Fasig-Tipton July Yearlings to Watch

The Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale takes place in Lexington, Kentucky, on July 9. A little earlier than usual to avoid conflict with Del Mar’s opening next weekend. 322 of this year’s most precocious yearlings are scheduled to be presented in the sales ring. The usual well-bred offspring of Tapit, War Front, and Malibu Moon are present. Plus we’ll get a first glimpse of next year’s first crop sires’ progeny. Babies by Shackleford, Bodemeister, Stay Thirsty, Hansen, Creative Cause, To Honor and Serve, Union Rags, Tapizar, The Factor, Gemologist, Jersey Town, Get Stormy, Brilliant Speed, Caleb’s Posse, and Dialed In should attract competitive bidding.

Brian Zipse lamented that he wished he had $300,000 to spend at this sale. I caution Brian that the most expensive yearlings rarely earn back their purchase price and training fees.

2010’s July Sale topper went for $450,000 to bloodstock agent John Ferguson. Named Gold Rally, the son of Medaglia d'Oro and half brother to Best Pal Stakes winner Principle Secret won his maiden in England and was unplaced three times in Dubai. He earned £3,077.

In 2011, the sales topper was a $310,000 Harlan’s Holiday colt named Gun Point. The first foal out of a minor stakes winner, Gun Point was gelded and made his winning debut at Tampa Bay for a claiming tag of $32,000. At the time he was owned by Stonerstreet Stables and George Bolton. Gun Point racked up a 10-2-3-0 race record on the flat before switching to steeplechases.  So far, Gun Point is 5-0-1-1 in his new career.

2012’s sales topper, Moon Gun, a son of Malibu Moon half brother to a minor stakes winner and two stakes placed runners, was hammered down for $375,000 to Magic City Thoroughbreds. Moon Gun needed six tries to win his maiden. After descending the claiming ranks, Moon Gun settled at the $10,000 claiming level at Churchill Downs.  Lately, he’s been facing softer company in the allowance ranks at Lone Star.  

Desert Party was the hot young sire in 2013.  His daughter Amaroni, a half sister to a minor stakes winner, sold to Regis Farms for $450,000.  She never made it to the track.

Last year’s sales topper was sold for $550,000 to Northwest Stud. The colt was named Cowboy’s Hero. His sire Cowboy Cal was a top ten ranked freshman sire.  Cowboy’s Hero is a half brother to Del Mar Debutante (G-1) heroine and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Executiveprivilege and to Clark Handicap (G-1) winner Hoppertunity. Cowboy’s Hero breezed 3F in :37.00 in mid-May and hasn’t had a recorded work since then.

This year’s July sale carries some nice pedigrees, but the main focus of buyers is the physical conformation and movement of these quickly developing yearlings.  Many of the more precocious types will be pinhooked into the two-year-old in training sales next year and we’ll see them on the track as early as April. In previous sales, most of the July yearlings’ sale prices fall in the $50,000 - $150,000 range.  

Below are some well bred babies to watch:

Hip #6 COLT (Ghostzapper – Her Smile, by Include) the first foal out of Prioress Stakes winner Her Smile.  The mare was the second highest sale topper of the 2013 Fasig-Tipton November breeding sale at $1,075,000 while carrying her Ghostzapper colt.  

Hip #20 COLT  (Caleb’s Posse – Jeaneri, by Successful Appeal)  is a first foal out of a half sister to Kentucky Derby runner up and sire Closing Argument.

Hip #35 FILLY (Yes Its True – Lakenheath, by Colonial Affair) is a full sister to The Truth or Else, who placed in the Champagne and Nashua Stakes. Plus she’s a half to multiple stakes placed Fighter Wing.

Hip #54 COLT  (Dialed In – Magic Smoke, by Smokester)  is a half to stakes placed Devil’s Due West. Their dam won the Cinderella Stakes.

Hip #68 FILLY (Shackleford – Mrs. Coolidge, by Quiet American) is a half sister to OBS Championship Stakes winner Naughty Holiday.  Their dam is a full sister to the multiple stakes winning veteran Naughty New Yorker, stakes winning Pupil and stakes placed Deceived.

