With three select sales of 2-year-olds in training in the month of March, consignors and buyers have been busy participating in the bloodstock market's version of March Madness.
This year's class of select juveniles has been well-received by buyers who have spent aggressively to secure runners at the upper end of what is proving to be an exceptional market.
With plenty of pedigree power in the catalog and a host of fast workers from the March 21 under-tack preview, the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale March 24 appears replete with more talented prospects.
Following are some of the 2-year-olds that consignors have high hopes for entering the sale:
Hip No. 2, a colt by Harlan's Holiday--Queen's Wood, by Tiznow . Consigned by Northwest Stud.
"His work in :10 caught the eye of buyers," said Alfredo Lichoa of Northwest Stud. "And he galloped out great." The colt was a $90,000 purchase at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale.
Hip No. 4, a colt by Super Saver --Rateeba, by Sky Mesa . Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.
"He's a gorgeous horse," said Woods of the $65,000 Fasig-Tipton October sale graduate who worked a co-bullet eighth in :09 4/5 at the preview. "He's definitely an eyeful. He's by a young stallion coming along the right way, and he worked really well. He's what a racehorse is supposed to look like."
Hip No. 8, a colt by Blame --Run Sarah Run, by Smart Strike. Consigned by Double Diamond Farm.
"He's really come along," said Dave Keely of Double Diamond Farm. "He still has a lot of growing to do, but mentally and physically he's handled all of this very well. He showed at the breeze show that he can run." The half brother to millionaire First Dude worked an eighth in :10 at the preview.
Hip No. 10, a filly by Majestic Warrior--Sabreen, by Foolish Pleasure. Consigned by Bobby Dodd, agent.
"She is really a nice filly with plenty of pedigree," said Dodd of the half sister to stakes winner Briartic Gold who worked an eighth of a mile in :10 2/5 at the breeze show and cost $80,000 at Keeneland September. "She looks like she will go a route of ground."
Hip No. 14, a colt by Desert Party --Satinet, by Olympio. Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.
"He had a lovely work," said Woods of the $180,000 Keeneland September sale graduate who recorded a co-bullet eighth in :09 4/5 at the breeze show. "He's a big, elegant horse and a beautiful mover."
Hip No. 33, a colt by Tapit --Sunny Morning, by Tale of the Cat . Consigned by Classic Bloodstock (Danzel Brendemuehl), agent.
"He's going to be a very nice horse," said Brendemuehl of the $375,000 Fasig-Tipton July sale graduate who worked an eighth in :10 1/5 at the preview. "This is a Kentucky Derby-type horse. Overall, this is the best group of horses I've had. I feel like we're going to hit it out of the park with this group. We could see some fireworks."
Hip No. 41, a filly by Malibu Moon --Touch Here, by Touch Gold. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent.
"She's a smooth, fast-looking filly," said Dunne of the $320,000 Keeneland September graduate who covered an eighth in :10 at the preview and is from the family of Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Summerly. "She's an early type. She advertised herself well in the breeze show."
Hip No. 52, a colt by Tapit --Wild Chant, by War Chant. Consigned by Bobby Dodd, agent.
"He's from a really good family," said Dodd of the colt who is from the female family of graded stakes winners Fun House, Paddy O'Prado , and Untapable, and was a $270,000 buy-back at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. "He looks like a two-turn horse."
Hip No. 68, a filly by Colonel John--Carson's Dane, by Carson City. Consigned by Lynne Boutte, agent.
"She's a perfect blend of Colonel John and Carson City," said Boutte of the bay filly who worked an eighth in :10 at the preview and was acquired for $80,000 at Keeneland September. "We've heard that she has one of the longest strides of any horse in the sale."
Hip No. 69, a filly by Malibu Moon --Catch My Fancy, by Yes It's True. Consigned by Classic Bloodstock (Danzel Brendemuehl), agent.
"All the right buyers have been on her," said Brendemuehl of the filly who sped an eighth in :10 at the preview and sold at Keeneland September for $170,000. "She's done everything right. I also have another filly (Hip No. 38) by Curlin . They're both lovely fillies and they have received the right kind of attention from buyers and vets."
Hip No. 72, a colt by Tapit --Chiloe, by Awesome Again . Consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent.
"He has turned out to be everything we expected being by Tapit and with the female family he has," said Dean De Renzo of the colt who hails from the family of graded stakes winners Cuvee and Olympio and is a $250,000 Keeneland September sale graduate. The colt breezed an eighth in :10 at the preview.
Hip No. 75, a filly by Smart Strike--Clay's Rocket, by American Chance. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent.
"She has a huge female family and she's by a pre-eminent sire," said Dunne of the half sister to stakes winners Laurie's Rocket and Greeley's Rocket. "She couldn't have done any better on the racetrack."
