Spring 2022

It is time to get “back on the horse” again. I have not spent that much time on the early 2 year olds sales. The more I learn, the less I am interested in these sales.

Now that I have watched some of my yearlings from 2021 develop, I just cannot imagine getting a horse ready for these sales. I will keep watching in the interest of completeness, but I am highly skeptical about finding a horse I want to own at these sales.

Fasig-Tipton – Gulfstream

This sale had a few big prices, but the real story was the high number of RNA’s. I am not sure where these RNA’s will show up next. It was very interesting the top seller for $1,200,000 was a Bolt d’Oro out of a nothing mare.

Let’s keep track of one interesting horse that our friends at West Point bought in partnership with Shug. I am still holding out some hope for West Coast as a sire, and this in not the usual type of horse that West Point buys. The mare was a decent distance horse in a brief career.

1. c – West Coast – Melrose Woods by Broken Vow – $300,000, foaled May 14, B nick

Ocala March

Let’s keep track of 3 groups, expensive, mid-range, and bargain basement:

Expensive:

1. f – Mendelssohn – Honey Trap by Medaglia d’Oro – $400,000, Jonathon Thomas, B nick (well bred, my favorite Mendelssohn)
2. c – Collected – Androeah by Blame – $310,000, West Point, C+ nick (love this mare, and still have hope for the sire)
3. f – Girvin – The Shady Lady by Pioneer ofthe Nile, $240,000, One Up Bloodstock, (big price for this sire, still have some interest)
4. c – Liam’s Map – Star Torina by AP Indy, $150,000, Centennial Farms, May 4 foal, (usually they only buy yearling, work was only 10.3, interesting)

Mid-range:

1. c – More Than Ready – Rockadelic by Bernardini – $100,000, Dare to Dream
2. f – Bolt d’Oro – Miss Centerfold by Tiznow, 4/21 foal, $130,000, Sandin Stable
3. f – Union Rags – Lady Pamela by Tapit, (big second dam), $150,000, Full of Run Racing
4. c – West Coast – Skylar’s Pass by The Factor, $150,000, Peter Miller

Bargain:

1. c – Mastery – Seeking Paradise by Blame, $47,000, Ironhorse, May 4 foal, (not completely giving up on this sire yet)
2. f – Accelerate – Solar Vortex by Orb, $60,000, Bona Venture, 2/19
3. c – Oscar Performance – Strut the Canary, $50,000, Brian Lynch
4. c – Unified – Waltz with Chester by Chester House, $50,000, West Point
5. f – Girvin – Bossy Gal by Pioneer of the Nile, $35,000, Bob Novak
6. f – Funtastic – Funny Film by Congrats, $35,000, Hidden Brook

Texas – April

I am not a fan of this sale after seeing the results from last year. I did attend this year because it is just 10 miles from home, but I was not impressed by what I saw. Maybe I am just a grumpy old man, but this years group looked even more sprint oriented than last year’s group. There were fewer Texas stallions in this group. The room was packed, and the prices seemed fairly high. Let’s keep track of a few just for fun, but these are really two steps below the Ocala horses. The first four picks come from a local handicapping expert, and the final 3 are horses I liked the looks of at the sale

1. Candy Day – Race Day – Trifolium by Candy Ride, $20,000, Cecil Peters
2. Noble Crusader – Noble Mission – Bayou Breeze by AP Indy, $46,000, Justin Evans
3. xxxxx- Palace Malice – Gagaoveryou by Zensantional, $33,000, Brian Lane
4. xxxxx – Malibu Moon – Mystic Miracle by Unbridled Song, $40,000, Jeff Puryear
5. f – xxxxx -Ransom the Moon – Super Freaky by Smart Strike, $60,000, Valene Farms
6. f – xxxxx – Accelerate – Ciao Bella Luna by Tribal Rule, $105,000, Danny Keane
7. f – xxxxx – Exaggerator – Red Moon Girl by Malibu Moon, $39,000 Chris Hartman