The Texas Thoroughbred Association's Summer Yearling Sale has been a proven source of runners for years, but it has also become a target for pinhookers to secure young horses that have become profitable sales during the ensuing 2-year-olds in training auction season.
In the following list, we'll take a look at the 10 most profitable pinhooks by gross that were initially purchased out of the 2022 Texas sale, and resold during this year's juvenile sale season.
While each of the top pinhooks started their journeys in the same sale ring, their paths from there have shown that success can come at different levels and from different venues.
Some of the horses on this list went on to be high-end sellers at global-level 2-year-old sales, bringing in six figures. Others were purchased for modest sums and brought in healthy returns coming back to the Lone Star State to be resold at the TTA's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.
Regardless of a buyer's roadmap, opportunity abounds at the Texas Summer Yearling Sale, and the next edition will take place Monday, Aug. 28, at Lone Star Park. To view the online catalog for this year's sale, click here.
#1 – Blue Eyed George
B. c., 2021, Flameaway x Acting Naughty, by Offlee Wild
Bought for $50,000 by Grassroots Training & Sales
Sold for $200,000 at OBS Spring Sale
Gross Revenue: $150,000
The star of the class is a Louisiana-bred from the first crop of sire Flameaway, out of a Grade 3 winner. He was offered at the Texas sale by Clear Creek Stud.
Grassroots Training and Sales purchased heavily out of the 2022 sale, and this colt not only turned the biggest gross profit of the bunch; his 300 percent return on investment also made him the most profitable versus the initial investment, as well.
“Like every pinhooker will tell you, he had the physical,” said David McKathan of Grassroots Training and Sales. “He had a fast body. He was the kind of horse that most pinhookers would buy.”
Blue Eyed George breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 seconds during the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, and he sold to bloodstock agent Dennis O'Neill for $200,000.
“He did everything right,” McKathan said. “He was one of those good-minded horses where there were no glitches, and went through the year good. He was an extremely precocious kind of horse.”
In addition to being one of the standouts of the 2022 Texas yearling sale by return on investment, he has also proven to be one of the sale's early stars on the racetrack. Racing for owner BG Stables and trainer Michael McCarthy, Blue Eyed George won at first asking going a mile over the turf at Ellis Park on July 31.
#2 – Larin
Ch. f., 2021, Commissioner x Union Silk, by Union Rags
Bought for $45,000 by Scanlon Training & Sales
Sold for $160,000 at OBS Spring Sale
Gross Revenue: $115,000
This Louisiana-bred first foal out of the Union Rags mare Union Silk, along with buyer Robert Scanlon, benefitted greatly from being in the right place at the right time, in relation to her sire. Commissioner was sold to stand in Saudi Arabia in 2020, and Larin went through the ring at the OBS Spring Sale shortly after Commissioner King won the Saudi Derby, and she was secured by HRH Prince Saud Bin Salman Racing Stable.
“She had a great body, all the right parts,” Scanlon said. “She was kind of a tall, leggy filly. She just looked racy, just had all the right parts. Had a great angle to her shoulder, good hip, and she walked nice. All-around athletic. Commissioner wasn't crazy-hot, but he was doing well with some fillies like Con Lima, so we didn't really set out to buy a Commissioner, but we actually just thought as an individual, she was extremely athletic and we were really impressed.”
Larin was consigned at the Texas Yearling Sale by Highlander Training Center, agent.
#3 – Good N Sassy
Gr. or ro. f., 2021, Good Magic x Classy Grey Lassie, by Silver Train
Bought for $50,000 by Scanlon Training & Sales
Sold for $130,000 at OBS Spring Sale
Gross Revenue: $80,000
Another horse where Scanlon benefitted from buying in on a stallion just before a commercial upswing.
This time around, Scanlon landed a Louisiana-bred filly out of a two-time winner, consigned by Oakridge Farm. Good N Sassy was offered at the OBS Spring Sale as Good Magic's first crop of 3-year-olds were making noise on the Kentucky Derby trail, and the filly breezed in :10 1/5 seconds before selling to J. Stevens Bloodstock, agent, for $130,000.
“We were very much attracted to her being a Good Magic,” Scanlon said. “We liked her pedigree, but she looked very fast. She had a strong hip and just looked very speedy, so we said if we could get a Good Magic here in one of these regional markets, that's really good, plus one that could work fast.
“We just struck at the right time,” he continued. “Good Magic was just starting to heat up. If it was this year, I think it would be a much tougher challenge. He was just getting going, so we struck just before the Good Magic mania started.”
