First-Crop Girvin Filly Tops Monday Session of Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training

Monday, May 23, 2022
Girvin filly Fasig-Tipton Midlantic
Fasig-Tipton Photo

The 2022 Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training sale opened Monday in Timonium, Maryland, with strong trade and enthusiastic support for first-crop sires. Five of the top 10 sold during the opening session were from their sire's first crop of two-year-olds. The gross and average were comparable to last year's first session, while the median rose more than 11% over the same period.

Donato Lanni, agent for Michael Lund Petersen, went to $725,000 to secure the session topper, a filly from the first crop of Haskell Invitational S. (G1) winner Girvin (video). Consigned as Hip 88 by Paul Sharp, agent, the bay filly worked an eighth in 10.1 during the Tuesday session of the under tack show (video). Dam Sweet Pistol (Smart Strike) has already produced a winning filly in Kirtan (Cairo Prince). Sweet Pistol is out of multiple Grade 2 winner Pomeroys Pistol, making her a half-sister to Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) winner Thousand Words. Hip 88 was bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones. Bet Racing purchased the filly for $90,000 at last year's July Sale, where she was consigned by her breeder as Airdrie Stud.

Popular first-crop sire Bolt d'Oro was responsible for the session's top colt, which sold for $675,000 to Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher Racing (video). Offered as Hip 30 by Pike Racing, agent, the bay colt worked an eighth in 10.0 during the Tuesday session of the under tack show (video). Hip 30 is out of the stakes placed Aldebaran mare Shine Softly, making him a half-brother to six winners from as many to race, including stakes winner The Grass Is Blue (Broken Vow). Second dam is Breeders' Cup Champion and multiple Grade 1 winning millionaire Soaring Softly.

Rounding out the top five prices of the session were:

  • Hip 70, a colt by three-time Leading Sire Into Mischief, sold for $600,000 to Maverick Racing, Siena Farm and Commonwealth from the consignment of De Meric Sales, agent. The colt is out of stakes winner, graded stakes placed Stormy Regatta (Midshipman), making him a half-brother to stakes winner Bay Storm (Kantharos). Hip 70 worked an eighth in 10.1 during the Tuesday session of the under tack show (video).
  • Hip 11, a colt from the first crop of Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming, sold for $550,000 to West Bloodstock, agent for Robert and Lawana Low, from the consignment of Top Line Sales, agent. This is second foal out of stakes winner Saritta (Indygo Shiner), who has also produced his winning three-parts brother Mandrew (Bodemeister). Hip 11worked a quarter in 21.2 during the Tuesday session of the under tack show (video).
  • Hip 287, a colt from the third crop of last year's champion Freshman Sire and current leading second-crop sire Gun Runner, which sold for $525,000 to Speedway Stable from the consignment of De Meric Sales, agent. Out of the stakes producing Unbridled's Song mare Coppermine, Hip 287 hails from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner and multiple graded and group stakes winner producer Lovlier Lina. Bred in Pennsylvania by Blackstone Farm, the colt worked an eighth in 10.1 during Wednesday's session of the under tack show (video).

During the opening session, 172 juveniles sold for $15,755,700. The average was $91,603. The session median rose 11% to $50,000 from $45,000 in 2021.The session RNA rate was 25.5%.

The sale continues tomorrow at 11 AM. Results are available online.