Late Fireworks at F-T July

Led by a $500,000 filly by leading sire Tapit late in the session, the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale posted across-the-board gains in Lexington, Kentucky, Thursday.

Seven yearlings brought $300,000 or higher this year and 18 realized $200,000 or more. Five accomplished the former in 2014, while 10 reached the latter a year ago. For the session, 205 head grossed $20,005,000. The average was $97,585 (+3.6%) and the median was $77,000 (+10%). In 2014, 162 yearlings brought $15,253,000, good for an average of $94,154 and a median of $70,000. The buy-back rate improved slightly to hit 29% this year.

“I thought it was a very good yearling sale today,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said just as the Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale kicked off into the evening. “You're always pleased when your gross increases, average increases, median increases and your buy-back rate decreases. I think it was kind of what our expectations were. It was very solid and very competitive. Optimism, but not exuberance out there in the market place. I think you see a very similar market, maybe slighter better, but not dramatically different, than what we saw in 2014. But all in all, a good marketplace. And a fair marketplace, too.”

The Fasig-Tipton July Sale is the first yearling sale on the calendar in the U.S.

Browning concluded, “I don't want to make any brash predictions or read too much into it, but [the yearling market] is off to a good start.”

The aforementioned yearling topper, produced by a stakes-winning daughter of Grade I winner Mayo on the Side (French Deputy), was bred and consigned by Gainesway and purchased by bloodstock agent Steve Young.

“Every time I thought a horse was going to bring money, they did and then some,” Young said. “So, I think the market is strong and it bodes well for Saratoga and Keeneland September.”

Gainesway's Brian Graves added, “The market is very strong, in my opinion. I feel like there's a bit of premium this year over last year. I haven't actually seen the numbers, but that's my gut feeling.”

The Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, meanwhile, was topped by recent New York Oaks heroine Temper Mint Patty (Congrats) well into the 11th hour of trading. Mike Repole went to $350,000 to acquire the former Mark H. Stanley colorbearer, who was the final horse to go through the ring for the day. Numbers for that portion of the sale were understandably down, with 65 horses bringing $3,996,000 for an average of $61,477. Last year's Horses of Racing Age Sale, bolstered by a high-powered Eugene Melnyk dispersal, saw 109 horses sell for gross receipts of $8,426,000 and an average of $77,303.

For complete stats, visit www.fasigtipton.com.

Tapit Reigns at Fasig-Tipton July

by J.M. Severni

Late in Thursday's Fasig-Tipton July yearling sale, hip 317, a filly by Tapit brought the sale's top price of $500,000 from bloodstock agent Steve Young. The chestnut, who was the only yearling by the leading sire in the sale, was bred and consigned by Gainesway. She is the third foal out of stakes winner French Dip (Speightstown) and her granddam is GISW Mayo On the Side (French Deputy). Young declined to say on whose behalf he purchased the filly.

“She's, hopefully, a wonderful filly,” Young stated. “She's by an extremely talented stud, her mother could run and I hope she can run. Speightstown, I've got to believe, is going to be a good broodmare sire. She's very well-balanced, she has a beautiful hip on her and I imagine she'll be like her mother.”

As for the final price, Young noted that he expected a yearling by Tapit to be in the $500,000 ballpark.

“Being by a $300,000 stud, that's what it's supposed to cost,” he explained. “She's a beautiful horse, arguably the best filly in the sale, and I hope she's brave and lucky.”

Gainesway purchased French Dip, in foal to Unbridled's Song, for $160,000 at the 2013 Keeneland January sale. Her Unbridled's Song colt sold for $280,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Gainesway's Brian Graves said the half-million dollar price was about what he expected the filly to command.

“She brought in the neighborhood of what we expected her to bring,” he said. “Tapit yearlings are averaging $600,000, so she brought about that. She's a very nice filly and we wish Steve Young a lot of luck.”

Scat Daddy Colt Goes to Crupi

Hip 152, a Scat Daddy colt out of Irish stakes winning and Group 1 stakes-placed Starbourne (Ire) (Sadler's Welles) fetched $385,000 from Crupi's Newcastle Farm half-way through the yearling session of Thursday's Fasig-Tipton July sale. The bay was consigned by Indian Creek Farm.

“We loved this horse,” Crupi said. “He has a good walk and has a pedigree to be a stallion. He will probably go on to the 2-year-old sales. He's very correct. He vetted perfectly, good throat, good x-rays, you can't ask for much more than that.”

Crupi noted that the price was about what they expected to pay for a horse of his caliber. “We wanted him to be around $300,000, so we were right there,” he said.

Crupi said the strong pedigree was an obvious draw, but added of the colt, “If he runs the way he looks, he'll make his own pedigree.”

Bred by Commonwealth, Florent Couturier's Redmon Farm purchased the colt for $90,000 as a Keeneland November weanling. The French-born breeder seldomly pinhooks horses, and has a string of 10 mares on his farm in Paris, Kentucky. He explained that one of his weanling colts needed a companion, so he purchased the Scat Daddy colt to keep him company.

