With three weeks still remaining on the racing calendar, the races for leading stallions in the various categories are basically over for Florida's sires.

    On the general sire list, the late Wildcat Heir dominated once again as he has for the past four or five years with progeny earnings of more than $6.7 million. He's nearly $4 million ahead of With Distinction and $4.6 million ahead of Exclusive Quality. The fourth horse on the list, Magna Graduate, is moving to Oklahoma.

    On the freshman list, Double Diamond Farm's First Dude is the leader in both categories that count, 16 winners and more than $979,000 in earnings; he has two stakes horses. Bridlewood Farm's Big Drama has 11 winners and more than $730,000, but is easily best with five stakes horses. Northwest Stud's Gone Astray has eight winners, earnings of more than $594,000 and two stakes horses. Woodford Thoroughbreds' Crown of Thorns came on late and has four winners, a stakes-winner and a graded stakes-placed runner.

    Among the second-croppers, Ocala Stud's Kantharos, last year's freshman leader, has been a mile in front this year among the stallions on one of the sparsest lists in recent memory. He has 28 winners, four stakes-winners and more than $1.6 million in earnings. Journeyman Stud's Cool Coal Man has 25 winners and nobody else has more than seven.

    In Summation, from Ocala Stud, is the leading third-crop sire with earnings of nearly $1.9 million. He has taken over from Get Away Farm's Two Step Salsa, who this week slipped by his earnings total of last year at $1,625,000. Both have two stakes-winners. Northwest Stud's Flashstorm made a significant move this season despite having many less runners than the others - he has 17 winners from 25 starters, one stakes-winner and earnings of more than $605,000.  

    SMASHING OPENER - Gulfstream Park's opening day, featuring nine Claiming Crown stakes, proved to be a great success from all angles despite the rain, a sloppy track, and four turf races being switched to the main track. The all-sources handle reached more than $10.1 million and it bodes well for the winter season. Javier Castellano, who was bashed by Longines recently by being named fifth-best jockey in the world instead of No. 1, where he belongs, won four of the nine stakes on the program. 

  

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