Gun Runner Filly Tops Final Session of Record-Breaking Kentucky October Yearlings Sale

The 2022 Kentucky October Yearlings sale concluded Thursday with a strong final session which began at 10 AM at the Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. By the session’s end, new sale records had been established for gross, average, and median.

A filly by leading second-crop sire Gun Runner (Hip 1364) topped the session and sale when sold for $700,000 to Wesley Ward from the consignment of Claiborne Farm, agent (video). The chestnut filly is the second foal out of the Speightstown mare No More Parties, an unraced full sister to Grade 1 winner Force the Pass. The filly hails from the immediate family of Grade 1 winners Perfect Drift and Wonder Wheel. Hip 1364 was  bred in Kentucky by Colts Neck Stables. The sale topper was the third most expensive filly ever sold at the Kentucky October Yearlings sale.

“Another remarkable sale concluded tonight,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We were optimistic coming in because we knew the consignors and sellers had supported us with better quality horses than in the past. It’s thrilling to set records for gross, average, and median, particularly considering the 2021 sale had such a dramatic increase from prior years as well.”

A well-related filly by Uncle Mo (Hip 1429) was the session’s second most expensive offering, selling for $485,000 to Lauren Carlisle, agent, from the consignment of Anderson Farms (video). The bay filly is out of the stakes placed Bernardini mare Pearl Turn, making her a three-parts sister to Canadian champion two-year-old male Gretzky the Great (Nyquist), also a graduate of this sale. Hip 1429 was bred in Ontario by the consignor.

Rounding out the final session’s top five prices were:

• A Gun Runner colt (Hip 1528), sold for $360,000 to Klaravich Stables from the consignment of Lane’s End, agent. The bay colt is the second foal out of the graded stakes placed stakes winning Speightstown mare Raucous, from the immediate family of Eclipse Champions Flanders and Surfside. Hip 1528 was bred in Kentucky by R. S. Evans.
• A Constitution filly (Hip 1426), sold for $350,000 to Spendthrift Farm from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. The bay filly is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Pavati, already the dam of multiple graded stakes placed multiple stakes winning filly Party Boat (Into Mischief). In addition, Pavati is a full sister to the dam of multiple Grade 1 winning millionaire Tourist. Hip 1426 was bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III.
• A City of Light colt (Hip 1263), sold for $335,000 to D. Wayne Lukas, agent for Les Wagner, from the consignment of Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, agent. The bay colt is out of the winner Bernardini mare Milania, a daughter of Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Keeper Kill, who has already produced two winners from two to race. Hip 1263 was bred in Kentucky by Seclusive Farm.

“It’s become a legitimate sale for quality horses and quality buyers,” added Browning. “It has a great feel to it. It’s a great place to transact business and move horses at all price ranges. I couldn’t be any happier… we’re thrilled to build on the success of last year.”

Over the course of four days of selling, 1100 yearlings changed hands for a record $55,426,500, up 5.4% over the previous record gross set last year when 1153 yearlings sold for $52,607,500. The average was $50,338, eclipsing by 10.4% the record set last year at $45,627. The median rose 13.6% to a record $25,000 from the $22,000 benchmark set in 2021. One-hundred-fifty-six (156) yearlings sold for $100,000 or more, up from 140 sold at or above that price in 2021. The RNA rate was 18.7%.

Full results are available online.