In a catalog as deep as the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale, a page needs a little extra special something to really stand out. Being the first son of a Hall of Famer to be offered at auction ought to do the trick.
Hip 165 of the Saratoga catalog is the fifth foal out of the Hall of Famer Beholder, and the Curlin colt is her first to be offered by breeder Spendthrift Farm at public auction.
The first four foals out of Beholder, a 13-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes, were kept by Spendthrift to race as homebreds, so let's get the question on everyone's mind out of the way now: Why is this colt being offered for sale?
Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey said putting the colt on the market was a return to the commercial philosophy set by Spendthrift's former owner, the late B. Wayne Hughes.
“What we did historically when Mr. Hughes was here was every horse in the organization has gone to market,” he said. “The Beholders haven't, but we just decided it's important to treat this like a business. If they want him, they're going to have to pay for him, and he certainly warrants that. He may be sold outright, or we may keep a piece. There are a lot of different options.
“He's a nice colt, and we're going to have a lot of really nice bloodstock coming down the pipeline over the next several years with some of the high-end mares that we've bought, and we felt it was important to keep in mind that it's a business,” Toffey continued. “Buyers will get a shot in the marketplace, and hopefully we'll have some luck with them.”
Of Beholder's five foals, three have reached the races, one will likely be hitting the races soon, and one is a winner; that being the 3-year-old War Front filly Teena Ella, who most recently won the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes on May 6 at Santa Anita Park.
The colt being offered during Tuesday's second and final session of the Saratoga sale represents Beholder's second visit to Hall of Famer Curlin, following the mare's second foal, the 4-year-old filly Karin With an I. Beholder has also produced an Uncle Mo colt (5-year-old Q B One) and a Bolt d'Oro filly (the 2-year-old Tamara). She was part of the first book of mares for Spendthrift's 2021 champion male sprinter Jackie's Warrior during the 2023 breeding season.
“Most of the offspring are a combination of her, but you see a lot of the sire in them,” Toffey said. “That's what you see here. You see plenty of Beholder, but you see lots of Curlin in this colt, too.”
The colt is being handled at the Saratoga sale by consignor Taylor Made Sales Agency, and he's been handled a lot.
During a visit to Taylor Made's outpost at Barn 10 on Fasig-Tipton's sales grounds, the chestnut was spending little time in his stall, going through his paces for one inspector after another before moving to the next open show ring, because practically every show ticket had his box checked.
“He's on everybody's list, and a lot of people just want to see the horse, because it's such a unique horse,” said Taylor Made's Duncan Taylor, “but all the right people are looking.”
Taylor had plenty of opportunities to watch the colt handle the process of being shown repeatedly, which is not only physically taxing for the steps the horse puts in, but also a test of his composure.
The colt, he said, was passing every test with flying colors.
“He's just a really good Curlin,” Taylor said. “He's got a lot of substance to him, and he's just a beautiful mover. When the horse walks, he overstrides and does everything an athlete does.”
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If you appreciate our work, you can support us by subscribing to our Patreon stream. Learn more.In addition to the appeal of his sire and dam, the colt also benefits from an extended family anchored by his second dam, the 2016 Broodmare of the Year Leslie's Lady, whose foals of note include Spendthrift's four-time leading sire Into Mischief, 2017 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner and popular young sire Mendelssohn, and successful California sire Curlin to Mischief.
The stallion potential is obvious for a colt with a page like that, and Taylor put that into further perspective, listing all the combined accolades that back him up.
“When you have Curlin and Into Mischief teaming up into one horse, and you've got Beholder as the mother, that's just an opportunity that very rarely presents itself,” he said. “There's eight Eclipse Awards between Beholder and Curlin, and Into Mischief's going on his fifth time in a row being leading sire. If he gets five, he's going to outdo Bold Ruler, and it's been a hell of a long time since Bold Ruler stood, so he does present a unique opportunity for a well-bred horse that looks the part and has everything you want.”
While the Curlin colt draws closer to his time in the spotlight, his 2-year-old half-sister by Bolt d'Oro, named Tamara, is preparing for her own star turn.
Toffey said Tamara is likely a week or two away from her debut start. Under the shedrow of trainer Richard Mandella, who also conditioned Beholder, the filly most recently breezed five furlongs from the gate in :59.20 on Aug. 2 at Santa Anita Park.
“We haven't run a race yet, so we'll find out, but she appears to be the most talented of the bunch so far,” Toffey said. “She's a very medium-sized filly, not real big, but very well put together, and she seems to have the most zip. Her sister by War Front is a Grade 3 winner, so that's an awfully lofty statement.”
@paulickreport Will this colt out of @spendthriftfarm ♬ Lofi (Live) – Adam Raoul
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