My First Yearling Sale

I attended my first yearling sale yesterday. It was not at Keeneland or Saratoga, but at the mighty Lone Star.

It was difficult to tell exactly what I was watching. I guess you need to fill the $10,000 maiden claimers at Remington, Evangline, and Sam Houston with animals that come from somewhere. Maybe an owner could have just as much fun at these lower levels. There were several families that were bidding on horses, and a collection of second tier Texas and Oklahoma trainers. Assmusen was a no show.

The median price at the sale was $5,000, which is less than day 14 of the Keeneland sale. I guess I should try to learn something about the low end of the market. I have always thought about claiming horses at Lone Star, but I see no reasonable way to compete against Assmusen.

I guess let’s first see if the was some value at the top end of the market and then have some fun by watching a group of the cheaper horses.

The top end:

1. Shaman Ghost by Cubicle Queen – $32,000 – this was the one horse I saw Brett Calhoun bidding on, he was out at $25,000, this was a really nice looking colt
2. Creative Cause by Oelectra – $20,000 – I am interested in this sire, but could not find one at the training sales
3. Lemon Drop Kid by Sallies Memory – $70,000 – why was this horse here and not in Kentucky, let’s try to learn
4. Cross Traffic by Katy Smiles – $16,000 – another interesting sire
5. Dialed In by Noble Gray – $36,000 – why was this horse not in Kentucky?
6. Super Saver by Pomarine – $20,000
7. American Freedom by Mulligatawny – $18,000
8. Lea by Sankobasi – $20,000, nice looking
9. Texas Red by Bel Air Kid – $11,500 , Lemon Drop
10. Mshawish by Crayon – $16,000, kind of small

The Midnight Storm, Gormley, and Tonalist were RNA’s

Classic Empire went for $100,000, Klimt for $120,000 as sale toppers

At or below the median:

1. Danzing Candy by Temper – $5,000
2. Real Solution by Little Springer – $2,500, cribber, nice turf pedigree
3. Eagle by My Girl Bess $6,500 – interesting sire
4. Astrology by Mystic Smile $4,500 – Louisiana bred
5. Mr. Besilu by Onesongsallitakes – $2,000, grandson of AP Indy
6. Big Blue Kitten by Patriot Princess – $3,200, bad looking
7. Mr. Besilu by Slide on By $2,000 – nice dam, why so cheap?
8. American Lion by Stick Save – $2,500 – distance pedigree
9. Court Vision by Angel of Mine – $3,000 – good looking
10. Real Solution by Bayou Gal – $1,900 – turf?
11. Strong Mandate by Classy Touch – $3,000 – good pedigree
12. My Golden Song by Conquest Bebop 3,000 – a Scat Daddy for turf?

Maybe I got a little carried away by the cheap horses, but lets see how many end up running, or being sold at training sales.