The second session of Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training May 20 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium picked up right where it left off a day earlier.
Following a day of active trading that concluded with across-the-board increases on May 19, the momentum continued into the sale's final session.
Hip No. 308, a gray or roan filly by Rockport Harbor consigned by Sequel Bloodstock (Becky Thomas), agent, sold to Bluewater Sales, agent, for $420,000 to lead early returns.
Bred in Kentucky by Brent and Beth Harris out of the stakes-placed Mt. Livermore mare Livermore Leslie, the filly is a half sister to Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) winner Sweet Reason and Florida Oaks (gr. III) winner Don't Forget Gil.
"I thought she was the best in the sale," said Bluewater Sales' Meg Levy of the filly who breezed an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 at the second under-tack preview May 15. "If the name Rock Star is not taken, that's a good name for her. She has a nice page. Her sister obviously ran early. We hope she will be able to go to Saratoga and do the same thing."
Thomas, impressed by the filly's presence as a yearling, spent $115,000 for her at last year's Keeneland September sale where she was consigned by Bettersworth Westwind Farms, agent.
"Sweet Reason was not even in the catalog," Thomas noted. "She had won, but wasn't in the catalog. I try to cover everything, so I did look at her. If you weren't looking for a Rockport Harbor you wouldn't have known she was a half to Sweet Reason because it wasn't in the catalog.
"She was awesome," Thomas added. "She's one of the best fillies I've ever had. She has the greatest mind, she's a pretty mover. She's quiet, she's a doll, and she looks the part. She just floated (in her breeze)."
Six hips in, David Ingordo went to $300,000 to secure the bid on Hip No. 296, a filly by Congrats for an undisclosed client. Consigned by Stephens Thoroughbreds, agent, the filly, who is out of the stakes-winning Menifee mare Letgomyecho, sped an eighth in :10 2/5 at the under-tack preview.
Ingordo said the filly will be sent to trainer John Sadler in Southern California.
"I bought her mother as a 2-year-old a long time ago, and I thought she was one of the most talented fillies I'd ever bought," said Ingordo. "So I've seen a lot of the offspring out of the mare. This is the best I've seen, and she reminded me of her mother."
Bred in Kentucky by Betz Thoroughbreds, Peter Lamantia and Jim Blackburn, the filly was offered by Stephens Thoroughbreds at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March sale where she failed to meet her reserve on a final bid of $190,000. Hell Pony acquired the filly for $100,000 out of the Betz Thoroughbreds consignment at the Keeneland September sale.
"Sometimes March isn't the best time for them," Ingordo said. "(The couple of months) definitely did this one some good. The mother was the same way. She got better with time."
Hip No. 311, a New York-bred Freud colt consigned by Bobby Dodd, agent, also sold for six figures early in the session, going to Hidden Brook Farm, agent for $150,000. Produced from the stakes-placed Mutakddim mare Lost Without You, the colt worked an furlong in :10 2/5 at the under-tack preview.
