It would be unreasonable to assign success or failure to a first-crop weanling sire based on the two most boutique sessions of Kentucky's November mixed sale season, but there is plenty that's unreasonable about buying a months-old horse for six figures if you think about it hard enough.
The sample size is incredibly small, for sure, but there is still plenty to be gleaned from examining how the first weanling crops from this autumn's class of rookie stallions performed under the white-hot lights of the Fasig-Tipton November Sale and the exclusive Book 1 of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. In a marketplace filled with the biggest names in the stud book and the biggest buyers on the bench, standing out among them is an incredible vote of confidence.
A total of 42 first-crop weanlings sold during the Fasig-Tipton sale and Book 1 of Keeneland November, by 13 different stallions.
The early pacesetter among the group is Darley's Essential Quality, who leads all first-crop weanling sires by average sale price at $285,000.
The 5-year-old son of Tapit and two-time Eclipse Award winner had three weanlings change hands through the ring for a total of $855,000.
Leading that trio was a gray or roan colt who sold to Shadwell Racing for $485,000 at the Keeneland sale, making him the second-most expensive weanling of the season's boutique sessions. Consigned by Elm Tree Farm, agent, the colt is out of the Quiet American mare Bashful Bertie, making him a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Beach Patrol. His extended family features Grade 1 winner Traitor and Grade 2 winners Sun King, Allamerican Bertie, and Hurricane Bertie.
Essential Quality's early success in the select sessions of the November sales carry over the momentum he established with his first in-foal mares last year, where he led all rookie sires with an average sale price of $348,929.
Essential Quality will stand for an advertised fee of $65,000 during the 2024 breeding season.
Maxfield, a fellow Darley resident, is responsible for the most expensive first-crop weanling so far, with a bay colt going to Enfuego Stables for $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton sale.
The colt is out of the Ghostzapper mare Belle's Finale, making him a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner and Eclipse Award contender Up to the Mark. His second dam is the Grade 1 winner Capote Belle.
Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned the colt, as agent.
Maxfield, a Grade 1-winning 6-year-old Street Sense horse, will stand the upcoming breeding season for $35,000.
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If you appreciate our work, you can support us by subscribing to our Patreon stream. Learn more.The leading first-year sire by bulk is Charlatan, whose 13 weanlings through the first two days of the fall mixed season is by far the most, with revenues totaling $2.79 million.
Charlatan's top offering of the select sessions was a chestnut filly who sold to Shadwell Racing for $325,000 at the Keeneland sale.
A member of the Grovendale Sales consignment, the filly is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Turnerloose, and her second dam is the Grade 1 winner Game Face.
Charlatan, a 6-year-old Grade 1-winning son of Speightstown, will stand the upcoming season at Hill 'n' Dale Farms for $50,000.
Also performing well during the opening sessions was Spendthrift Farm's Yaupon, who had seven weanlings trade for $1.37 million, and an average of $195,714.
A pair of Yaupon weanlings brought $400,000 to lead the way for their sire.
Hip 5, a filly out of the champion Tiznow mare Folklore, sold to Haruya Yoshida. Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned her, as agent.
Taylor Made also consigned the second half of that exacta, Hip 37, a colt out of the Grade 2-winning Majestic Warrior mare Lady Sabelia who went to AAA Thoroughbreds.
Yaupon, a 6-year-old Grade 1-winning son of Uncle Mo, will stand for $25,000 in 2024.
The post A Way-Too-Early Look At How The First-Crop Weanling Sires Are Doing At The November Sales appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
