March 28 is likely to be the day that unofficially served because the altering of the guard on the prime of the North American normal sires checklist. That is when Magnitude gained the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1), representing his sire Not This Time  .Â
If the way during which Not This Time’s progeny got here on robust on the finish of 2025 was a warning shot, then Magnitude’s victory is a heck of a gap salvo.Â
However perhaps what occurred later that day, when Commandment gained the Florida Derby (G1) and Renegade gained the Arkansas Derby (G1), was that their sire, Into Mischief  , declared the battle for prime sire was a great distance from over. It actually does not appear to be he’s going to concede that his seven-year run as the highest North American sire is approaching its finish.Â
But it surely’s additionally silly to suppose this can be a two-horse race.Â
For the final 4 years, Gun Runner  has been a top-five stallion based mostly on progeny earnings. Nyquist  has come on robust to begin 2026 after rating eighth final 12 months. And there is the late, nice Uncle Mo, who’s the sire of Nyquist. Uncle Mo’s offspring have already earned 44% of what they did a 12 months in the past.Join BloodHorse Each day
With the race to the highest seemingly set to play out way more intently than lately, BloodHorse requested a number of trade figures their ideas on the sire panorama because the 2026 racing season kicks into excessive gear. Due to relationships throughout the trade, these individuals have been granted anonymity.Â
On the battle on the prime of the rankings:
Commentor 1: “They’re all awfully good stallions, as you recognize, however I believe you are splitting hairs with Into Mischief and Not This Time being prime. Not This Time, his finest is to come back as a result of … the higher mares are simply now coming. His ebook is form of a who’s who. … I believe it is these two, after which that subsequent stage is what you are speaking about. Not very far behind are Gun Runner, Nyquist, and Structure is on the come.”
On the profit to the trade of getting a lot competitors on the prime:
Commentor 1: “Variety is at all times good in any sport. To have some competitors, it is robust. It is at all times good. All people who goes to gross sales shouldn’t be going to be searching for one stallion. You may return to Mr. Prospector, Northern Dancer, I assume Storm Cat actually did not have an equal, however I believe the higher the stallions are, the higher the breed is going to be.”
Commentor 2: “I believe you take a look at the historical past of sire strains—there’s fixed change, and I believe that anytime one sire line dominates, finally that sire line will move on after which there will be one other sire line that strikes into these spots. So I believe it is pure. It is not a contest, as a result of the Thoroughbred is a hybrid, and also you want velocity and dominant sire strains that work for some time, after which they move on.”
On Into Mischef:
Commentor 3: “There’s just a little little bit of a altering of the guard. Into Mischief has been a breed-shaping stallion. What he is finished is really outstanding. He is 21 now. When stallions attain that age, once they get into their 20s, the bloom begins to come back off the rose just a little bit. And that hasn’t occurred. Definitely hasn’t occurred commercially. Definitely hasn’t occurred on the racetrack. He continues to fireside on all cylinders.”
On Not This Time:
Commentor 1: “He did not get to run many instances, so he was a freak of nature racehorse, and he is obtained all of the pedigree to do it. His brother, Liam’s Map, shouldn’t be a slouch within the stallion shed. And he’s a wonderful horse with pedigree, expertise, good thoughts on him. Every little thing you’d need out of a stallion prospect.”
On who’s an underrated stallion who deserves extra consideration:
Commentor 3: “I believe a horse that I’ve at all times thought was an amazing worth … is Liam’s Map. He was at all times a favourite stallion of mine to begin a younger mare with. He is only a strong, confirmed, constant stallion. And from a business standpoint, he’ll offer you a handsome horse. He offers you leg. He form of toes that line of being a confirmed stallion. However you can even have loads of success within the sale ring. … One other horse that has at all times form of teetered at a stage, and has not been capable of actually break by means of, is Twirling Sweet. Final 12 months he had an unbelievable 12 months and noticed him rise to $75,000 for this season. He is simply been a brilliantly constant stallion with quite a lot of versatility, each dust and turf. That is one which’s form of at all times been a bit underappreciated.”
Photograph: Courtesy Lane’s Finish/Asuncion PineyruaLiam’s Map at Lane’s Finish
Commentor 2: “The Uncle Mo line for positive, though Uncle Mo, for me, wasn’t a lovely horse bodily. He provides a velocity affect, and he is obtained an out of doors pedigree sire line as a result of it’s kind of of an outcross. And naturally, I believe he is a wonderful broodmare sire, too. And that is the opposite factor it’s good to look into is broodmare sires, who’s going to be the subsequent influential broodmare sire? That may be as necessary as sire. All that is a little bit of a riddle while you’re horses, and also you’re breeding horses, making an attempt to determine which one’s going to have probably the most affect. … I believe it’s a must to predict these items by the primary, second, or third season of a horse standing stud, I believe by the third season, fourth season, then their positions are established. They both produced or they have not produced.”
On when is just too quickly to make declarations a couple of stallion based mostly on rankings:
Commentor 3: “One of the vital frequent errors I see individuals make is whether or not it is breeders or it is stallion farms, leaping on a champion freshman sire or one who had a profitable first crop. The stud feed doubles or triples, and jumps up, after which the stallion immediately goes quiet. Now you are sitting on a reasonably heavy funding. … I’ve at all times taken the method that I would quite pay extra in two years’ time as soon as the stallion has actually proven that he is reliable.”
Commentor 2: “The top of the second crop’s 3-year-old 12 months. You’ve got obtained fairly good readability by then on whether or not or not it is going to be a sure sort of producer. … And the reality is, if a stallion operator judges a horse or a stallion earlier than the tip of the third crops’ 3-year-old 12 months, I believe they may pull the set off too quickly earlier than they decide that sire as a hit or failure, as a result of it does take time.”
On making an attempt to find out the subsequent huge stallion:
Commentor 2: “I believe one of many benefits that I’ve as a horseman is that I attempt to get by means of the yearling markets and take a look at the foals by each stallion, whether or not they’re E book 1 or E book 6 horses, and take a look at to determine which of them have put what I’d name a stamp on their progeny. I believe a superb sire has to stamp the progeny. There must be a dominance and it’s a must to take a look at it as colts and fillies each methods. … A horse that is baffled me, to some extent, is Flightline as a result of I do not see his affect on both facet at this level, though I’ve solely checked out one crop. I am making an attempt to determine: is he a sire of affect, or is not he? Clearly, (his offspring are) very costly they usually’re highly regarded, however I have never seen his stamp.”
TOP SIRES BY PROGENY EARNINGS
April 6 rating
Dec. 31 rating
1. Not This Time
2 (+1)
2. Into Mischief
1 (-1)
3. Nyquist
8 (+5)
4. Gun Runner
3 (-1)
5. Uncle Mo
18 (+13)
6. Sensible Joke
6 (–)
7. Munnings
12 (+5)
8. Structure
5 (-3)
9. Oscar Efficiency
NR
10. Sweet Trip (ARG)
9 (-1)
11. Tiz the Regulation
NR
12. Vekoma
13 (+1)
13. Omaha Seaside
11 (-2)
14. Curlin
7 (-7)
15. Liam’s Map
17 (+2)
16. Maclean’s Music
25 (+9)
17. Bolt d’Oro
19 (+2)
18. Justify
10 (-8)
19. Twiring Sweet
4 (-15)
20. Exaggerator
NR
21. Mendelssohn
15 (-6)
22. Audible
NR
23. Flameaway
NR
24. High quality Highway
14 (-10)
25. Vino Rosso
NR
