With just five hips left to go through the ring, a colt by Curlin surged to the top of the leaderboard, bringing $550,000 during Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky October Yearling Sale Oct. 22. Alistair Roden signed the winning ticket for the Stonestreet-bred colt on behalf of client Mark Breen.
"(Breen) always dreams of having a nice 3-year-old," Roden said. "He loved this horse, loved the pedigree. I loved him (Hip 801) physically. He's a really good physical. Very, very good physical. I'm just happy to get him, I really am.
"I was already out, then the phone rang. He said, 'Keep going.' "
Roden said he was not surprised at what it cost to secure the colt: "I figured he'd be a top price, because he's a lovely horse. He's a Curlin, and this one, he's got a stallion's pedigree. If he's a grade 1 winner, he's a $30 million horse."
"It was a tremendous second session of the Kentucky October Yearlings Sale," said Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton. "Really spirited bidding from the beginning of the sale, to the very end of the sale."
A colt by Spendthrift Farm's first-crop sire Vekoma brought the second-highest price of the day at $360,000. Hip 510 is out of the stakes-producing Arch mare Monarchia and was bred in Kentucky by Haymarket Farm. Ryder Finney, agent for Woodford Thoroughbreds, secured the colt from Machmer Hall Sales, agent for HREH Raised at Springhill Equine.
"He's super athletic, just everything about him was so athletic," Finney said about Hip 510. "I love the way he moved. I love the way he's made. Will (Walden) and I talked about him when we saw him the first time, he kind of reminded us of Life Is Good, physically, just super well made. Awesome neck-set, great shoulder, big hip. He has everything you could ever want physically. And Vekoma has obviously been a very hot freshman stallion, and Will and I have been high on Vekoma for a while, and just everything fit together."
The bay colt was purchased for John Sykes of Woodford Thoroughbreds with plans for the up-and-coming Walden to train him. Walden has trained a few horses for Sykes that were purchased from Tattersalls.
"This horse (Hip 510) was bred by Chip Montgomery, who was one of my best friends for a long, long time," said Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall. "Recently, we just got back together, and Chip has these horses at Normandy Farm with J.R. (Sebastian), and I've got to give so much credit to J.R.. This horse the last 30 days has just blossomed into this beautiful animal. He was always targeted for this sale. It's just so thrilling for me to not only have success for J.R., he rents Normandy Farm. He also has his own beautiful farm (Springhill Equine), so it's thrilling for their staff and for me and my friendship with Chip and his whole family. It's very emotional.
"(Hip 510) had 14 vets, and a $119,000 reserve, and we knew the market was going to speak," said Brogden. "But, I definitely want to give a lot of credit to J.R., because that horse, he came to the sale, and he looked amazing, and he showed the athlete he really was."
A pair of fillies brought $350,000 during Tuesday's session. Ryan Bardin signed the winning ticket on behalf of Red White and Blue Racing for Hip 620, a filly by WinStar Farm's Constitution . The Woods Edge Farm- consigned filly was bred in Kentucky by Narola, and comes from the immediate family of Mo Town .
"She was an outstanding physical, a very good filly," said Bardin. "I think she's the best horse I've seen in the sale. She's by Constitution, and Twin Creeks campaigned Constitution, so we get to support the home team. She will ship over to WinStar to get broke, and Randy Gullatt (Twin Creeks Farm) will determine who suits her as a trainer."
"It was high," said Bardin of the price. "But, she was a big fish in a small pond. We would've liked to give a little bit less, but she's a quality filly and we're really happy to get her. Hopefully, the sky's the limit."
Hip 492, a filly by Tapit , went to DJ Stable/Kim Valerio, agent. She is the first foal of the unraced Empire Maker mare Miss Jessica J, who is a half sister to champion 2-year-old filly Jaywalk, and from the immediate family of Tapit Trice. She was bred in Kentucky by Al Shira'aa Racing and Gainesway Thoroughbreds, and consigned by Gainesway, agent.
Tuesday's session saw 267 head sell for a total of $14,888,000, averaging $55,760. The median stayed the same as the first session, at $20,000. An 18.8% RNA rate represented the 62 yearlings who failed to meet their reserve.
"We're tracking really well, obviously just halfway through, two more days to go, but we're really delighted with the look and the feel and the energy on the sales grounds," said Browning.
Taylor Made Sales Agency led consignors for the day, selling 32 of its 37 offerings for $2,375,000.
During last year's second session 268 horses sold for $13,593,500, with an average of $50,722. The median was $26,000. Seventy-five horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA of 21.9%.
The sale will continue Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. with hips 809-1212 set to go through the ring. As of Tuesday evening, Fasig-Tipton has reported 51 outs.
