Updated Sept. 15, 2015 (the day following session one) with sales results
Sales have always fascinated me, and I have always enjoyed selecting my favorite horses from auction catalogs, seeing how much they bring at the sale, and following them throughout their racing career. I have been able to follow many successful horses because of this hobby, including the Grade 1 winners Strong Mandate and Streaming, in addition to a multitude of other graded stakes winners - including Barbados, Hebbronville, Onlyforyou, She's Not Here, and Tower of Texas. Of course, a catalog page is not every thing and, when given the chance, I much prefer to also view the sales prospects in person. However, I have only been able to do that at one major yearling auction - the 2013 Fasig-Tipton July Sale, which is where I found eventual Grade 3 Jersey Shore Stakes winner Hebbronville.
Having been very busy with school and horses, I have not had much time to go through sales catalogs as of late, but set aside some time to at least sort through part of Book 1 for this year's Keeneland September Sale - the largest yearling sale in the world - to choose my favorite horses from the first session, which will begin on Monday at 11 a.m. From 241 yearlings, I was able to narrow down my selections to 18 yearlings, in addition to three sentimental favorites:
Hip 23 - Medaglia d'Oro-Weekend Whim, by Distorted Humor
Bay filly - Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency
$450,000 - Mike Ryan, Agent
This filly is by top sire Medaglia d'Oro, who has been an outstanding sire of female runners. Her dam, who has also produced the stakes-placed Coconut Shrimp, is a full sister to Grade 1 winner and sire Any Given Saturday, as well as a half sister to the graded stakes winner Bohemian Lady.
Hip 34 - Street Cry-Winter Memories, by El Prado
Chestnut colt - Consigned by Gainesway
OUT
This is the first foal out of the multiple Grade 1-winning mare Winter Memories, who herself is a daughter of a multiple Grade 1-winning mare, Memories of Silver. Being a son of the late, great sire Street Cry is certainly an advantage, as well.
Hip 38 - Fastnet Rock-Wonder of Wonders, by Kingmambo
Bay colt - Consigned by Eaton Sales
$350,000 - Al Shahania Stud
A son of top Australian sire Fastnet Rock, this colt is the second foal out of the stakes-winning, multiple Group 1-placed mare Wonder of Wonders. That mare is out of the group stakes-winning mare All Too Beautiful, who is a daughter of the legendary Urban Sea. This makes this colt's granddam a full sister to the tremendous sire Galileo and highweight champion Black Sam Bellamy, as well as a half-sister to the great Sea the Stars and many other outstanding runners and producers.
Hip 42 - Hard Spun-Zoftig, by Cozzene
Gray/roan colt - Consigned by Hunter Valley Farm
$60,000 - L&N Racing, LLC
By Hard Spun and out of the Grade 1-winning mare Zoftig, this colt is a full brother to the Grade 1 winner Zo Impressive and a half-brother to the Grade 1 winner Zaftig.
Hip 47 - Distorted Humor-Achieving, by Bernardini
Bay filly - Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency
$550,000 - John Ferguson
By leading sire Distorted Humor, this filly is out of a half-sister to the grade one winner Streaming. Her third dam is the great broodmare Better Than Honour, the dam of Grade 1 Belmont Stakes winners Jazil and Rags to Riches (the latter of which is an Eclipse Award Champion), highweight Man of Iron, and the graded stakes winner Casino Drive.
Hip 48 - Bernardini-Acoma, by Empire Maker
Bay colt - Consigned by Gainesway
$400,000 - China Horse Club
A son of Bernardini, this colt is the third foal out of the Grade 1 winner Acoma. That mare, a daughter of tremendous sire Empire Maker, is a half-sister to UAE Horse of the Year Festival of Light, as well as Grade 1 winner and sire Arch and several other stakes horses.
Hip 49 - Medaglia d'Oro-Afleeting Lady, by Afleet Alex
Bay colt - Consigned by Mill Ridge Sales
$875,000 - John Ferguson
It would be difficult for a pedigree to be more impressive than this colt's. A son of leading sire Medaglia d'Oro, this colt is out of the graded stakes-winning mare Afleeting Lady. That mare is a daughter of one of the best broodmares in recent years, Oatsee - the dam of Grade 1 winners Shackleford and Lady Joanne, as well as graded stakes winner Baghdaria and stakes winner Stephanoatsee.
Hip 72 - Giant's Causeway-Amber Grace, by Elusive Quality
Chestnut colt - Consigned by Paramount Sales
RNA ($150,000)
By top sire Giant's Causeway, this colt is out of a half-sister European champion Russian Rhythm and from the same family as an abundance of other champions and highweights, including Park Appeal, Alydaress, and Nashamaa.
Hip 73 - Tapit-Amelia, by Dixieland Band
Chestnut filly - Consigned by Gainesway
$750,000 - Shadai Farm
Being a daughter of Tapit is noteworthy enough, but this filly's female family is also impressive. His stakes-winning dam - a half-sister to group stakes winner Bertolini and stakes winner Alchemilla - is also the dam of three graded stakes winners and the Grade 1-placed He's Had Enough.
