Just over two years ago, Mage and Arcangelo were thrilling spectators on the racetrack with success in the Triple Crown. Now, the two stallions are aiming to carry that thrill to the sales ring with their first crop of weanlings.
Nicky Drion Thoroughbreds will consign a weanling from both sires in the Nov. 8 session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
"The fact that both are first-season stallions—pinhookers, that's what they want," Drion said. "They're two decent individuals, hopefully they'll be well received."
Hip 1744 is a bay colt by Airdrie Stud's Mage, the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner, and out of the winning Mineshaft mare Neom. Both foals to race out of the mare are winners. Born on Drion's farm, the consignor has had plenty of time to get to know the 2025 foal.
"He's a nice, good-legged, good-walking foal," Drion said. "As an individual, I like him. He's probably the mare's best foal so far."
The family has had recent success this year as Neom is a half sister to grade 1 winner Ag Bullet through their winning Forestry dam Noble Grey.
A daughter of Twirling Candy , Ag Bullet has been among the top turf sprinters in the country over the past two seasons. A four-time graded stakes winner, the 5-year-old mare has proven herself against males on multiple occasions, defeating them in this year's Jaipur Stakes (G1T). Additionally, she has placed in two editions of the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). After finishing third a year ago, she was second in this year's Nov. 1 edition. Although primarily known for her speed at sprints—holding a course record for 6 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs—she is also grade 1-placed at a mile.
Neom also is a half sister to stakes-placed Give Em Heck Beck and Macroeconomics, dam of multiple stakes-placed Golden Tabby.
The colt is the only son of Mage that Drion had at his farm this year, but he has been impressed with what he's seen.
"It is a little bit of a small family. Ag Bullet is a little bit on the small side, but this guy is not small," Drion said. "I think Mage stamps his foals, for sure. I can see (Mage's sire) Good Magic coming through."
Drion also has seen 2023 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner and Eclipse champion 3-year-old male Arcangelo pass along a "classy" look to the two offspring he has had at the farm this year. One of those two, a bay colt by the Lane's End stallion, will be offered as Hip 1773.
"Good walkers, nice shape to them," he said. "I believe in Arcangelo, I think they'll be well received."
Bred in Kentucky by Warlock Stables, Dougan, and English, the colt offered Saturday is out of the unraced Ghostzapper mare Pragmatic Princess. Both of her foals to race have won, including Signora Vittoria, a stakes-placed Bernardini filly.
Out of the two-time stakes-winning Mister Baileys mare America America, Pragmatic Princess is a half sister to two-time graded-placed Bluegrass Princess, who is the dam of dual stakes winner Partisan Politics and Bluegrass Sunset, the dam of stakes winner California Burrito.
America America is also the dam of Lyrique, who produced stakes-placed Lyrical Note, and Shining Tree, the granddam of multiple stakes winner Bank On Shea. America America is also a half sister to Theory of Change, the dam of two-time graded stakes winner and recent Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) third-place finisher Dr. Venkman.