“Last year, I had only one colt and the others were fillies,” Couturier said. “I needed a buddy for my colt, so I decided to pick up a colt at the sales and I found this one. I liked his development, because he was already very well-developed as a weanling. I liked the sire, he was correct and he was in my price range.”

Couturier never expected his colt's field companion would bring the hefty price at auction that he commanded. “I knew that he would do well because he's a nice-looking horse and Scat Daddy is very hot these days, so I knew he would sell well, but I didn't think he'd bring that price.”

First Finds Scores with Blame Colt

by J.M. Severni

Ocala horsewoman Tami Bobo has found success quickly in her new yearling venture, First Finds. Bobo, who sells 2-year-olds under Secure Investments, started First Finds two years ago as a partnership with Fernando De Jesus selling yearlings. They made a sizable score Thursday with hip 99. The duo purchased the Blame colt out of the Deputy Minister mare Private Operation for $20,000 as a weanling at Keeneland November. He fetched $335,000 from Hillwood Farm's Ellen M. Charles Thursday.

Bobo, who is in just her seventh year in the racing industry, already profited from a strong 2-year-old sales season in which Secure Investments sold a My Miss Aurelia half-brother by Smart Strike for $800,000, as well as an Uncle Mo colt for $275,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale; and had a Tapit colt sell privately for $335,000 out of the OBS March Sale. After a great deal of success in the 2-year-old markets, Bobo decided to team up with longtime Hill 'n' Dale showman De Jesus and dip her toe into the yearling sales pool.

“She asked me if I wanted an opportunity to do yearlings, and I was so lucky,” De Jesus said. “She gave me the opportunity to become partners in First Finds. We try to do the yearlings and, in case they don't sell, we always have a Plan B with the 2-year-old sales.”

First Finds had seven yearlings this year, five of which were purchased at the Keeneland November sale and two from Keeneland January. They sent two other lots through the ring Thursday in hip 193, a Union Rags colt that went to John Fort for $95,000; and hip 197, an Old Fashioned filly that RNA'd for $33,000.

Bobo thought the Blame colt was a special type when she purchased him as a weanling.

“We brought him home and Fernando prepared him and prepped him and brought him here to sell,” she explained. “He's an amazing individual.”

Bobo, who grew up riding and showing Quarter Horses before her foray into the Thoroughbred industry, credits her eye for correctness as her strongest asset.

“When buying yearlings, balance is crucial,” Bobo offered. “I think horses can overcome a lot of shortcomings by having balance and being correct. It's hard to buy that because everyone tries to buy balanced and correct. I think an eye is a gift from God, it's not something you learn or can teach someone. You either have an eye for a horse or you don't, and I've been very blessed in both the 2-year-old and yearling business. I've had a lot of success with Fasig-Tipton. I sold the My Miss Aurelia half in South Florida. I do well with Fasig and it works well with me. You find your spot and I think I'm finding my way in the industry. I've had tremendous success and amazing horses, so I've just been very blessed.”

Ballis Picks Up a 'Quality' Filly

by Steve Sherack

A well-bred Quality Road filly from the family of Johannesburg, Pulpit, Tale of the Cat, etc., brought $300,000 from Jake Ballis's Ghost Bloodstock. The bay, consigned by Bluewater Sales LLC, Agent IV, as Hip 91, is the first foal from $325,000 KEESEP graduate Out for Revenge (Bernardini), a maiden of three career starts. Hip 91 was bred in Kentucky by Southern Equine Stables.

“I loved her physical and she's a gorgeous filly,” Ballis commented. “I thought she had one of the better walks in the sale. She's very leggy and athletic-looking; those are the main reasons I was attracted to her.”

Ballis, along with NBA star and longtime friend Rashard Lewis, have enjoyed a good run at the races the past few years via standouts Cigar Street (Street Sense), Mean Season (Henny Hughes), White Rose (Tapit), et al.

“I put together a partnership with some new guys in the game, as well as myself and Rashard [Lewis] and also a couple of new athletes, too,” Ballis continued. “She'll be the first horse in this new partnership.”

According to Ballis, either Todd Pletcher, Bill Mott or George Weaver will train. That decision will be reached by early next spring.

“I pinned her for 250k-350k, so it was about what I expected,” Ballis concluded. “I don't think I got a steal by any means. But I don't think I overpaid, either. The market is strong and it's continued from the 2-year-old sales. I loved Quality Road as a runner. I know Wesley [Ward] has had some luck with him [with GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hootenanny]. I'm just looking for the best athletes.”

Zayat Family Active at Fasig-Tipton July

by Steve Sherack

Still riding the high of American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile)'s historic Triple Crown run this spring, Zayat Stables scooped up a pair of yearlings by freshmen sires early in the session at Thursday's Fasig-Tipton July Sale.

