“We have been pleased with the amount of traffic we have seen in the barn area,” OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said. “With all of the buyers who have contacted us about coming into town for the sale, I feel pretty good. There are an awful lot of good horses on the grounds. I feel like we should have a good sale.”

The March sale, which transitioned from a select to an open sale in 2015, has been held over two days since 2014.

“That is something that happened organically,” Wojciechowski said of sale's expansion to three days. “We didn't do it intentionally. The whole idea of opening March up a few years ago was to create a bigger catalogue, a better critical mass, for a buyer to come in, to make it worth his while to come to the sale. I think consignors have become more comfortable selling in March in that environment, so I think it's just an organic growth of the sale.”

The OBS April sale has stamped itself as the premier 2-year-old sale in the country in recent years, but the March sale seems to have drawn increased attention this year even as the auction calendar was shuffled with the absence of Fasig-Tipton's boutique Gulfstream sale.

“It's safe to say that we see the pendulum swing on the sales seasons from year to year or over a period of time,” Wojciechowski said. “Certainly April, rightly so, has gotten a lot of attention. But I think March is doing its job and holding its own.”

Without a seven-figure horse for two years, four hit the million-dollar mark at the 2022 March sale.

Asked if that could be a trend for the March market, Wojciechowski said succinctly, “I sure hope so.”

With its appearance as the first 2-year-old sale of the year, March attracts a specific type of offering and that could cap any future expansion of the auction, according to Wojciechowski.

“Being earlier in the year, you need to make sure you bring the right kind of horse to March,” he said. “You need to bring a horse that is precocious. That type of horse is the type that does well in March. Not every horse fits that bill.”

OBS conducted a four-day under-tack preview of the March sale last week. A colt by Good Magic (hip 546, video) and a son of Not This Time (hip 654, video) shared the fastest furlong time of :9 3/5, while a colt by Bucchero (hip 406, video) and a filly by Enticed (hip 631, video) shared the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 3/5.

“The breeze show went very well,” Wojciechowski said. “It was unfortunate we had some pretty significant headwinds Friday, gusting up to 20 and 30 miles an hour. There were some horses that hopefully don't get overlooked and the buyers pay attention to the conditions under which they had to perform. There were some nice horses in that group that maybe don't necessarily have the same time as other horses on the grounds, but are equally as nice.

“The second set of the second day was a little slower than the first set of the other days, but I think the buying public are sharp guys and they will be able to wade through varying conditions like that and pick out good horses.”

During last year's March sale, 374 horses sold for $49,371,00 for an average of $132,008 and a median of $75,000. A colt by More Than Ready brought the auction's top price of $1.2 million.

The post OBS March Sale Kicks off Juvenile Sales Season Monday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“The Gulfstream Park facilities are not available for 2023 due to some stabling issues,” said Fasig-Tipton's President and CEO Boyd Browning.

“The stalls are not available this year. We learned about this in the fall, and we determined this year that the best approach would be to concentrate our efforts on the Midlantic Sale, which last year produced the highest price of a 2-year-old in training,” said Browning, referring to Hejazi (Bernardini), who brought $3.55 million at Timonium this past May, and who has gone on to be a graded stakes performer at two for trainer Bob Baffert.

“The sale also has an amazing record of Grade I success of graduates on the racetrack over the last five years. We are strong advocates and believers of the importance of buyers having the opportunity to watch horses breeze on a dirt racetrack, and have a great deal of confidence in the Timonium sales venue.”

Browning said that it was too early to say if the sale would return to Gulfstream in future years. The 2023 Timonium Sale will be held from May 22-23. There will also be an additional one-day juvenile sale for the first time in Timonium June 28.

A total of 35 juveniles brought $13.155 million (17 RNAs), led by a $1.2-million Bold d'Oro filly, at the 2022 Gulfstream Sale. At the 2021 renewal, 67 head brought $25.36 million (38 RNAs), including $1.7-million graduate and MGISW Taiba (Gun Runner).

“I don't think it's a surprise to anybody,” said Niall Brennan, who consigned 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale graduate and subsequent GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Nyquist (Uncle Mo).

“The reality is they have struggled with that sale for the last few years and especially this year. You can look at the numbers yourself–the number of horses that were catalogued versus the number of horses that went to the breeze show and the amount of horses that actually went through the ring after the breeze show. And the last couple of years, it's been significant. It's very hard to have a select sale that way.”