#4 – Girl Likes Bling
B. f., 2021, El Deal x Moonlit Bayou, by Mr. Greeley
Bought for $15,000 by Keiber Rengifo
Sold for $85,000 at OBS March Sale
Gross Revenue: $70,000
The fifth foal out of Moonlit Bayou, this Louisiana-bred was consigned at the Texas sale by KP Sales, agent, and the filly was sent to the following year's OBS March sale, where she breezed a quarter-mile in :21-flat for the Golden Rock Thoroughbreds consignment.
Girl Likes Bling was purchased by Jose Camejo for $85,000, and she has raced three times for owner Shooters Shoot Stable and trainer Rylee Magnon. She finished second on debut at Louisiana Downs, then she ran second in the D. S. Shine Young Futurity at Evangeline Downs.
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If you appreciate our work, you can support us by subscribing to our Patreon stream. Learn more.#5 – Andy's Candy
B. g., 2021, Practical Joke x In Gold Blood, by My Golden Song
Bought for $28,000 by CJ Thoroughbreds
Sold for $84,000 at Texas 2-Year-Old Sale
Gross Revenue: $56,000
Hailing from the family of the great Alysheba, this gelding was consigned at the Texas Yearling Sale by KP Sales, agent. When he returned to Lone Star Park for the following year's Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, he was with the Pike Racing consignment, and breezed a furlong in :10 1/5 seconds before selling to the partnership of JD Thoroughbred, Larry Romero, and Joe Davis. He's training toward his debut start at Ellis Park.
#6 – Bacliff
Ch. f., 2021, Khozan x Cameron Crazies, by Lion Heart
Bought for $7,000 by Al Pike, agent
Sold for $52,000 at Texas 2-Year-Old Sale
Gross Revenue: $45,000
Grade 3-placed Cameron Crazies has been a strong producer, with runners including Grade 3 winner Prudhoe Bay and stakes winner Indy Lyon. Oakridge Farm handled the Texas-bred as a yearling, and she was purchased by Pike for a modest price. After breezing an eighth in :10 2/5 seconds during the Texas 2-Year-Old Sale, the return on investment was apparent when CJ Thoroughbreds and Swinbank Stables teamed up to buy the filly for $52,000. The 642 percent return on investment was the second-highest by percentage of all pinhooks at last year's Texas Yearling Sale.
#7 – Cosmically Cool
B. f., 2021, Klimt x Ooh La La Cool, by Uncle Mo
Bought for $8,500 by Ike Green
Sold for $52,000 at Texas 2-Year-Old Sale
Gross Revenue: $43,500
This Texas-bred from the family of Grade 3 winner and sire Astrology was consigned by Stoneview Farm as a yearling, and she went through the ring at the Texas juvenile sale for consignor Oak Creek Thoroughbreds after breezing an eighth in :10 3/5 seconds. She sold to Larry Hirsch for $52,000, making for a 511 percent return on investment.
#8 – Magnolia Avenue
B. f., 2021, Tapiture x Quicaria, by Unbridled's Song
Bought for $15,000 by Kaden Clary
Sold for $45,000 at Texas 2-Year-Old Sale
Gross Revenue: $30,000
A Louisiana-bred from the family of top sire More Than Ready, this filly came from the KP Sales consignment as a yearling and sold again in Texas as a 2-year-old under the Clary Bloodstock consignment, where she breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 seconds. She sold to Kevin Knuckley for $45,000, and Knuckley campaigns the filly in partnership with Pat Heinsen, Michael Clary, and Kaden Clary. She won her debut start at Louisiana Downs on Aug. 6.
#9 – Stylish Anna
B. f., 2021, Fast Anna x Ain't It Sweep, by End Sweep
Bought for $8,700 by Jake Delhomme
Sold for $36,000 at OBS June Sale
Gross Revenue: $27,300
A product of the KP Sales consignment during the Texas Yearling Sale, this Florida-bred is out of a stakes-placed mare, and she's a half-sister to two stakes-placed runners. She was handled by Dark Star Thoroughbreds at the following year's OBS June Sale, where she breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 seconds before selling to M. Robert Bosso for $36,000.
#10 – Sounds Like Power
Gr. or ro. c., 2021, Power Jam x Street Sounds, by Street Cry
Bought for $25,000 by George W. Childs
Sold for $50,000 at OBS Spring Sale
Gross Revenue: $25,000
Out of the Grade 2 winner Street Sounds and consigned at the Texas Yearling Sale by Jumonville Farms, this Louisiana-bred breezed an eighth in :10-flat during the OBS Spring Sale for the consignment of Blas Perez Stables, agent. He sold to Scott Gelner for $50,000, and he has finished second twice in three starts at Evangeline Downs for owner Thompson Racing and trainer Jayde Gelner.
The post Lone Star Scores: Ranking The Top 10 Pinhooks Of The 2022 Texas Summer Yearling Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
