So You Think tops Australian Stud Book with 261 mares covered in 2020

Data released by the Australian Stud Book has revealed the stallions that covered the largest book of mares in 2020.

Leading the way was Coolmore’s stallion So You Think, who covered 261 mares at a fee of $38,500 (£21,000/€25,000), up from the 234 mares he covered in 2019 at the same price.

The son of High Chaparral was ahead of this season’s leading first-season sire on the track, Capitalist, who covered 237 mares at $44,000, while Swettenham Stud’s Toronado covered 210 mares at a fee of $27,500.

Toronado: proving popular down underCredit: Al Shaqab Racing

Topping the list of first-season sires was Coolmore’s Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, who covered 205 mares at a fee of $38,500.

Coolmore stand three of the top five stallions, with Pride Of Dubai fifth on the list having covered 202 mares. Newgate’s Deep Field was the only other sire to reach the 200 mark, covering exactly that number of mares in 2020.

The 15-year-old So You Think, whose top performers include Australian Derby scorer Quick Thinker, Randwick Guineas winner Inference and Surround Stakes heroine Nakeeta Jane, has sired the winners of more than $8.1 million in prize-money this season and his six stakes winners are headed by Group 2 winners Peltzer and Poland.

He was a stunning-looking racehorse and superstar on the track himself, accumulating a terrific total of ten top-level victories, including two Cox Plates and a Mackinnon Stakes in Australia, and, after being switched to Aidan O'Brien, two Tattersalls Gold Cups, the Irish Champion Stakes, Eclipse and Prince of Wales's Stakes.

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