He continued, “It doesn't impact the landscape at all in my opinion. Most consignors that are around here [in Ocala], it's so much easier for us to sell at OBS in March, April and even June. Because it's right here. We don't have to leave home. It's very expensive to go to Miami and that's not Fasig's fault.

“The South Florida Sale for years was a big thing. But the reality is times change. Their response was to put on two sales in Maryland. Time will tell if it's a good move. They've been oversubscribed to their May sale for a few years now.”

Leading consignor Eddie Woods concluded, “It's a shame that sale had to go. It was a great marketplace for many years. But it just proved tougher and tougher to sell there. All you could sell was the cream of the crop. OBS has become king in the 2-year-old market worldwide. So, we'll just go there. You hear some negatives about the synthetic track, but the good judges can pick the good horses out of there and pay a lot of money for them, too.”

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HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – A diverse buying bench vied for a select offering of juveniles during a rapid-fire three hours under the sunshine at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale Wednesday afternoon. A filly from the first crop of Bolt d'Oro brought the day's highest bid when selling for $1.2 million to Spendthrift Farm. Consigned by Tom McCrocklin, the youngster was one of two to bring seven figures during the auction. Jamie McCalmont, bidding on behalf of Coolmore's M.V. Magnier, went to $1.1 million to acquire a colt by Justify from the Wavertree Stables consignment.

“We have been doing this a long time and today was indicative of a typical 2-year-old sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The horses that worked well and vetted well, sold really, really well. There was a lot of interest in them. There was a diverse buying group. For the horses that missed the mark on one of those elements, it wasn't an easy day.”

Of the 103 juveniles catalogued to the boutique auction, 52 went through the sales ring Wednesday and 35 sold for a gross of $13,155,000. The average was $375,857 and the median was $300,000.

Spendthrift Farm purchased three of the day's top 10 lots and Magnier acquired another two. A strong domestic buying bench included the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds and Lane's End Farm, as well as Frank Fletcher, Zedan Racing, Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable.

“I was pleased with the group of buyers that was in attendance and the level of activity,” Browning said. “It is no secret that we wish we had more horses here. We will work really hard to try and remedy that going forward.”

Last year, 67 juveniles sold for $25,360,000, an average of $378,507 and a median of $300,000.

“Overall, the market was very similar to what we experienced in 2021, which is healthy,” Browning said. “I think if we could lock in this market across the Thoroughbred industry through the rest of 2022, we would all say yes. It is a solid market with no real surprises.”

McCalmont agreed demand for the top offerings was high in Hallandale Wednesday.

“I think the right horses are making the right money,” he said. “There aren't as many horses as there normally are here, but if you've got the right horse, it brings plenty of money. I hope the sale will be here next year because Miami is a great destination for people to come to in the horse business, especially this time of year.”

The Fasig-Tipton team remained busy with post-sale transactions even as the auction stand in the Gulfstream paddock was being disassembled Wednesday.

“Post sales have been very active,” Browning said. “It is so hard to judge the value, particularly of a 2-year-old. It is not easy to set reserves. Sometimes sellers are optimistic, then reality sets in. Sometimes buyers get shut out and then circle back around to buy a horse. So there were no real surprises. No euphoria, no despair. We are looking forward to our next 2-year-old sale at Timonium with a 600-horse catalogue and a different feel. It will be the best catalogue we've had there.”

Bolt Filly Electrifies Fasig Gulfstream

For the second time this week, a filly from the first-crop of red- hot freshman sire Bolt d'Oro (hip 48) wowed the crowd at Gulfstream Park when bringing a final bid of $1.2 million from Spendthrift Farm. The sale-topping result came just two days after the filly zipped a quarter-mile in :20 2/5 during the auction's under-tack preview Monday.

“We have been hearing about this filly for a while,” Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey said after signing the ticket on the juvenile. “She prepped beautifully for the sale and Tom McCrocklin, we've already bought one from him, and he does a great job.”

The filly's bullet work was not a complete shock to the Spendthrift team.

“We'd been hearing good things and on game day she delivered,” Toffey said. “That was as good a breeze as we've seen in quite some time.”

