Hard Spun Colt Equals New York Bred Yearlings Sale Record

A record-tying colt topped the robust first session of the Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearlings sale, which kicked off Sunday evening in the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, New York. Held annually the week after The Saratoga Sale, the New York Bred Yearlings sale offers an elite group of yearlings selected based on conformation and pedigree.

A colt by Hard Spun sold for $600,000 to top the session when purchased by Joe Hardoon, agent (video). Perrone Sales offered the colt as Hip 378 on behalf of breeders Apache Farm and Godolphin. Hip 378 is out of the Dixie Union mare Passe, making him a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 placed multiple stakes winner Wonder Gal (Tiz Wonderful), who produced this year’s Debutante S. winner Wonder Wheel. Passe is herself a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Social Queen, dam of Grade 1 winner Force the Pass. The session topper’s price equals that of the most expensive colt sold at the New York Bred Yearlings sale – a record set by a Pioneerof the Nile colt sold in 2018 – and the second most expensive yearling in the sale’s history.

“(It was) another outstanding session tonight,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The place was full of people, full of energy again, just like it was for the selected sale. It’s a tribute to the quality of the New York-bred program. The great thing is this sale can stand on its own two feet. It’s a legitimate horse sale.”

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing went to $370,000 to secure the session’s top filly, a daughter of 2017 Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Male Good Magic (video). Vinery Sales offered the filly as Hip 341 on behalf of breeder Rockridge Stud. The third foal out of the Grade 2 winning Unusual Heat mare Majestic Heat, Hip 341 is a full sister to first-out two-year-old maiden winner Magic Glass.

Rounding out the session’s top sellers were:

• Hip 314, a colt by Bolt d’Oro out of Judge Lee, sold for $355,000 to Greg Martin, agent, from the consignment of Gainesway, agent. The colt was bred by Matthew Nestor. Hip 314 is out of a Street Cry (IRE) half-sister to multiple stakes winner Euro Platinum, from the immediate family of group/graded stakes winners Miroswava (FR) and Pacific Fleet. The colt was a $120,000 weanling purchase at last year’s Saratoga Fall Sale.
• Hip 392, a filly be Oscar Performance out of Reachfortheheavens, sold for $350,000 to Blue Chips Bloodstock, West Paces, Flying Partners, and Oracle Bloodstock from the consignment of Thorndale Farm, agent. The filly was bred by Jonathan Thorne. Hip 302 is a part-sibling to five winners, including multiple Grade 1 winner Real Solution and stakes winner Ava’s Kitten, both by Kitten’s Joy, who sired Oscar Performance.
• Hip 348, a filly by Speightstown out of Memento d’Oro, sold for $330,000 to Carem Stables/Lisa Moser from the consignment of Denali Stud, agent. The filly was bred by Old Tavern Farm. Hip 348 is a half-sibling to three winners from as many to race out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Memento d’Oro, herself a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Intagaroo.
• Hip 379, a colt by Munnings out of Perfect Package, sold for $300,000 to Bradley Thoroughbreds, agent for Rodeo Creek Racing, from the consignment of Gainesway, agent. The colt was bred by Barry K. Schwartz and Andrew Rosen. Hip 379 is out of the winning Tiznow mare Perfect Package, a full sister to stakes winner Tiz Now Tiz Then and a half-sister to Irish champion and multiple group stakes winner Maoineach.

When asked about momentum from last week’s record-smashing Saratoga Sale, Browning said, “Certainly, there’s market confidence and momentum that’s been created throughout the (July and Saratoga) sales and it bodes well, I think, for the overall marketplace this year.” On the subject of Saratoga, he added, “The place is alive. I mean, it’s vibrant. You all can feel it. The energy, the purse structure is really good, the quality of racing is really good. People enjoy being here.”

Over the course of the evening, 64 yearlings changed hands for $6,900,000, up 6% from last year when 62 sold for $6,497,500. The average rose 3% to $107,813 from $104,798 in 2021, while the median was $77,000. The RNA rate was comparable to last year’s opening session at 24%.

Full results for the Sunday evening session are available online. The New York Bred Yearlings sale continues Monday, August 15 at 12 PM.