Big weekend vaults Vekoma to top of First-Crop Sire list

With two new winners and a pair of new stakes horses over the weekend, Vekoma has made his way to the top of the 2024 General Sire list.

The Spendthrift stallion now has 35 winners, 13 stakes horses and $2,433,391 in progeny earnings, all tops among his peers. He is only four winners away from tying the First-Crop all-time record of 39.

Sunday on the turf at Del Mar, Magale won a hard-fought battle by a nose over Pura Vida Princesa in what was the chestnut filly’s second lifetime start. Magale was second for the first three furlongs, then repelled her challenger to get home in front in :58.04 for the five furlongs on the firm turf.

Magale races for Sayjay Racing LLC and was bred in Kentucky by Carole Rio.

That same day on the Aqueduct turf, Five G was narrowly beaten in the $135,000 Tepin S., the filly’s stakes debut following her four-length maiden score over the same course on Nov. 2. Five G races for her breeder Gatsas Stables.

One day earlier Bella Cleopatra also made her stakes debut with a game third in the Juvenile Fillies Sprint S. at Gulfstream Park. The bay filly was making her first start since winner her career bow by 6 ½-lengths on July 13 at Colonial Downs. Bella Cleopatra is owned by Black Type Thoroughbreds , Swinbank Stables, LLC, Steve Adkisson and Campeche Stables.