The bay filly is out of Rich Love (Not For Love), a daughter of multiple stakes winner Richetta (Polis Numbers) and a half-sister to stakes winners Concealed Identity (Smarty Jones) and Peach of a Gal (Curlin).

“She's a big, imposing filly,” Toffey said. “She's classy and athletic looking and good minded. Nothing ruffled her feathers. She got shown constantly and never seemed to turn a hair and her energy level stayed good the whole time. So she had all the intangibles that you want to see, as well as the obvious things that she showed everybody.”

The sale topper continued a strong sales season for Spendthrift's Grade I-winning Bolt d'Oro, whose standout results at the OBS March sale included a $900,000 colt.

“I think they tend to look like the sire, which isn't necessarily important, but I think is a good thing in general,” Toffey said of his early impressions of the stallion's offspring. “They are just athletic and very good minded. We spent a lot of time looking at his first crop as weanlings and we were impressed right away. We got great feedback from breeders and we saw for ourselves–we bought a couple privately. In terms of what we've seen of his offspring from day one, it's just been really encouraging. I know that [Spendthrift founder] Mr. [B. Wayne] Hughes was really keen on landing some Bolts. So that is going to clearly continue.”

Spendthrift purchased three juveniles Wednesday at Gulfstream, going to $800,000 for a colt by Uncle Mo (hip 21) and $475,000 for a son of Curlin (hip 57).

The sale topper was consigned by Tom McCrocklin on behalf of Solana Beach Sales. Solana Beach, the pinhooking division of Little Red Feather Racing, purchased Rich Love, with the filly in utero, for $70,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January sale. Part of a foal share, the filly was sold for $80,000 as a weanling at that year's Keeneland November sale, but Solana Beach got her back when paying $85,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale.

“We bred the horse, we sold her as a weanling as part of another partnership,” explained Solana Beach's Gary Fenton. “Tom called us from Keeneland in September and said he wanted to buy her back. We said, 'If you want to buy her back, buy her back.”

McCrocklin was high on the filly all winter, according to Fenton.

“Tom did a fantastic job,” Fenton said. “He called us in late December and said, 'You have a really special horse.' This horse has not turned a hair and showed she was a special horse for a long time. And she went through all the progressions.”

Of the filly's lights-out work Monday, Fenton said, “It was the second work of the day and you could just hear everybody stop. We knew she was going to be fast, but we weren't expecting that fast. It was pretty great.” @JessMartiniTDN

Coolmore Secures Regally Bred Justify Colt

With undefeated Triple Crown winner Justify as his sire and GISW and producer Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal) as his dam, it was no surprise when Hip 84 summoned $1.1 million in Gulfstream's paddock Wednesday. It was also no surprise to see bloodstock agent Jamie McCalmont signing the ticket on the striking bay on behalf of Coolmore's M.V. Magnier.

When asked what the Coolmore team liked about Hip 84, McCalmont said, “Everything.”

He continued, “We have seen a lot of Justifys. The word seems to be getting very strong on them. This one looks like more of a precocious type than some of them look, so you'd hope he'd be running in the summer. I have watched him train here for the last week and he hasn't put a hair wrong. He stood up to the sale well and we wanted to buy the horse.”

Bred by Barronstown Stud, hip 84 RNA'd for $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale last summer. The colt breezed in :10 flat for consignor Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables despite a few antics.

“He jumped two shadows and still managed to go :10 flat and stay on his feet. That shows a lot of athleticism,” McCalmont said.

Len Riggio's My Meadowview purchased Grade I winner Appealing Zophie for $1.1 million at the 2007 FTKNOV sale. Her first black-type winner was Tapwrit (Tapit), who summoned $1.2 million at the Saratoga Sale and went on to win the 2017 GI Belmont S. The following year she produced MGSW & GISP Ride a Comet (Candy Ride (Arg), a $375,000 OBSAPR purchase. Two years later came SW & GSP 'TDN Rising Star' Inject (Frosted), $390,000 KEESEP buy. Sent back through the ring at FTKNOV in 2018, Appealing Zophie brought $1.2 million from Barronstown Stud, carrying a full-sister to Tapwrit now named Teasing, who was most recently third in a Gulfstream maiden special weight Mar. 13.