• Hip 54, a $270,000 Dialed In–Magic Smoke (Smokester) colt; consigned by Gainesway, Agent II. *Produced by a SW.

• Hip 51, a $185,000 Creative Cause–Madam Ann (Mi Cielo) filly; consigned by Brereton C. Jones/Airdrie Stud, agent. *1/2 to Yankee Fortune (Yankee Gentleman), MGSW, $391,975.

Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway), winner of the 2011 GI Norfolk S., commands a $15,000 fee at Airdrie Stud. GI Florida Derby hero Dialed In (Mineshaft) stands for $7,500 at Darby Dan.

“The Creative Cause is a nice Ontario-bred filly and we've always been a big fan of that program,” racing and stallion manager Justin Zayat said by telephone from New Jersey. “Creative Cause was a solid racehorse himself and actually defeated Bodemeister [in the 2012 GII San Felipe S.]. We've always respected him as a horse and the mare was a quality racemare in California, too. She's just a nice-looking, well-balanced filly and she checked all the boxes. Dialed In was also obviously a pretty nice racehorse and this colt is a big, powerful and well-balanced horse.”

With all of the success of six-time Grade I winner American Pharoah, will anything change as far as how Zayat Stables operates at the upcoming sales this summer/fall?

“Really not,” Zayat replied. “Whether we won the Triple Crown or not, we would be participating in the yearling sales like we usually do. The yearling sales are always on our calendar and we have the type of horse that we look for. We're mostly into buying colts, but if there's a nice filly out there, like the Creative Cause, we're going to strike for it. You may not get as much pedigree as you would at Saratoga or Keeneland September here, but these horses looked like really good athletes, even more so than their pedigrees.”

As for the current stable star, all systems are a go for last year's juvenile champion as he continues preparations for his return in the GI Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Aug. 2. American Pharoah worked four furlongs in :47.60 (8/52) at Santa Anita July 6.

“The truth is, I know we won something big; I just don't know if it's sunk in that we won the Triple Crown yet,” Zayat concluded. “It's really all about the horse. He's so special. He came out of the race in great order and is doing everything right, right now. We're excited for the Haskell.”

Plenty to 'Smile' About at Fasig-Tipton July

by Steve Sherack

The first foal out of 2011 GI Prioress S. heroine Her Smile (Include), a colt by Ghostzapper, kicked off the proceedings at the Fasig-Tipton July Sale, bringing $280,000 from Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables. The Jan. 25 foal, consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock as Hip 6, was bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock.

“We loved the physical on the colt,” said bloodstock agent Nick de Meric after signing the ticket on the yearling, adding that the dark bay was bought to race. “He's a very balanced, strong, precocious-looking individual. Of course, the mare herself was an absolute star on the track. He's her first foal and by a sire, that, if anything, may be a bit underrated. We're very happy to get him.

“There were a lot of other people here who liked him, too,” de Meric concluded.

Her Smile, a private purchase by Bobby Flay during her sophomore season, also placed third while carrying the celebrity chef's colors in the 2011 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs and GI Acorn S. at Belmont Park, in addition to her Prioress score.

Acquired by Adena Springs for $1 million at the 2011 FTKNOV sale, she raced five more times at four, highlighted by a third-place finish in the GIII Hurricane Bertie S. at Gulfstream Park. Purchased by SF Bloodstock for $1.075 million at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton November sale with the aforementioned Ghostzapper colt in utero, Her Smile brought $1.5 million from KatieRich Farm while in foal to leading sire Tapit at last year's Keeneland November sale.

Freshmen Sires Well Received at F-T July

A slew of the 22 freshmen sires that debuted yearlings at the Fasig-Tipton July sale were well received Thursday, with five yearlings by first-crop sires selling for $250,000 or over.

WinStar stallion Bodemeister, who stands for $30,000, had five yearlings go through the ring Thursday, bringing a total of $750,000 for an average of $150,000. Hip 242 brought his top price of $250,000 from Scott and Evan Dilworth.

Four yearlings by Airdrie stallion Creative Cause went for a total of $470,000, good for an average of $117,500.

Dialed In, who stands for $7,500 at Darby Dan, saw five lots sell for an average of $135,400, including hip 54 who brought $270,000 from Zayat Stables.

Gainesway's $15,000 stallion Tapizar had an impressive showing, with five yearlings totaling $840,000 for an average of $168,000. Conquest Stables scooped up the filly (hip 266) for $250,000 as Tapizar's top-priced yearling.

Lane's End's The Factor averaged $144,000 for five sold, with Gainesway taking home his top-priced horse at $250,000 in hip 108; and Union Rags had four yearlings sell for an average of $111,250.

Some of the stallions with fewer yearlings also had notable results, including Aikenite, whose only representation (hip 165) fetched $120,000 from Crupi's New Castle Farm; Dominus whose colt (hip 176) went to Solis/Litt Bloodstock for $250,000; and a Mission Impazible colt (hip 289) who fetched $155,000 from Empire Racing.