Progeny's Big Day Caps Fruitful Year for Solomini

If Dec. 16 is any indication, first-crop sire Solomini might turn into the steal of his class. Saturday saw two of his offspring win and show why there is growing buzz for the only first-crop sire not based in Kentucky among the top 17 in progeny earnings as of Dec. 17. The second win turned heads as Solomini's 2-year-old son Wynstock took home the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), nearly going gate to wire. "We've been watching (Wynstock) closely. Literally since last April, when he became so noteworthy (when he sold for $700,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sale for 2-Year-Olds in Training). And he carried the ball yesterday from a perspective that really catches the industry's attention," said John McMahon, manager of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds where Solomini stands. Earlier in the day, Solomini's leading earner, My Shea D Lady won the $500,000 New York Stallion Series Stakes for 2-year-old fillies by 2 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct Racetrack. She was bred by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, making her a sentimental favorite of the family-run operation. She is out of Ladyberg, by Teuflesburg, the latter having been purchased by McMahon in 2012. "This last day wasn't just the culmination of a stallion's offspring. Getting some real attention, it was a real testament to Anne and Joe (McMahon) and their commitment to the industry and being the cornerstone in New York region racing for the last 35, 40 years," said McMahon, who noted his parents. Had it not been for the stallion's disqualification in the 2017 Los Alamitos Futurity, which was a grade 1 race at the time, he probably wouldn't be in New York today. The son of Curlin was ruled to have interfered with a rival down the stretch of that race and was placed third. Instead of being a grade 1 winning son of Curlin standing stud probably in Kentucky for a fee much higher than the $7,500 he's slated for next year. Thinking about what he's already done as a sire in his first year with runners, it's not hard to imagine what future years may look like. The McMahons' faith in Solomini is so high that they didn't launch a new sire in 2022. Solomini is seventh in progeny earnings ($1,331,138) despite having just 68 foals. Of the other first-crop sires ahead of him, the fewest number of foals is 108 (Flameaway). Solomini is third in average earnings per runner with $31,694. He's tied for the most blacktype winners (3) and one of only three first-crop sires to have a graded stakes winner. With just two weeks left in the year, Solomini has 11 maiden winners. McMahon said the stallion has checked every box, which is impressive because the expectations for Solomini were "higher than had ever been previously expected out of a stallion prospect." The 8-year-old chestnut has had a full book, syndicated successfully, and has had yearlings and 2-year-olds that have "gone off nicely." After Saturday's successes, Solomini's 2024 book is going to start looking a little different. "The phone has been ringing, text messages have been coming in," McMahon said "People are wanting to send maybe a better level of mare. Got a couple of graded producers that came across the pipeline yesterday, late afternoon and in the evening, which is really just a really nice, nice opportunity to be in as a stallion manager. So I think the 2024 book will be robust, very healthy."