The Timonium Fairgrounds got off to a flying start Oct. 2 with the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale seeing early fireworks. LC Racing got their hand up early, securing the $135,000 Classic Empire colt who boasts two stakes-winning siblings.
Gracie Bloodstock, agent, consigned the colt bred in New Jersey by Gregory J. Kilka and Bright View Farm out of Adorabella as Hip 3 to the first session. The unraced Ghostzapper mare has produced two foals of racing age, both stakes winners.
Her first, the 3-year-old Fast Anna filly, Girl Trouble, won the Future Stars Filly Division Stakes at 2 and added the Parx Futurity to her CV this year, along with a second-place effort in the Ruthless Stakes and a show in the Main Line Stakes.
The filly's juvenile Bucchero brother, Book'em Danno, added a timely update to the catalog page when he captured the Smoke Glacken Stakes at Monmouth Park Sept. 9. The Derek Ryan pupil went out on first asking Aug. 12 to trounce home 9 1/2 lengths ahead of the field in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight test.
LC Racing also purchased Monday's second-leading offering, a $130,000 Maximus Mischief colt consigned as Hip 116 by Marshall W. Silverman, agent. The Pennsylvania-bred by Dr. and Mrs. William E. Riddle is the second foal out of the winning Flatter mare Flatter's Secret.
The entity spent gross receipts of $265,000, at an average price of $132,500, to be the Day 1 leading buyer. While consignor Marshall W. Silverman sold all of his 18-head draft for a gross of $497,000 at an average of $27,611 to be the day's leading seller.
During Monday's opening session, Fasig-Tipton reported 91 yearlings sold of the 113 to go under the hammer for a $2,212,500 gross, down 43.9% year-on-year. The average price decreased 10.7% to $24,313, and the median slipped 17.9% to $11,500. The 22 horses who failed to attain their reserve represent an RNA rate of 19.5%.
In 2022, the first day saw 145 horses traded of the 178 on offer for a gross of $3,947,000, at an average price of $27,221 and a $14,000 median. An RNA rate of 18.5% represents the 33 yearlings who did not sell.
The sale concludes tomorrow with Hips 125-412 heading through the ring beginning at 11 a.m. ET. As of Monday evening, 30 yearlings had been withdrawn from the second session.
