California-bred sons of stallions Smiling Tiger and Union Rags sold for $42,000 each to top the Aug. 13 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Northern California Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.
Old English Rancho bred the Smiling Tiger colt (Hip 47) out of the grade 2 winner Brooke's Halo (Southern Halo). Trainer Jeff Bonde bought the colt that was consigned by Harris Farms, agent. Brooke's Halo also already produced eight winners, including multiple black-type stakes winner Rock and Glory, who later produced grade 3 winner Little Vic, a son of Practical Joke .
Michael Nentwig bought the Union Rags colt (Hip 5) that is the first foal out of the stakes-winning Grazen mare September Secret, who is out of half sister to stakes winner Cee's The Point. Checkmate Thoroughbreds consigned and bred the colt.
Nentwig made one other purchase, a $26,000 yearling colt (Hip 12) by Clubhouse Ride named Help Me Mr Wizard, that made him the sale's leading buyer by total spent. Checkmate Thoroughbred consigned Hip 12, who was bred by Dan Eplin out of the stakes-placed Attila's Storm daughter Stormy Day.
For the yearlings, 81 sold from 90 offered for a total of $481,900, an average of $5,949 and median of $3,700. Last year 114 yearlings sold from 133 offered for a total of $1,075,600, an average of $9,115, and a median of $5,500.
For non-yearlings, 13 were offered and 13 sold for $58,600, an average of $4,508 and median of $3,500. Last year only four non-yearlings sold from five offered for a total of $30,700.
See full results of the Northern California and Horses of Racing Age Sale