Hip #75 FILLY (Uncle Mo – Blushing Issue, by Blushing John) by this year’s leading freshman sire, is a half sister to American Oaks (G-1) heroine Lady of Shamrock; Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G-2) winner and sire Smooth Jazz; multiple stakes winner She’s Sensational and stakes placed Favorite Uncle.

Hip #130 FILLY (Quality Road – She’s Justa Friend, by Hussonet) the second foal out of a half sister to Sanford Stakes winner and sire Desert Party and stakes winner Ellecat.

Hip #134 COLT (Street Boss – Shutterbug, by Deputy Minister) is a full brother to Dekabrist who set a new track record for 4 ½ furlongs in his debut. The dam is a half to the multiple graded stakes winner Fantastic Fellow.

Hip #162 Chocolateicecream (Wilburn – Sweetandperfect, by Perfect Soul) is the second foal out of a half sister to Pacific Classic (G-1) winner and sire Borrego. A half sister bore three foals, stakes winner Please Explain and stakes placed Nicklaus Way, so there’s some sweet quality in this family. Who doesn’t like chocolate ice cream?

Hip #199 FILLY (Majesticperfection – Wicked Speed, by Macho Uno) is the second foal out of a half sister to Fatal Bullet, Canadian HOY and Champion Sprinter.

Hip #201 FILLY (Quality Road – Wild Summer, by Unbridled’s Song) is the first foal out of an unraced full sister to the talented but fragile Winslow Homer (Holly Bull Stakes winner) and also a full to stakes winner Misconnect.

Hip #203 COLT (Harlan’s Holiday – Woeful, by Medaglia d’Oro) from the last crop of Harlan’s Holiday, Hip #203 is the first foal out of an unraced half sister to three stakes winners -  Taste of Paradise, Vosburgh Stakes winner and sire;  stakes winners Taste’s Sis and Crafty Tears (dam of stakes winner This Cat’s on Fire).  Two other half sisters bore stakes winners, so there’s plenty of quality in this immediate family.

Hip #207 FILLY (The Factor – You’re beingplayed, by Speightstown) is the first foal out of a half sister to Canadian Champion Two Year Old Filly Spring in the Air. Hip #207 is bred to be fast and precocious.

Hip #222 (Discreetly Mine – Andes, by Forestry)  is the fourth foal out of a half sister to stakes winner Pilfer, dam of G-1 winner and sire To Honor and Serve and his G-1 winning sister Angela Renee. Andes is also a half to stakes winners India and Sing Softly.

Hip #274 COLT (Bodemeister – Cleverconversation, by Speightstown) by the Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up,  Hip #274 is the second foal out of a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner and sire Request for Parole.

Hip #285 COLT (Super Saver – Danzig Point, by Point Given) is the third foal out of a half sister to top sire Distorted Humor and stakes winner Dancing Gulch.  A half sister bore stakes winner Liam’s Dream.

Hip #288 COLT (Gemologist – Dr. Zic, by Milwaukee Brew) by a Wood Memorial winner, Hip #288 is the first foal out of the Madison Stakes (G-1) winner.

Hip #289 COLT (Mission Impazible – Deputy Reality, by Deputy Minister) is a half brother to Dwyer Stakes winner Teeth of the Dog.

Hip #319 COLT (The Factor – Fun Given, by Point Given) has a pedigree filled with blacktype winners.  His dam is a full sister to the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Ageless; half sister to Tour, granddam of G-1 winner Zensational and Super Derby winner Departing. Tour bore stakes winners Trip, Laity and Joke.  Another half sister bore stakes winners Prom Shoes and Wildcat Shoes.  

Hip #332 (Archarcharch – Greer Lynn, by Speightstown) has a very precocious pedigree.  His dam is a half sister to Value Plus, Roll Hennessey Roll, Majorbigtimesheet, Werblin – all sires who are noted for getting win early types, plus stakes winner Sing Baby Sing.  The second dam Roll Over Baby was a multiple stakes winning sprinter from ages two to four.

These are just some of the notable bluebloods on display in the first yearling sale of the year.