Towards the end of Wednesday's sale, McCalmont went to $575,000 on behalf of Magnier for hip 96, a son of Ashford Stud's Uncle Mo that was also offered by Wavertree. The bay, produced by a winning half-sister to leading sire Tapit, breezed an eighth of a mile in :9 3/5 Monday.

Acting as agent for Magnier, McCalmont signed the ticket at a sales-topping $2.6 million for a Wavertree-consigned son of Nyquist at last year's Gulfstream sale. —@CDeBernardisTDN

West Point, Lane's End Team Up Again

Always on the lookout for future stallion prospects, West Point Thoroughbreds and the Farish family's Lane's End Farm teamed up to purchase a strapping son of Medaglia d'Oro (hip 88) for $900,000 from the Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds consignment at Gulfstream Wednesday.

“He is by Medaglia and has a super pedigree, being a half to Constitution,” Bill Farish said of the juvenile's appeal as West Point's Terry Finley signed the ticket. “We saw him as a yearling on the farm and we graded him highly there. We were surprised he didn't bring more as a yearling, but he's a May 11 foal, so he has a lot of maturing to do. Terry and I loved him. It's exciting to get him.”

The dark bay colt was bred by Don Alberto Corporation, which bought out partner Bridlewood Farm on Baffled (Distorted Humor) with him in utero for $1.8 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Baffled is the dam of GI Florida Derby and GI Donn H. winner Constitution, as well as multiple group winner Boynton (More Than Ready).

“Absolutely,” Farish said when asked if the colt was bought for his stallion potential. “And he certainly fits that bill with his pedigree and his conformation. It's a fun partnership that we have on him. We'll see. Hopefully he will be a runner.”

The colt, who worked a furlong in :10 flat, was purchased by Hoby and Layna Kight for $225,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale on behalf of Marvin Boyd and Charlie Allen.

“That's getting up there for me,” Hoby Kight said Tuesday of the colt's yearling price. “That's a lot for me. And they have to have all the right parts when I stretch.”

The youngster will be trained by Shug McGaughey. @JessMartiniTDN

Spendthrift Strikes Early for Uncle Mo Colt

Spendthrift Farm is typically seen among the list of top buyers at auctions of all types throughout the year and the Kentucky-based operation made its presence felt early at Gulfstream, going to $800,000 for a colt by Uncle Mo (Hip 21).

“He is a nice colt and did everything right,” said Spendthrift's Ned Toffey after signing the ticket. “He is tremendously talented and looked the part. [Consignor] Tom [McCrocklin] does a great job getting them ready. He will go back to Spendthrift and get 30 days and go from there.”

The bay colt breezed in a snappy :20 3/5 for McCrocklin during the under-tack show.

“He is obviously very fast and he carried it well past the wire,” Toffey said. “He is a good mover and was well within himself.

Bred by Parks Investment Group, hip 21 was purchased by McCrocklin, who was acting on behalf of Champion Equine, for $250,000 at the the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale. His GSP dam Lady Tapit (Tapit) is a half to GISW Gozzip Girl (Dynaformer), as well as the dam of Argentinian Group 3 winners Gallileo's Town (Speightstown) and Gianella (Lizard Island). The deeper female family also includes Lotus Land (Point of Entry), a two-time winner at group level in Japan and narrowly runner-up in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen Mar. 27. —@CDeBernardisTDN

Zedan Returns to the Well for Nyquist Colt

During last year's renewal of this auction, bloodstock agent Gary Young went to $1.7 million to secure a colt from the first crop of Gun Runner for Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing. Now named Taiba, that colt earned the 'TDN Rising Star' nod for his ultra-impressive debut at Santa Anita Mar. 5.

Young and Zedan were back in action at Gulfstream this year, going to $700,000 for a colt by Nyquist (hip 62). The colt will go to trainer Bob Baffert, who conditions Saturday's G1 Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) for Zedan, WinStar and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, as well as Zedan's late GISW Medina Spirit (Protonico).

“I thought we'd have to give more for him than we did,” Young said. “I hope I feel the same way about six months from now.”

Classic Bloodstock bought the bay colt for $275,000, the third-highest price at Fasig's California Fall Yearlings and Horse of All Ages Sale, on behalf of Sasulito and Breckenridge. He breezed an eighth in :9 4/5 Monday at Gulfstream.

