Top Third-Crop Sires Heading for Photo Finish

Sire classes can be a lot like the stock market. There are ups, downs, different price points to enter at, and a lot of money to make, especially if the timing is right. Freshman sires can be a lot like the sexy initial public offering that everyone wants to get involved with on the ground floor. Second-crop sires can be a mixed bag—there are those that have their loyalists and others who would rather wait and see before investing. Then there are the third-crop sires. They tend to have shown consistency in their early years, enough to make them commercially appealing. But they also can have price points similar to that hot IPO as well as the steady but not flashy stocks. Leading this year's third-crop stallions—barely—is Vekoma. The son of Candy Ride (ARG) is having a wonderful year. He leads all North American third-crop sires in progeny earnings with $8,959,435 as of Aug. 24. In basketball terminology, he's filling up the stat sheet. He's tops in his class by runners (219), winners (97), black-type winners (15), black-type performers (26), and graded stakes winners (six). Standing at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Vekoma saw his stud fee reflect minor fluctuations. After debuting as a stallion in 2021 for $20,000, his fee dipped to $17,500 for the second season before dropping again to $15,000 for the next two seasons. But as those first foals mature into racehorses, the stud fee dip can precede a subsequent rally. Vekoma's first group of runners made him the top freshman sire of 2024, edging McKinzie by $13,539. It was that close. That crop included grade 3 winner and grade 2-placed Jonathan's Way; Mi Bago, who this year in his most recent starts earned his first graded win and first grade 1 placing; and the subsequent graded-placed winner Vixen. The leading freshman sire title led to a increase in his 2025 stud fee to $35,000. As a second-crop sire, Vekoma finish at the head of his class again, but this time by a much larger margin, thanks to Golden Vekoma winning a pair of big-money races: the UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G3) and the Saudi Derby (G3). The sire was also supported by 2025 Travers Stakes (G1) runner-up and Oklahoma Derby (G3) winner Bracket Buster, grade 3 winner Praying, in addition to continuing success from Mi Bago and Vixen. A second leading sire title would jump Vekoma's stud fee for 2026 to $100,000. This year's flag bearer for Vekoma is Alpyland. The 3-year-old gelding has won four black-type stakes so far, including a victory in the Penn Mile Stakes (G3T). He also finished third in the Secretariat Stakes (G2T) and ran fourth in the American Turf Stakes (G1T). Vekoma is currently the No. 10 overall sire by progeny earnings this year. Seeing as Vekoma is no stranger to close battles, it is only natural that this year's No. 2 third-crop sire, Tiz the Law, is just $479,384 behind the leader. The son of No. 6 overall sire Constitution is a co-leader in one category—he has a single grade 1 winner so far this year along with Volatile, Honor A. P., and Shancelot—but has been a model of consistency as he is not far off the pace in many categories. He has sired five graded stakes winners year to date compared with six for Vekoma. Standing at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., Tiz the Law's stud fee has come full circle. After starting at $40,000, his stud fee dropped by $5,000 increments in years two and three before dipping to $20,000 in 2024. But thanks to his runners, the stud fee increased to $30,000 last year and was elevated to $40,000 for 2026. His first set of runners was highlighted by Tiztastic, who placed twice in graded affairs at 2 and won the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Mile Stakes. The second year of his progeny running saw Tiztastic again lead the way, but 2025 featured his first graded win in the Louisiana Derby (G2) and another graded placing. Meanwhile, Fully Subscribed added a pair of graded triumphs this year in the Mother Goose Stakes( G2) and the Comely Stakes (G3), and Tiz the Law's juvenile daughter Chloe landed two graded placings. This year, Michael Scofield, a 4-year-old Tiz the Law gelding, has earned $500,000 while racing twice and winning a stakes at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. Fully Subscribed was runner-up in the La Troienne Stakes (G1) and Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) before winning the Shuvee Stakes (G2). Four-year-old filly Eunomia has represented her father well, winning the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1), running second in the Doubledogdare Stakes (G2), and finishing third in the Royal Delta Stakes (G3). Like Vekoma, Tiz the Law currently owns a spot in the top 25 ranking for the general leading sires at No. 13. And while these two currently headline the third-crop class, there is ample talent on the track from fellow third-crop sires such as McKinzie, Authentic, and Volatile, who round out the top five.