Hip No. 76, a filly by Ghostzapper --Cleverly Regal, by Phone Trick. Consigned by Sequel Bloodstock (Becky Thomas), agent.
"She's a very fast New York-bred," said Thomas of the filly who worked an eighth in :10 at the preview. "I actually have two fast girls," she added, referring to Hip No. 111, a daughter of Congrats --His Beauty, by Adcat. "They're both forward and should be at the top end of what we are going to see in the ring."
Hip No. 81, a filly by Eskendereya--Danzig's Dreamer, by Rubiano. Consigned by Lynne Boutte, agent.
"She has a triple A nick pedigree," said Boutte of the $75,000 Keeneland September graduate who breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 at the preview. "She had a lovely work and a monster gallop out."
Hip No. 83, a colt by Distorted Humor --Delta Princess, by A.P. Indy. Consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent.
"He's an amazing horse," said De Renzo of the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale graduate who breezed an eighth in a co-bullet :09 4/5 at the preview. The youngster is a brother to champion Royal Delta. "He has done everything you would expect from a horse with a pedigree like that. Everyone here on the sales grounds has been introduced to his quality. He's by far one of the best horses in the sale. I've never seen a family like this at a 2-year-old sale."
Hip No. 88, a colt by Speightstown --Dynamite Eyes, by Dynaformer. Consigned by Bobby Dodd, agent.
"He has attracted some attention," said Dodd of the half brother to Gulfstream Park Derby winner General a Rod, runner-up in the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II). The colt breezed an eighth in :10 at the under-tack preview and cost $120,000 at Keeneland September. "He's a nice horse."
Hip No. 99, a filly by Super Saver --Finmore Queen, by Grand Slam. Consigned by Niall Brennan, agent.
"She's a beautiful specimen," said Niall Brennan. "She has been showing speed but looks like a filly that will definitely stretch out. She's very athletic and has a nice family. There's no question that she handles dirt, but I think either surface will suit her." The filly, from the family of grade I winners Pool Land and Very Subtle, worked an eighth in :10 1/5 at the preview.
Hip No. 100, a colt by Congrats --First At Summer, by Forestry. Consigned by Top Line Sales, agent.
"We were really happy with his breeze," Jimbo Gladwell of Top Line Sales said of the colt's co-bullet :09 4/5 move at the preview. "He was on the faster side of all our horses at the farm, and we're happy he showed up like he did."
Hip No. 126, a colt by Malibu Moon --Lizzy's Bluff, by Pine Bluff. Consigned by Hoby and Layna Kight, agent.
"He's been a straight forward colt all along," said Hoby Kight of the colt who breezed an eighth in :10 at the preview and is a half brother to Suncoast Stakes winner Please Explain, most recently third in the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park. "He's a strong colt. He should sell well."
Hip No. 130, a colt by Super Saver --Magdalena's Chase, by Cape Town. Consigned by Niall Brennan, agent.
"I have been impressed with the Super Saver's that I have," Brennan said. "This colt acts like an older horse. You can't get to the bottom of him. He's a tremendous mover. He has the rhythm of a great athlete. He's an exciting colt." The colt breezed an eighth in :10 at the preview.
Hip No. 134, a colt by Unbridled's Song--Miss Cort'n, by A.P. Indy. Consigned by Northwest Stud.
"I've never seen a horse that resembles Unbridled's Song as much as this colt," said Alfredo Lichoa of the youngster who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the under-tack preview and is from the family of stakes winners My Pal Charlie, Bwana Charlie and Bwana Bull. "He's going to be a very good horse."
Hip No. 137, a colt by Midnight Lute --Miss Wineshine, by Wolf Power (SAf). Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent.
"He's a beautiful colt. He's a late foal, so he has a lot of room for growth and maturity," said Nick de Meric of the full brother to Midnight Hawk, winner of this year's Sham Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Park and second in the Sunland Derby (gr. III) March 23. "He went out there and breezed as well as any horse on the track off of limited preparation. He is only getting better with time." The colt, a $20,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale, worked an eighth of a mile in :10 at the breeze show.
Hip No. 144, a colt by Majesticperfection --Ms. Cornstalk, by Indian Charlie. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent.
"He's a really good horse," said Dunne of the colt who worked a co-bullet eighth in :09 4/5 at the preview. "He's a tremendous physical. He's a late foal and looks like he will only get better with time." The $285,000 Keeneland September acquisition is a half brother to Canadian champions Biofuel and Tu Endie Wei.
Hip No. 155, a filly by Malibu Moon --Prison of Love, by French Deputy. Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent.
"She's a knockout. She's just beautiful," said de Meric of the $185,000 Keeneland September sale graduate who breezed a quarter mile in :21 3/5 at the under-tack preview. "She's a clean-limbed, straight forward filly that has absolutely impressed the heck out of us at home on the farm."
