An Indian Charlie colt from the family of champion Vindication sold for $750,000 to light up the results board during the early portion of the second session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale Aug. 6.
The buyer was Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings.
Banke said the colt will be sent to the partners' training facility in Ocala, Fla., that was formerly owned by Vinery.
"Hopefully we will have a lot of fun with him at Saratoga next year," Banke said.
"This is a very fun and exciting time for us," Bolton said. "This colt comes from a top family. The mare broke her pelvis, but she was a runner. Best physical in the sale. This horse will eventually go to our training facility in Ocala where we know daily what is going on."
Consigned by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, the colt is from the last crop of deceased sire Indian Charlie and was produced from the unraced Storm Cat mare Queenie Cat. Hill 'n' Dale enjoyed a strong sale as the other yearling it consigned to the sale, a Distorted Humor filly, sold for $1 million in the first session.
"Yeah, it was good; two good horses and they both sold well," Sikura said.
Yearlings from the final crop of Indian Charlie are being offered at the sale and they are faring well.
"It's the end of an era for a very successful sire," Sikura said. "And Storm Cat is a nice broodmare sire. He's a very athletic, nice horse. It's a very nice sale for a very nice horse and we wish the owners the best of luck going forward."
The colt's second dam, grade III winner Strawberry Reason, is a daughter of Strawberry Road and produced Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile Stakes (gr. I) winner and 2-year-old champion male Vindication, and grade III winner Scipion, among other stakes horses.
Emily Walden, Eric Mitchell and Frank Angst contributed to this story