Hot Horses: Who's Generating the Buzz for Saratoga's Second Session

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Who are the top prospects to sell big Wednesday night during the second and final session of Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga yearling sale? We don't know the results of the veterinary exams, but we do know that consignors and buyers were talking a lot about the following horses prior to the auction's Tuesday start:

Hip No. 93, a Giant's Causeway   – Lemon Dove filly, consigned by Dromoland/Hartwell, agent. This filly is from the family of champion Althea and a bunch of other very good runners. She sold for $360,000 as a weanling at the 2004 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. "She's a very nice filly," said Gerry Dilger of Dromoland Farm. "She's lovely balanced filly with a great, great hip to her."

Hip No. 98, a Fusaichi Pegasus   – Lost the Code colt named Star of Pegasus, consigned by Highclere, agent. This colt is a half-brother to Penske Auto Center Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) winner Squirtle Squirt. "He's got a lot of quality and refinement," said Stuart Morris of Highclere. "He's probably a little better balanced and a little better put together than your average 'Fu Peg.' He's got all the pieces so that you know he's a 'Fu Peg.' But where the Fu Pegs, in my opinion, can be a little bit coarse and not quite as smooth as you might like them to be, he is that kind of (smooth) horse. He's better than your average bear when it comes to the Fu Pegs."

Hip No. 106, a Mr. Greeley – Miss Hot Salsa filly, consigned by Dromoland/Hartwell, agent. This filly is out of a stakes winner and is a half-sister to stakes-placed Four Song Limit. She sold for $230,000 at the 2004 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. "She's a very attractive, tall, rangy filly, and she's a very good mover," said Gerry Dilger of Dromoland Farm.

Hip No. 112, a Tale of the Cat   – Mrs. Filio colt, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Sugar Maple Farm. This colt is from the family of grade I winner Mrs. Warren. "He is probably the best Tale of the Cat I've seen," said Reiley McDonald of Eaton Sales. "He has great length, leg, and scope, plus all the parts that Tale of the Cat normally gets (in his offspring) in a big shoulder and a big hip and quarter."

Hip No. 130, a Storm Cat – Rings a Chime colt, consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. This feisty colt kicked his handler in the head, but he's not really a meanie, according to Mark Taylor of Taylor Made. "It was just a fluke," he said. "There were a lot of other horses that were acting worse." The colt is the second foal out of a grade I winner. "There's a lot of ingredients in his pedigree that are going to give him a hell of a shot to be a racehorse, and the physical is every bit as good as the pedigree is," Taylor said. "He's got a typical Storm Cat body, but he's much more correct than your average Storm Cat. But probably his best physical attribute is his walk. He's so athletic. He covers our whole middle walking ring in seemingly about six strides. It's like boom, boom, boom, and he's down there."

Hip No. 131, a Storm Cat – Sacahuista filly, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. This filly is out of a champion, and she is a half-sister to Ekraar, who was a group I winner in Italy and a group III winner in England. "From the side, this is without question the biggest and prettiest filly in the sale," said Reiley McDonald of Eaton Sales. "She comes with Storm Cat knees, but I don't think that will bother her at all. She is a racehorse."

Hip No. 136, a Dixie Union – Sierra Madre filly, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. This filly sold for $150,000 at the 2004 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She is a half-sister to grade III-placed Sun Cat and is from the family of Caitano, a group I winner that was a highweight on the German and Italian free handicaps. "Dixie Union, in my opinion, is one of the real up and coming sires," said Reiley McDonald of Eaton Sales. "This is a slightly atypical filly in that she has great length along with a big hip and quarter. She has all the great parts (of a Northern Dancer line horse), but some scope as well.

Hip No. 138, a Giant's Causeway   – Slide filly, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. This filly sold for $285,000 at last year's Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She is a half-sister to grade II-placed Take Arms and is from the family of champion Safely Kept. "She is very typical of her sire, which is a beautiful walk, a great way of going, and a great attitude," said Reiley McDonald of Eaton Sales. "She would have to be one of the nicer fillies in the sale."

Hip No. 142, a Gone West – Star of Goshen colt, consigned by Bluewater Sales, agent. This colt is out of a stakes winner and is from the family of graded winner Powis Castle. "He's probably the best Gone West I've ever seen," said Meg Levy of Bluewater. "He has more length of leg and he has a great hip. He's got a fantastic body. I've been watching him since he was born, and I thought he was fantastic from the minute he hit the ground. He's a powerful horse, and he has so much charisma."

Hip No. 144, an Elusive Quality   – Stormeor filly, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. This filly is a half-sister to grade III winner Shrike and to another added-money winner, Second in Command. "She's an excellent individual," said Reiley McDonald of Eaton Sales. "She is very typical of her sire, who I think is rising to become the next Kingmambo and will be one of the most popular sires we have in two or three years. She's got just enough length to her. She's got plenty of hip and great balance, and she's very correct."

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