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Curlin Joins Special Class With Saratoga Sale Average

The stallion is one of five sires since 2000 to achieve a seven-figure average.

Curlin at Hill 'n' Dale Farms

Curlin at Hill 'n' Dale Farms

Anne M. Eberhardt

Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa's leading sire Curlin  joined another elite club following The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale Aug. 8-9, with a sale average exceeding a million dollars.

The 18-year-old son of Smart Strike already owns rare credentials as a two-time Horse of the Year in 2007-08. Now he is among five sires whose progeny achieved a seven-figure average from two or more sold at the boutique sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

This year, eight Curlin yearlings averaged $1,071,875 and generated a median of $950,000. The sire's top seller was Hip 126, a filly out of the A.P. Indy graded stakes winner America for which West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and 3C Stable joined forces to buy for $2 million out of Stone Farm's consignment. The filly, bred by celebrity chef Bobby Flay, was the only yearling Stone Farm entered in the sale.

"Just looking at the quality of the pedigrees, I thought there were several potential million-dollar horses," said John Sikura, owner of Hill 'n' Dale, about the Curlin yearlings entered in the Saratoga sale. "But you don't know how they'll vet, the state of the market—all those variables. Every year, though, he breeds more of those high-quality mares, so the potential for him to have a breakout sales average increases."

Curlin has been the leading sire at the select Saratoga sale twice before—in 2017 with a $716,667 average from five sold and in 2019 with a $710,000 average from four sold.

walking Curlin out of the stallion barn to a show for prospective breeders<br>
Christina Zurick with Curlin and Ghostzapper, at Hill ’n’ Dale Xalapa near Paris, Ky., on Oct. 18, 2021.
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Curlin is walked out of the stallion barn to a show for prospective breeders at Hill ’n’ Dale at Xalapa

This year's seven-figure average puts Curlin in the company of Gainesway's Tapit  and previous prominent sires Storm Cat, Unbridled, and Seattle Slew. Storm Cat topped the Saratoga sale sires standings with a seven-figure average four times and owns the highest average since 2000. In 2005, two Storm Cat yearlings averaged $1,725,000 and included a $3.1 million sale-topper named Black Cat Crossing, who was bought by international bloodstock agent Demi O'Byrne.

Tapit has been the leading Saratoga sire by average three times and was represented by a seven-figure average in 2014, when two yearlings averaged $1,075,000.

Sikura said the strong performance of Curlin's Saratoga yearlings can be attributed to their physical quality and to his reputation as a sire of classic-caliber runners.

"In my opinion, he is the greatest classic sire in America today and provides your best chance to win an Oaks, win a Derby, or win a Breeders' Cup Classic. The evidence is that every year he has elite horses competing in these elite races, and this year he could have back-to-back 3-year-old filly champions."

Curlin is the leading North American sire by career 3-year-old grade 1 winners on dirt with 13, ahead of Tapit with 12 and Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief  with eight. Curlin's top 3-year-olds include 2013 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Palace Malice; 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator; 2015 champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind; 2012 champion 3-year-old and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Malathaat; and 2020 Canadian champion 3-year-old filly Curlin's Voyage. He also sired champion 2-year-old colt Good Magic , who won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and was second in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1); and Nest, who most recently won the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and was second in the Belmont Stakes and the Kentucky Oaks.

In addition to being the leading sire, Curlin was among the top 10 broodmare sires by average and was represented by a $1 million filly by Into Mischief out of the multiple graded stakes winner Curlin's Approval, whom Gainesway sold to Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Plantation. Curlin's average as a broodmare sire was $687,500 from two sold.

Curlin at Hill n Dale farm
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Curlin at Hill n Dale farm at Xalapa

"It is early in his broodmare sire career to know the outcome, but he has stakes-producing daughters," Sikura said. "With Smart Strike, Mr. Prospector, and Deputy Minister in his pedigree that would indicate he has the ability to be a top broodmare sire as well. He has so many classic grade 1 fillies, so their ability probably gives him a very good chance to be a successful broodmare sire. He is a classic sire, so hopefully classic broodmare sire can be added to his résumé."

The Saratoga Sale's $2.3 million sale-topper was sired by Gun Runner , Three Chimneys Farm's 2017 Horse of the Year, leading freshman sire of 2021, and current leading second-crop sire. Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant's White Birch Farm teamed up to buy a colt (Hip 202) out of grade 1 winner Heavenly Love from Gainesway's consignment. Magnier also bought a Gun Runner colt (Hip 186) out of the Giant's Causeway daughter Flag Day for $1.4 million from Denali Stud. Gun Runner ended up being the third-leading Saratoga sire by average at $704,375 from eight sold.

Lane's End's Quality Road  was the second-leading sire by average at $763,750 from four sold. His top seller was Hip 213, a filly out of stakes-placed winner Ithinkisawapudycat, who is the dam of grade 1 winner Sweet Loretta (Tapit). Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni bought the filly from the Lane's End consignment.

As for the overall strength of the Saratoga market, Sikura said the large gains in gross, average, and median are positive signs for the upcoming Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"You never know the quality of the top individuals until they assemble at the sale and the judges see them, but the pedigree of the horses matched the physicality of the horses in a robust market," he said. "There is an insatiable demand for quality stock in a quality sale. In the Saratoga racing environment, you have elite trainers and elite owners that want to win elite races, so it all comes together."

Leading Sires by Average at The Saratoga Sale
(min. 2 sold)        
Sire Offered Sold Average Median
Curlin 8 8 $1,071,875 $950,000
Quality Road 5 4 $763,750 $525,000
Gun Runner 9 8 $704,375 $325,000
Into Mischief 14 11 $680,455 $525,000
Medaglia d'Oro 4 4 $668,750 $512,500
Tapit 3 3 $625,000 $650,000
War Front 2 2 $575,000 $575,000
Uncle Mo 13 8 $530,000 $437,500
Speightstown 4 3 $516,667 $315,000
Justify 9 8 $515,625 $437,500
Candy Ride (ARG) 5 3 $483,333 $500,000
Not This Time 7 7 $425,000 $400,000
Constitution 8 8 $411,875 $230,000
Munnings 9 8 $376,250 $377,500
Omaha Beach 5 4 $362,500 $375,000
Leading First-Crop Sires by Average at The Saratoga Sale
(min. 2 sold)        
Sire Offered Sold Average Median
Omaha Beach 5 4 $362,500 $375,000
Vino Rosso 5 4 $293,750 $237,500
Audible 7 6 $288,333 $287,500
Catalina Cruiser 4 3 $248,333 $300,000
Leading Broodmare Sires by Average at The Saratoga Sale
No. Sold Broodmare Sire Average
2 A.P. INDY $978,333
3 FLATTER $866,667
2 UNION RAGS $792,500
6 TAPIT $775,833
6 MALIBU MOON $715,000
5 BERNARDINI $699,000
2 CURLIN $687,500
4 GIANT'S CAUSEWAY $593,750
2 TALE OF THE CAT $562,500
4 MEDAGLIA D'ORO $522,500
2 UNCLE MO $512,500
2 STREET SENSE $507,500
7 SMART STRIKE $507,143
3 MUNNINGS $500,000
7 UNBRIDLED'S SONG $485,000
2 INDIAN CHARLIE $432,500
2 CUVEE $370,000
2 QUALITY ROAD $350,000
2 BODEMEISTER $342,500
2 EXCHANGE RATE $317,500
2 DIXIE UNION $310,000
2 GALILEO $287,500
5 DISTORTED HUMOR $287,500
3 HARLAN'S HOLIDAY $216,667
2 STORM CAT $192,500
2 CONGRATS $180,000