“I really liked his work,” Young said. “His push off behind and extension with his front legs was pretty faultless.”

Bred in California by Bud Petrosian, hip 62 is a half to stakes-placed There Goes Harvard (Will Take Charge). His dam Soul Crusader (Fusaichi Pegasus) is a half to Turkish champion Hakeem (Harlan's Holiday) and the dam of GISW Killer Graces (Congaree) and MGSW Chocolate Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}).

“I like this horse a lot,” Young said. “I don't think what you see right now is a finished product. We will give him time to fill out and I think he will fill out and become a beautiful horse.”

He continued, “We will discuss it with Mr. Zedan and Bob Baffert. He is the kind of horse that if everything went right, you'd want to get him to the races towards the end of the Del Mar meet or during the Santa Anita fall meet.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Sharp Far From Unhappy

George Sharp refuses to call himself a pinhooker, but the owner was able to enjoy a profitable resale Wednesday at Gulfstream when selling a colt by Runhappy (hip 64) for $700,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Frank Fletcher. Sharp purchased the colt for $125,000 during a 12-yearling buying spree at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“There's nothing wrong with pinhooking, but for me this was just paying off the ones I am keeping,” Sharp, who entered 2022 with a class of 23 juveniles, explained. “I am ecstatic with this result and I would do this again next year where I buy a bunch and then try to sell a few off to pay for the ones I am keeping.”

While the $700,000 didn't complete Sharp's quest to pay off the 2-year-olds he is keeping this year, he still has more opportunities at upcoming sales.

“This was a nice sale, but it hasn't paid for the all the ones I've bought yet,” he said. “But I am selling a couple at OBS and probably at Timonium.”

The colt, who worked a furlong in :10 1/5 Monday, is out of Sue's Good News (Woodman) and is a half to Grade I winner Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow). He was consigned by Niall Brennan.

“We were seriously considering pulling him from the sale,” Sharp admitted. [Trainer] Caio Caramori absolutely loved the horse. He actually asked me not to sell him. But part of this is a business and to achieve the goal of selling enough to pay for the other ones, we needed to sell.”

Lanni said the colt jumped through all the hoops this week in Florida.

“It's a 2-year-olds in training sale and these horses are under so much pressure to perform and come back and act like nothing happened,” Lanni said. “He had a really great breeze visually. He looked like a pretty laid back horse and he came back from the breeze really well.”

Lanni purchased maiden winner Happy Boy Rocket (Runhappy) for $490,000 at last year's OBS April sale on behalf of Fletcher.

“I like the sire,” Lanni said. “I think he's going to be really good. We bought a Runhappy for Frank last year that turned out to be a nice horse.”

Lanni continued, “When we try to buy one for Frank, Frank is the best. He is so game. He is an amazing guy to work for. He loves the action. He's game. He puts his money up and never complains. Not a lot of people know him, but he's an amazing human and he helps a lot of people out.” @JessMartiniTDN

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“He has really been a nice horse. We're pointing for the Wood and are excited for the opportunity,” Staudacher said.

A debut winner at Belmont last May for trainer Mike Maker, Barese returned with a 2 3/4-length victory in the Jan. 9 Rego Park S. and added the one-mile Gander S. Feb. 12.

Staudacher said he expects Barese to relish going two turns in the nine-furlong Wood Memorial.

“The long work was to keep him fit for the Wood. We think with the way he finished his last race, he should be able to get the nine furlongs,” Staudacher said. “I don't think he should have a problem facing open company either. He ran a big figure [87 Beyer] last time.”

Barese, a $150,000 purchase at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, is a full-brother to stakes-placed Breakfastatbonnies.

Proscia and Staudacher also campaign Lady Scarlet (Union Rags), winner of Saturday's six-furlong Cicada S.

“She's really getting better. Mike and his team have done a really great job of getting her ready, letting her mature and teaching her,” said Staudacher. “As a young horse, that's really important. She came out of the race good and we were pretty excited about it.”

Among the possible targets for Lady Scarlet is the seven-furlong GIII Beaumont S. at Keeneland Apr. 10.

“I think that's a perfect distance for her; that will be up to Mike and Peter to decide, but it would be a good spot for her,” said Staudacher. “She's getting better and better, so that's the nice thing.”

