Darley's Nyquist stole the show March 31 at Fasig-Tipton's The Gulfstream Sale, its select 2-year-olds in training sale in South Florida.
The 8-year-old son of Uncle Mo and 2016 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner ended last year as North America's leading freshman sire. He continues to build on that momentum as the third-leading second-crop sire by progeny earnings as of April 1 and is one of 10 in his sire class with multiple black-type performers.
Wavertree Stables' Ciaran Dunne talked up his Nyquist colt out of Spinning Wheel (by Smart Strike) all week and the colt validated his athleticism by working :09 4/5 during the under tack show. Agent Jamie McCalmont made the final bid of $2.6 million and signed the ticked on behalf of Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. Spinning Wheel is a half sister to multiple grade 1-placed winner Ride On Curlin and her second dam is Test Stakes (G1) winner Victory Ride.
With three progeny among the top 10-selling juveniles at The Gulfstream Sale, Nyquist was planted firmly at the top of the sale's sire standings with a gross of $5.05 million from six sold, which gave him a stout $841,667 average.
Ranked second by average at The Gulfstream Sale was Three Chimneys Farm's freshman sire Gun Runner , the 2017 Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male. The 8-year-old son of Candy Ride was represented by three sold for a gross of $2.3 million and a $766,667 average. Gun Runner's best seller was runner-up to the sale-topper, a $1.7 million colt named Needmore Guns that agent Gary Young bought out of the Hartley/de Renzo consignment. The colt is out of multiple stakes winner Needmore Flattery (by Flatter) and worked in :10 1/5 during the under tack show.
Ashford Stud's juggernaut stallion Uncle Mo was the only other sire represented by a seven-figure purchase at Gulfstream Park. West Bloodstock and McCalmont went to $1.3 million to buy an Uncle Mo colt out of Afleet Maggi, which makes him a full brother to grade 1 winner Dream Tree. Wavertree consigned the colt that worked in :10.
For the 2-year-olds sales so far, Gun Runner and Nyquist are the leading sires by average. Gun Runner has been represented by four sold for an average $592,500 from the combined results of the Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale and The Gulfstream Sale. Nyquist is not far behind in second with a $558,500 average from 10 sold.
Other sires with cumulative 2-year-old sale averages above $400,000 include Lane's End's Quality Road ($537,500 from two sold), Uncle Mo ($490,000, six sold), Claiborne Farm's War Front ($427,500, two sold), and Ashford's American Pharoah ($405,833, six sold).
Among the freshman sires, the leaders so far by average from two or more sold, are Juddmonte Farms' late sire Arrogate ($382,500, four sold), Ashford's Practical Joke ($335,455, 11 sold), Lane's End's Unified ($231,000, five sold), and Taylor Made Stallions' Midnight Storm ($190,000, two sold).
