With Bernardini's own tremendous success on the dirt when winning races like the G1 Preakness, G1 Travers and G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, it should come as no big surprise that the next generations of "Bernardinis" should excel on the main track just like their father. In fact, the success of his progeny have him second only to Tapit when ranked by the number of Graded Stakes winners on the dirt since 2015:
| Tapit |
27 |
| Bernardini |
19 |
| Curlin |
17 |
| Uncle Mo |
15 |
| Medaglia d'Oro |
13 |
| Quality Road |
13 |
| Ghostzapper |
13 |
Graded winner number 19 came on July 29th when his four-year-old daughter Berned captured the G3 Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth. His other top performers over the last four years years include G1 winners Takaful, Cavorting, Rachel’s Valentina, Dame Dorothy, Boban and Greenpointcrusader.
Breeders have also consistently been rewarded in the sales ring as well as his offspring keep him near the top of the list of leading auction sires year after year.
One of Bernardini’s most notable sales success stories lands on his son Stay Thirsty who was first sold as a yearling at Keeneland’s September sale and was then purchased by Todd Pletcher, agent, at Fasig-Tipton’s March two-year-old sale. He went on to win the G1 Travers, like his father, and also won the G1 Cigar Mile. Stay Thirsty is also one of 19 two-year-olds by Bernardini to bring at least $500,000 at the sales. Only the legendary Storm Cat has every been represented by more $500k juveniles:
| Storm Cat |
27 |
| Bernardini |
19 |
| Malibu Moon |
17 |
| Scat Daddy |
15 |
| Distorted Humor |
13 |
| Tapit |
13 |
| Ghostzapper |
13 |
It should also be pointed out that Stay Thirsty’s son, Mind Control, just won the G1 Hopeful Stakes on September 3rd.
Bernardini will be represented by 50 yearlings at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