The post Barese Tunes up For Wood appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The under-tack show is scheduled for Monday, Mar. 28, beginning at 9 am.

“The Gulfstream sale annually offers a concentration of quality that is unmatched by any 2-year-old sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Buyers that arrive in South Florida for this year's sale will once again be presented with quality individuals by the sport's most prominent and promising sires.”

Included among recent graduates of the Gulfstream are Yaupon, winner of last year's GI Forego S. at Saratoga in addition to graded stakes winners Independence Hall, Art of Almost, Center Aisle, Cezanne.

“We have hosted this sale at Gulfstream for just seven years, and in that short time, the quality of graduates produced is remarkable,” noted Browning. “Gulfstream grads have won 14 different Grade I races, including the Kentucky Derby, multiple Breeders' Cup races, Met Mile, Arkansas Derby, and Florida Derby–in addition to numerous stakes victories around the globe.”

Print catalogs will be available from Fasig-Tipton offices by Feb. 28. The catalogue will also be available in the equineline sales catalog app. Fasig-Tipton will also offer a supplemental catalog again this year. Supplemental entries will be accepted on an approval basis.

The post Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale Catalog Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Concrete Rose was a $1.95-million Keeneland November acquisition in 2020 by OXO Equine LLC, which also bred the filly. Siesta's colt was bred by Jay Goodwin, Michael Hore, DVM, and Doc Atty Stables.

A $1.2-million Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale topper and winner of the GII Best Pal S., Instagrand will stand the upcoming breeding season at Taylor Made for $7,500 S&N.

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In this series, participants throughout the Thoroughbred industry share the names and stories of the horses that have taught them the most about life, revealing the limitless ways that horses can impact the people around them. Some came early on in their careers and helped them set a course for the rest of their lives, while others brought valuable lessons to veterans of the business.

Question: Which horse has taught you the most about life?

Cary Frommer: “I had a horse one time that I bought, Inca Chief, and I bought him just because I loved him. I loved the way he looked. He was an athlete. He sold for a life-changing amount of money for me, and when he ran through his conditions and he didn't really run on, he started going down the claiming ranks, and I got him back to turn out. He still lives at my farm.

“He had been such a life-changer for me, and he's such a sweet, kind horse, but what taught me the most is everybody that was around him wanted good things for him, too. It made me think much better of people than I sometimes do, because everybody worked together to try and give him a good home, and to make sure he ended up with me – happy, turned out, and just living the rest of his life out.

“I think I learned more about people from that horse than I have from many of the people I've known.

“I don't know what went wrong, because he had some pretty serious problems when he got back to me, but he was kind, and 100 percent heart. Just a really special horse in my life. Obviously, he affected everyone that way, because people lined up to help him end up in a good place.

“He just lives out on my farm and eats grass. He babysits the occasional baby, but that's it.”

About Inca Chief
(2014, c., Uncle Mo x Five Star Dream, by Five Star Day)

Inca Chief was bred in Kentucky by Candyland Farm, and he was consigned by that operation at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearlings Sale, where he sold to Frommer for $90,000.

The colt was a standout at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Selected 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He breezed an eighth in :10 seconds flat, tying for the sale's fastest time at the distance, and his smooth motion down the Gulfstream Park stretch put him at the head of the class from an eye-test standpoint, as well.

That excitement followed Inca Chief to the sale ring, where he sold to the Coolmore partnership and Stonestreet Stables for $1 million, tied for the second-highest price of the elite auction.

Injuries hampered the big-bodied colt, and delayed his debut until June of his 3-year-old season, where he finished second in a maiden special weight at Monmouth Park with trainer Todd Pletcher.

He raced just once for the connections that bought him at auction before going through the ring at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, where he sold to owner Doyle Williams for $55,000. Frommer said she was the underbidder at $50,000.

Inca Chief continued to struggle in the search for his first win on a major circuit with new trainer Randy Morse, even dropping into maiden claiming company at Churchill Downs to no avail.

After another long layoff, Williams gave Inca Chief a change of scenery and moved him to the Southwest barn of trainer Scott Young, which paid immediate dividends. He won his first two starts at Will Rogers Downs; first a maiden claiming race, then an allowance race. He was then moved to Prairie Meadows, where he won another allowance at first asking, then made two more starts before retiring.

Inca Chief retired with three wins in 13 starts for earnings of $61,572.

