Fastest work at the under tack show for Tuesday's Fasig-Tipton Calder 2-Year-Old in Training sale was a colt by Sky Mesa (TrueNicks, SRO) out of Secondary School, by Honor Grades.
The colt - who broke the 10-second mark - is rated an A+ by TrueNicks on the basis of the Pulpit/Danzig cross, but has several other interesting pedigree features. The foremost of these is a double of the excellent runner and outstanding producer Weekend Surprise, who appears as dam of both A.P. Indy (grandsire of Sky Mesa) and Honor Grades, broodmare sire of the sale colt. I can recall only one other stakes winner with this duplication, but that one is champion 2-year-old Stevie Wonderboy (by a son of A.P. Indy out of a mare by Honor Grades' close relative, Summer Squall.
It is also interesting to note that Sky Mesa's sire, Pulpit, and this colt's dam, Secondary School, are by sons of Weekend Surprise, out of Mr. Prospector-line mares. In addition, Sky Mesa's broodmare sire, Storm Cat, and Honor Grades are both Northern Dancer/Secretariat crosses.