Part One: 2013 Fasig-Tipton July Sale

Last year, the Fasig-Tipton July Sale served as the first yearling auction I ever covered. This year, it has become the first one I have ever attended. The day prior to the sale, I spent the first half of the day viewing and studying dozens of yearlings at Fasig-Tipton’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky.

As the warm morning sun shone over the barns, I approached numerous consignments, selecting the yearlings I wanted to view from each consignment prior to analyzing their conformation and walk. Making notes as I studied these young horses, I noted the horses that impressed me most. Listed below are my top 17 yearling selections for the July Sale, which will begin tomorrow (July 15) at 10:00 AM Eastern Time.

Hip #4: A member of champion Summer Bird’s first crop and the second foal out of the unraced Mineshaft mare Gold N Shaft, hip 4’s graded stakes-winning granddam produced four black-type horses, including the black-type-winning Precious Kiss.

A well-balanced, muscular chestnut, hip 4 was strong over her topline and possessed short cannon bones that were correctly centered beneath her knees.

Hip 4
Photo by Tom Cage (iPhone photo)

Hip #7: A son of Tiz Wonderful, hip 7’s dam – a daughter of Speightstown – is a sibling to five black-type horses, including two graded stakes winners and the graded stakes-winning, grade one-placed sire Value Plus.

Displaying the build of a sprinter, hip 7 was a very muscular individual, being wide through the chest and from stifle to stifle. He was also quite structurally correct, being clean about his legs.

Hip 7
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #17: From the first crop of champion Midshipman, hip 17’s dam is a full sister to three black-type horses, including the grade one-winning Karelian. His third dam, a black-type-placed daughter of Halo, produced a Canadian champion.

A physical standout, hip 17 was somewhat small but very evenly balanced, appearing athletic. Exhibiting very smooth conformation, hip 17 was short and strong about the topline as a result of a rather sloping shoulder. He was, however, over at the knees.

Hip 17
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #21: Sired by Notional, hip 21 is a half-brother to two black-type horses, including a stakes winner. He is a descendant of four Reine De Course mares.

Although his neck tied in low, it was very long and clean. A tall colt, hip 21 boasted a sleek, athletic appearance.

Hip 21
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #28: A member of spectacular sprinter Zensational’s first crop, hip 28’s dam, who has also produced a black-type-placed runner, is out of a full sister to the great champion Althea. This filly’s granddam foaled numerous black-type horses and black-type producers, including the grade one-winning Aldiza and the graded stakes-winning Atelier.

A very smoothly built filly, hip 28 was rather well-balanced, as evident in her sturdy topline.

Hip 28
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #33: From the first crop of the grade one-winning Line of David, hip 33’s granddam produced the graded stakes-winning Minister’s Melody, who begat three black-type horses, including the grade one-winning Bob and John.

A muscular and balanced yearling, hip 33 had a handful of structural flaws, but was an overall athletically built, correct individual.

Hip 33
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #45: A daughter of Tiz Wonderful, this filly is a half-sister to the black-type-winning Dattts Our Girl. Her granddam, the multiple grade one-winning Lakeway, produced the black-type-winning Sluice, who in turn foaled the grade one-winning Mushka. Lakeway is also the dam of two additional black-type horses. Hip 45’s third dam is a full sister to the grade one-winning Saratoga Six.

A balanced, strapping filly, hip 45 exuded nimbleness with her strong walk. Thin and clean about her neck, the bay filly had the build of a true athlete.

Hip 45
Photo by Tom Cage (iPhone photo)

Hip #51: Among several yearlings from the first crop of Desert Party entered in this sale, hip 51 is a half-sister to a pair of black-type horses, including the multiple black-type-winning and graded stakes-placed Cosmic Kris. She is bred on the same Street Cry/Kris S cross as the great champion Zenyatta.

Hip 51 possessed a long, muscular, and sloping shoulder, causing her to be evenly balanced, therefore resulting in a short, sturdy topline. Her sleek build was reflected in her athletic walk.

Hip 51
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #54: One of five yearlings from the first crop of Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Super Saver in this sale, hip 54 is out of a black-type winning mare that is a sibling to three black-type winners, including the graded stakes winners Astrology and Lunarpal.

Hip 54 was a very smoothly built, correct filly, being long about her neck and well-balanced. Showing with a nice walk, hip 54 was a refined version of her sire.

Hip 54
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #58: By Tiz Wonderful, this colt’s granddam produced two black-type winners – including the grade one-winning Siphonic – and the dam of the grade one winner Laragh and the graded stakes-winning Summer Front.

Catching the eye with his white markings, hip 58 displayed impressive muscularity, which – combined with balance, evident in his strong loin – made for smooth build.

Hip 58
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #69: A member of the grade one-winning Majesticperfection’s first crop, hip 69 is from the same family as the grade one-winning, world record-setting Hawkster.

Not originally one of my picks, hip 69 caught my eye, displaying a very athletic, impressive build. Evenly balanced and elegant, the colt had the build of a capable athlete.

Hip 69
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #70: Another Majesticperfection colt, hip 70 is a half-brother to the stakes winners A Day for Dancing and Master of Disaster.

Exhibiting the build of a sprinter, hip 70 was a very muscular individual, being wide and bulging about the chest, forearms, gaskin, and stifle. Strong about the back, hip 70 was evenly balanced and impressed me greatly with his walk.

Hip 70
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #109: From the first crop of Desert Party, hip 109’s dam is a half-sister to the Hall of Fame champion Silverbulletday.

Boasting a long, thin neck, hip 109 was also a very structurally correct colt and walked in a strong manner.

Hip 109
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #110: A member of the graded stakes-winning Old Fashioned’s second crop, hip 110’s dam is a half-sister to three black-type winners, including the dam of the multiple graded stakes-winning Tres Borrachos.

A light gray, hip 110 – a very structurally correct colt – featured a strong, sloping shoulder and carried himself well in his walk.

Hip 110
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #164: Yet another Majesticperfection colt, hip 164 is a half-brother to the multiple black-type-winning Sea the Joy. He is bred on the same Harlan’s Holiday/Mr. Prospector sire line cross as the grade one-winning Goldencents.

Also not originally one of my selections, hip 164 caught my eye with his impressive build. Gleaming a deep red, hip 164 was one of the most powerfully built horses I observed and despite being over at the knees, displayed very correct conformation.

Hip 164
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #176: From the first crop of the grade one-winning Discreety Mine, hip 176 is out of a full sister to the champion Banshee Breeze and the stakes-winning Unbridled Wind. He is from the same family as the grade/group one winners All at Sea, Hilda’s Passion, Passage of Time, Timepiece, and Twice Over.

A sleek individual, this chestnut colt possessed a strong topline that was short in correlation to his underline. Fairly well-balanced and structurally correct, this colt had one of my favorite walks of any horse I viewed.

HIp 176
Photo by Terri Cage

Hip #179: Another Taylor Made-consigned yearling from the first crop of Old Fashioned, hip 179 is out of a half-sister to a pair of black-type horses, including the multiple grade one-winning Habibti. His third dam produced the winner of the Kentucky Oaks (GI) and Canadian Oaks, Gal in a Ruckus.

A very tall, mature yearling, 179 was very strong about his shoulder and long about his neck, allowing him to look quite spry.

Hip 179
Photo by Terri Cage

*On paper, my top selections were hips 153, 188, and 240 due to their pedigrees, but those yearlings failed to impress me with their conformation.