Thousand Words states his claim as a top freshman stallion

TwinSpires.com is back with its first-crop sire series for 2024. This installment is the first on multiple graded stakes winner Thousand Words, currently ranked among the top three in number of winners, black-type winners, and progeny earnings.

A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but first-crop sire Thousands Words is worth a whole lot more to Spendthrift Farm, where he retired to stud in 2021 following a successful nine-race career.

Purchased for $1 million by the Albaugh Family and Spendthrift at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 2018, Thousand Words became the first seven-figure yearling by Pioneerof the Nile, whose progeny include Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and multiple Grade 1 victress Matareya.

Out of multiple graded stakes winner Pomeroys Pistol, by 2006 Forego S. (G1) hero Pomeroy, Thousand Words got off to a fast start for trainer Bob Baffert, as he broke his maiden on debut in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint at Santa Anita in October of 2019, then won his only other start as a juvenile, the 2019 Los Alamitos Futurity (G2).

To kick off his sophomore season, the Florida-bred earned another graded stakes victory in the 1 1/16-mile Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita before he suffered his first career loss in the 1 1/16-mile San Felipe (G2) to stablemate Authentic, a fellow freshman sire in 2024.

Thousand Words next shipped to Oaklawn for the non-graded Oaklawn S. in April 2020 and came home 11th of 13 after stumbling at the start. He placed next out in the Los Alamitos Derby (G3) when a four-length second to stablemate Uncle Chuck, then reached the winner’s circle for the final time of his career in the 1 1/16-mile Shared Belief S. at Del Mar in August of 2020.

To close out his career at age three, Thousand Words raced two more times. He was eighth to filly Swiss Skydiver in the COVID-delayed Preakness S. and sixth to stablemate Charlatan in the Malibu S. in late December of 2020.

Now a first-crop sire for Spendthrift with a stud fee of $5,000, Thousand Words has quickly climbed the freshman sire rankings, with $503,682 in progeny earnings and seven winners from 21 starters.

Thousand Words fillies drum up chatter

Midway through the 2024 season, Thousand Words’ most successful progeny have been a pair of fillies, Phil D’Amato trainee Vodka With a Twist and surprise stakes winner The Queens M G.

The former debuted at Keeneland during the spring meet and got off to a slow start before making an inside bid and getting outkicked late to finish fourth as a 21.52-1 longshot in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on the main track.

Out of Sky Mesa mare Bourbon and a Kiss, Vodka With a Twist improved in her next start, going gate to wire in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, where she wired the field by a length. In her most recent start, the six-furlong Debutante S. at Churchill, she romped to a three-length win as the 1.31-1 favorite and brought her lifetime earnings total to $209,320 to make her the top earner for Thousand Words thus far.

The other stakes winner for Thousand Words, Kentucky-bred The Queens M G brought the gavel down at $3,500 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale and won on debut as a 45.37-1 longshot in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland in April. She jumped to stakes company in her next start, the 5 1/2-furlong Astoria S. at Saratoga, where The Queens M G went off as a 2.10-1 post-time favorite but finished last of seven following a troubled trip.

Out of the Grindstone mare Show Queen, The Queens M G next tried the six-furlong Schuylerville S. at the Spa and was overlooked as the longest shot in the field, at 44.5-1, but prevailed by 2 3/4 lengths over 10 rivals.

Sharp maiden winners and an unbeaten runner in Puerto Rico

Other top earners for Thousand Words include Sol de Verano, out of the Uncle Mo daughter Thank You Note, who’s been racing on all-weather at Woodbine in Ontario. Trained by Nathan Squires, the two-year-old colt succeeded by a head on debut in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on May 12 as a 6.35-1 post-time choice and moved up to stakes company next out in the 5 1/2-furlong Victoria S., where he came home last of six.

Debut maiden winner Essay brought home $23,700 in earnings when he triumphed by 2 1/4 lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Lone Star for Texas-breds on June 28. Out of multiple stakes winner Annihilation, by Northern Afleet, Essay is owned by Collinsworth Thoroughbred Racing and trained by Bret Calhoun.

Over in Puerto Rico, filly Caribbean Gal is unbeaten from two starts, both at Camarero Race Track. Out of Malibu Moon mare Dark Rain, the Louisiana-bred dominated by 4 3/4 lengths on debut in a five-furlong maiden special weight and returned to crush three rivals by 17 lengths in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance at the same track.

More Thousand Words maidens to hit the track

On Friday, Thousand Words will have another filly looking to graduate on debut. Out of Photoplay by Tiznow, the Saffie Joseph trainee Andrea will be unveiled in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight in the first race at Gulfstream on July 26. 

Three other fillies will go up against maidens next Tuesday, July 30. New York-bred Belmontis, who’s trained by Jeremiah Englehart, was last of six in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Laurel on May 4 and will now face six rivals in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Finger Lakes.

Preyathousandwords will also compete in a 7 1/2-furlong maiden claimer on Horseshoe Indianapolis’ turf, and Keith Desormeaux trainee Talksalot is entered in the same maiden claimer.