Hip 85 - Speightstown-Arania, by Dynaformer
Chestnut filly - Consigned by Gainesway
$700,000 - Joseph Allen
By one of the top sires in the nation, Speightstown, this filly is from the same female family as the aforementioned hip 48, with her dam a full sister to Japanese champion Yamanin Paradise and two other stakes winners, as well as a half-sister to UAE Horse of the Year Festival of Light and grade one winners Acoma and Arch.
Hip 96 - Giant's Causeway-Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance
Chestnut colt - Consigned by Valkyre Stud
$300,000 - Rigney Racing
Not only is this colt a son of top sire Giant's Causeway, but his dam has produced a multitude of successful runners, including Grade 1 winner Justin Phillip and additional graded stakes winners Keyed Entry, Successful Mission, and Algorithms.
Hip 116 - War Front-Betterbetterbetter, by Galileo
Bay filly - Consigned by Timber Town
$1,450,000 - Shadwell Estate Company, LLC
A daughter of one of the country's top sires, War Front, this filly is the first foal out of the group stakes-placed mare Betterbetterbetter. That mare, a daughter of the outstanding Galileo, is a half-sister to three highweights, including the Group 1 winners Yesterday and Quarter Moon.
Hip 144 - Medaglia d'Oro-Cambiocorsa, by Avenue of Flags
Gray/roan colt - Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency
$350,000 - Todd A. Pletcher, Agent
This colt is by outstanding sire Medaglia d'Oro and out of the graded stakes-winning full sister to California Flag, Cambiocorsa - who has foaled four stakes runners. Of those four stakes horses, two are graded stakes winners, one is a stakes winner, and the other is Grade 1-placed.
Hip 160 - Galileo-Charge of Angels, by Distorted Humor
Chestnut colt - Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency
RNA ($485,000)
One couldn't ask for a better pedigree than this colt's. A son of the world's best sire, Galileo, hip 160 comes from one of America's best female families. His second dam, She's A Winner, is the dam of five stakes runners - including Grade 1 winner Bluegrass Cat. Additionally, She's A Winner is a full sister to the Grade 1 winner Girolamo and the graded stakes winners Daydreaming and Accelerator.
Hip 196 - More Than Ready-Dalmiya, by Kalanisi
Gray/roan filly - Consigned by Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services
RNA ($140,000)
This filly is a full sister to group stakes winner Dalwari. Her granddam is the dam of two French Horse of the Years - Daylami and Dalakhani - as well as another group stakes winner and stakes winner.
Hip 200 - Medaglia d'Oro-Dance Quietly, by A.P. Indy
Dark bay/brown filly - Consigned by Four Star Sales
$400,000 - Rio Dois Irmaos, LLC
Another Medaglia d'Oro yearling, this filly is out of the stakes-winning A.P. Indy mare Dance Quietly, who is a half-sister to Horse of the Year Saint Liam, two other graded stakes winners, and a Grade 1-placed runner - as well as a full sister to the graded stakes-placed American Dance.
Hip 224 - Smart Strike-Distinctively, by Awesome Again
Dark bay/brown filly - Consigned by KatieRich Farms
RNA ($50,000)
By two-time leading sire Smart Strike, this filly's stakes-placed dam is a daughter of champion Heavenly Prize, who is also the dam of Grade 1 winner Good Reward, graded stakes winner Pure Prize, and stakes winner Cosmic.
Hip 227 - Bernardini-Divalarious, by Distorted Humor
Bay colt - Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency
$375,000 - John Ferguson
By Bernardini, this colt's dam is a daughter of Irish and Italian Broodmare of the Year Alidiva. That fantastic mare is the dam of three highweights and an additional graded stakes winner.
Sentimental Favorites:
Hip 21 - Malibu Moon-Wasted Tears, by Najran
Dark bay/brown colt - Consigned by Stonehaven Standings and Bart Evans
RNA ($300,000)
This colt is the second foal of one of my favorite mares. His dam, Wasted Tears, won three editions of the now-extinct Grade 3 Ouija Board Distaff at my home track, Lone Star Park, and was always one of my favorite horses to watch.
Hip 51 - Tapit-Agave Kiss, by Lion Heart
Chestnut filly - Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency
RNA ($435,000)
This filly is out of another one of my favorite racemares, Agave Kiss, who I followed throughout her entire racing career - which included a six-race win streak and four stakes wins (one of which was graded).
Hip 181 - Creative Cause-Comfort Zone, by Rubiano
Gray/roan colt - Consigned by Clarkland Farm
$155,000 - John Kelly
I had the chance to meet this colt - a half-brother to graded stakes winner The Pamplemousse - in May while visiting the great people and horses of Clarkland Farm.
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| The eye of hip 181 - May 28, 2015 |
