Remarkably, Giant's Causeway–the title winner in 2009, 2010 and 2012–would be left with none whatsoever. Smart Strike (2009), Malibu Moon (2010) and Empire Maker (2012) were the three that accumulated the most North American earnings in the three years in question. The other title that relied heavily upon foreign earnings was the most recent, won by the deceased Unbridled's Song, whose outstanding son Arrogate landed the Dubai World Cup in 2017, thus helping his sire bypass Candy Ride for the 2017 title. No one would begrudge Unbridled's Song his day in the sun. He was a hugely important sire, siring–in addition to the great Arrogate–Liam's Map, Will Take Charge and host of top-class fillies and mares that had a knack of peaking at Breeders' Cup time. In terms of ratios of stakes winners to foals, he may well have been in the bottom half of our champion sires list, headed by A. P. Indy (12.7%) and Storm Cat (12.1%)–who both benefitted from smaller more select books of mares–but none of the 12 has ever sired one so good as Unbridled's Song did.