The post Lesson Horses Presented By John Deere Equine Discount Program: Cary Frommer On Inca Chief appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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That's a lot of weight to carry, but the auction's returns presented plenty of reasons for optimism, especially for sellers of juveniles by young sires.

Returns were down across the board, but not in the kind of way that should sound alarms. The most recent Gulfstream sale in 2019 was a record edition in nearly every measurable way, and pinhookers were buying into a different, less stable market in the fall of 2020 than they had been in previous yearling seasons, so there were plenty of valid causes.

What makes this slight decline palatable is the fact that Wednesday's sale still produced some of the best returns in the auction's history.

A total of 67 horses changed hands on Wednesday for revenues of $25,360,000, the second-highest gross since the sale moved to Gulfstream Park in 2015. The average sale price was $378,507 (third-highest since 2015), the median price was $300,000 (second-highest in that time span), and the buyback rate finished at 36 percent.

Where the sale saw its most drastic change was in its upper-middle market, similar to the squeeze seen at the higher-end yearling sales in 2020.

Three horses changed hands for $1 million or more on Wednesday, which was down from six in the record-setting 2019 edition, but it was equal with the 2018 sale. However, the 13 juveniles that sold for $500,000 or more was down from 20 in 2019 and 19 the year before that.

The top of the market at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale is often a playground for the most proven sires, but this year's edition turned that notion on its head.

Of the 11 horses to bring $550,000 or more, eight of them came from the first or second crops of their respective sires.

Leading the way was Hip 28, a second-crop Nyquist colt who sold to M.V. Magnier of the Coolmore partnership for $2.6 million.

The bay colt garnered plenty of attention following Monday's under-tack show after breezing an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 seconds, giving him sole possession of the day's fastest time at the distance.

Consigned by Wavertree Stables, agent, the colt is the first foal out of the winning Smart Strike mare Spinning Wheel. The dam is a half-sister to classic-placed Ride On Curlin and stakes winner Space Mountain. His third dam is the Grade 1 winner Victory Ride.

Magnier, typically a big player at the Gulfstream sale, also secured Hip 67, an Uncle Mo colt, in partnership with West Bloodstock for $1.3 million for the day's third-highest price.

The full-brother to Grade 1 winner Dream Tree is out of the winning Afleet Alex mare Afleet Maggi, whose foals also include stakes-placed O'Maggi. Grade 1 winner Golden Ticket is in the colt's extended family, along with Grade 2 winner Academy Award.

Wavertree Stables also consigned this colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 seconds flat.

The sale's second-highest price came for Hip 181, a first-crop Gun Runner colt who went to Gary C. Young, agent, for $1.7 million.

The chestnut colt, named Needmore Guns, is the second foal out of the stakes-winning Flatter mare Needmore Flattery. He was consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent, and he breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 seconds.

Gun Runner joins Triple Crown winner American Pharoah as the only two stallions to hammer down a seven-figure horse from their first crop at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale since the auction moved to Gulfstream Park in 2015.

Other first-year stallions to with horses sold at $550,000 or more included Practical Joke, American Freedom, and Arrogate. Darley's second-year duo of Nyquist and Frosted were also represented at that price level, with Nyquist having three sold in that range.

To view the auction's full results, click here.

The post Young Sires Reign At The Top Of Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The bay colt, offered as Hip 28, is the first foal out of the winning Smart Strike mare Spinning Wheel. The dam is a half-sister to classic-placed Ride On Curlin and stakes winner Space Mountain, and the extended family includes Grade 1 winners Victory Ride and River Flyer.

Wavertree Stables Inc. consigned the colt, as agent.

Monday's fastest worker at a quarter-mile was Hip 113, a first-crop Arrogate filly who stopped the clock in :21 1/5 seconds.

The gray or roan filly is the first foal out of the Grade 3-placed Flatter mare Flatter Up. The highlights of her page include Grade 1 winner Midnight Storm and multiple Grade 3-placed Tiny Tina.

She was consigned by Tom McCrocklin, agent.

The Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale takes place Wednesday, March 31 in the Gulfstream Park paddock, beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern.

To view the full results from Monday's under-tack show, click here.

The post Nyquist Colt Clocks Fastest Furlong At Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Under Tack Show appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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