Darley Stallions' stalwart Medaglia d'Oro came out of the 2-year-olds in training sale season as the leading North American sire by average. The 23-year-old son of El Prado was represented by seven sold for an average $566,429.
A colt named Ultimate Gamble, out of the Ghostzapper mare Eltimaas, became Medaglia d'Oro's top seller this year when Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal bought him for $1.75 million during the Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Consigned at OBS by de Meric Sales, the colt is a half brother to multiple grade 1 winner and 2016 Eclipse champion sprinter Drefong.
Medaglia d'Oro has been a familiar presence among the leading sires at 2-year-olds in training sales, particularly during the last five years. While his career average with juveniles sold in North America is $254,846, this average since 2018 is a robust $412,108. The stallion has been represented by five seven-figure purses since 2018.
As a racehorse, Medaglia d'Oro made only one start in December of his 2-year-old year. He did his best running at 3 and 4 when he won or was second in 11 graded stakes. His victories included the Travers Stakes (G1), Whitney Handicap (G1), Oaklawn Handicap (G2), Strub Stakes (G2), Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), and San Felipe Stakes (G2).
As a stallion, he's sired 29 juvenile stakes winners out of 166 career black-type winners. But it is the performances of his runners as sophomores that likely are most attractive at the 2-year-olds in training sales.
Medaglia d'Oro is among the top 10 North American sires by number of career 3-year-old stakes winners on dirt with 33, led by the likes of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra (who won the Blackberry Preakness Stakes, G1, and Woodward Stakes, G1), multiple champion Songbird (2016 champion 3-year-old filly), and Wonder Gadot (Canadian 2018 Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly.
Four other stallions listed among the top 10 by number of 3-year-old stakes winners on dirt are also among this year's leading sires by 2-year-old sales average—Gainesway's Tapit , Hill 'n' Dale Farms' Curlin , Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief , and Ashford Stud's Uncle Mo. All four of these sires have juvenile averages above $300,000 this year.
Two freshman sires cracked the top 10 this year as well.
Ashford Stud's 2018 Triple Crown winner and freshman sire Justify has the fifth-leading juvenile sales average at $355,000 from 17 sold behind Tapit ($509,000, five sold); Curlin ($445,000, eight sold), and Into Mischief ($396,667, 21 sold).
Current leading freshman sire Bolt d'Oro , who stands at Spendthrift, also is among the leading juvenile sires with a $264,356 average from 45 sold, which is by far the largest number sold among all sires represented at the sales. A son of Medaglia d'Oro, Bolt d'Oro leads the freshman ranks as of June 13 with $216,967 in progeny earnings and leads his sire class by number of winners with four.
Both Justify and Bolt d'Oro were represented by seven-figure purchases at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale of selected 2-year-olds. Wavertree Stables sold a Justify colt out of Appealing Zophie for $1.1 million to Jamie McCalmont, who bought the horse on behalf of M.V. Magnier. Consignor Tom McCrocklin sold a Bolt d'Oro filly out of Rich Love named Ruby Nell for $1.2 million to Spendthrift.
