First Session of Kentucky Winter Mixed Worth the Wait
Inclement weather postponed the first session of the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed sale by a day, but the level of activity Tuesday in Lexington, Kentucky proved worth the wait. A healthy market for broodmares, racing and broodmare prospects, and short yearlings showed itself in vibrant first-session results.
Grade 2 winner Bodhicitta (GB) (Hip 177) topped Tuesday's session when sold for $450,000 to K I Farm (video). The 6-year-old daughter of Showcasing (GB) was offered as a racing/broodmare prospect by St George Sales, agent. Bodhicitta won the Yellow Ribbon H. (G2) at Del Mar at 4 and placed in back-to-back editions of the Gamely S. (G1) at Santa Anita at 4 and 5. Bodhicitta has earned $370,808 to date. She was campaigned by owner Calvin Nguyen and trainer Richard Baltas.
"The market's healthy right now," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "There's a vibrancy to it. (It's) a very encouraging market for short yearlings (with) great demand for both in-foal mares and broodmare prospects. Just a tremendously healthy market."
Hip 42, a colt from the second crop of multiple Grade 1 winner City of Light, sold for $260,000 to lead the short yearling contingent (video). The dark bay or brown colt was purchased by Peter Pugh, agent for Cherry Knoll from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Hip 42 is a half-brother to stakes placed winner Eloquent Speaker (Flatter) out of the unraced Broken Vow mare Spoken Now Broken, from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Behrens. The colt was bred in New York by John W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding.
The session's highest-priced broodmare came in the form of Cocktail Party (Hip 218), sold for $240,000 to Dash C. Goff from the consignment of James B. Keogh (Grovendale), agent (video). The 7-year-old winning daughter of Mizzen Mast was sold carrying her second foal, by Liam's Map. The gray or roan mare is a full sister to multiple stakes winner, graded stakes placed Barrier Reef and a half-sister to nine other winners. Cocktail Party hails from the immediate family of champion Kiss A Native and Grade 1 winner Yes It's True.
Hip 38, a filly by last year's champion first-crop sire Gun Runner, sold for $225,000 to round out the session's top four prices (video). The bay filly was purchased by Stock Thoroughbreds LLC from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Hip 38 is the second foal out of Sororitysweetheart (Discreetly Mine), a full sister to stakes winner Classy Class. The filly was bred in Pennsylvania by Forgotten Land Investment Inc.
"The fireworks are always going to take care of themselves," Browning said when asked about the session's top sellers. "The fireworks are great, but it's the trading of 90% of the horses that walk through here (that's promising). The base and backbone of the industry is being able to support the men and women that are in the trenches. There's a lot of good horses tomorrow as well."
During Tuesday's opening session, 198 horses sold for $6,598,800. The average was $33,327, up 13.3% over the two-day sale average in 2021, while the median rose 45% to $14,500 from $10,000. The session RNA rate was 16.1%.
The Kentucky Winter Mixed sale resumes Wednesday at 10 AM. Results are available online.
