Il Campione remains firmly atop the sire standings and has now surpassed the $ 1000 millions mark in progeny earnings

The El Paraíso stallion continues to dominate, with Fortify and Hi Happy rounding out the podium as the ninth month of the season comes to a close

Il Campione sets his sights on another sire championship / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

The national sire standings are entering the home stretch. After nine months of activity, Il Campione (Scat Daddy) remains firmly at the top, crossing the $1 billion pesos mark in progeny earnings during September to close the period with total earnings of $1,099,009,062.

The figure gives him a comfortable margin over Fortify (Distorted Humor), his closest pursuer, whose offspring have banked $892,227,417, and who still harbors hopes of catching the leader—especially now that it has been announced the winner of the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1) will collect 250,000,000 pesos.

In an outstanding season, champion Hi Happy (Pure Prize) sits third in the standings with $662,395,664, just ahead of fellow Argentine Cosmic Trigger (Lizard Island), who has earned $637,820,550. Close behind, Remote (Dansili) rounds out the top five with $628,468,346.

When ranked by races won, Il Campione leads with 145, followed by Fortify (98), Cosmic Trigger (89), Remote (83), and Hi Happy (80). By number of winning progeny, the list reads: Il Campione (93), Fortify (67), Cosmic Trigger (64), Remote (55), and Manipulator (Unbridled) (54).

Looking at percentage of winners among sires with more than 40 runners this year, Remote tops the list with 49.1%, just ahead of Forge (Dubawi) at 47.9%, Greenspring (Orientate) 47.8%, Bodemeister (Empire Maker) 47%, and Hurricane Cat (Storm Cat) 46.6%.

Il Campione also leads in the number of stakes wins with 20, followed by Fortify (16), Remote (13), Hi Happy (12), and Distinctiv Passion (With Distinction) (9). In Grade 1 victories, there is a tie between Il Campione and Hat Ninja(Hat Trick), both with three; next are Strategos (Zensational), Remote, and Gouverneur Morris (Constitution) with two each.

On dirt tracks, the leading sires by earnings are Il Campione, Fortify, Cosmic Trigger, Remote, and Hi Happy, while on turf the leader is Treasure Beach (Galileo) by a narrow margin over Fortify and Hi Happy, with Il Campione and Remote trailing.

Below are the statistics by category compiled by the Argentine Stud Book through September 30.