The momentum Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa's first-crop yearling sire Charlatan picked up during Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale carried through unabated through the first three books of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
The multiple grade 1-winning son of Speightstown led his sire class following The Saratoga Sale with a $617,500 average from six sold. His top seller brought $1.5 million, the co-sixth-highest price for the two-day sale in New York.
Through Book 3 of the Keeneland September sale, Charlatan maintains the lead among his stallion peers with a $286,591 average from 66 sold. His top yearling arrived early in the sale when Hip 70, a colt out of the grade 1-winner Guarana, sold for $1.4 million to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant's White Birch Farm.
Charlatan would be represented by one other seven-figure yearling and a total of six that brought $500,000 or more during the first six sessions of the sale. His average through Book 3 put him among the top 12 Keeneland September sires overall.
"(Charlatan has) had a great sale," John Sikura, president of Hill 'n' Dale, said after Hip 509, a colt out of Midnight Lucky, sold for $1 million to Pin Oak Stud. "He had top mares sent to him. Saratoga went well, and we hoped that he would follow through at the Keeneland sale. So far it's happened. Buyers love their athleticism, and we're very happy with the results.
"The sale result is not the most important result—it's at the racetrack, and the table is set."
Darley Stallions' Maxfield , a multiple grade 1-winning son of Street Sense , also has had exceptional results from his first sales yearlings. The sire ranks second by average among the first-crop yearling sires at $275,366 from 41 sold, and he is the leader of his sire class with eight yearlings that sold for $500,000 or more. His top sellers included two that sold for $1 million: Hip 53 to John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock and Hip 236 to Magnier.
A Maxfield colt (Hip 1916) topped the second day of Book 3 when he sold for $575,000 to agent Donato Lanni, buying on behalf the Three Amigos partnership that includes Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. The colt is out of the winning Pulpit mare Bible Belt, who is a multiple stakes producer. The partnership also bought another Maxfield colt (Hip 1108) out of the Quality Road winner Broadway Play two days earlier for $575,000.
"I think the more Maxfields people are seeing, the more they believe in the stallion," said Sarah Sutherland with Indian Creek, who consigned Hip 1916. "He seems to be a horse everybody is talking about so that probably helped us out a bit."
"He's a big beautiful horse," said Lanni about the colt. "The Maxfields have been selling very well. They are very nice, it's a beautiful crop."
Three other first-crop yearling sires had averages above $200,000 after Book 3. They are: Spendthrift Farm's Yaupon ($224,938 from 48 sold), WinStar Farm's Independence Hall ($220,000, four sold), and Taylor Made Stallions' Tacitus ($219,000, five sold).
Hill 'n' Dale's marquee stallion Curlin tops the overall list of leading September sires with a $613,780 average from 41 sold. He is the sire of the sale's top-seller, a $5 million colt (Hip 347) out of three-time grade 1 winner Cavorting, who was bought by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Hip 347 was consigned by Indian Creek on behalf of the colt's breeder, Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.
Curlin was represented by five seven-figure yearlings and 19 that sold for $500,000 or more.
Three Chimneys Farms' top sire Gun Runner sired the most seven-figure horses through Book 3 with seven and was represented by the most to sell for at least $500,000. The son of Candy Ride and 2017 Horse of the Year had his best seller, a colt (Hip 169) out of the Tapit stakes winner Princesa Carolina, bring $2.2 million from Whisper Hill. Four Star Sales consigned Hip 169, who was bred by Three Chimneys.
Taylor Made's prominent stallion Not This Time was the second-leading September sire by number of yearlings to sell for $500,000 or more with 23. The son of Giant's Causeway's best sellers included three seven-figure purchases topped by a $1.3 million colt (Hip 286) out of the multiple grade 2-placed Empire Maker winner Vivo Per Lei. Belladonna Racing acquired the colt from consignor Glennwood Farm. Glennwood owner John Gunther co-bred Hip 286 with Eurowest Bloodstock Services.
