By Michael Compton
Prospective buyers in search of future stakes stars have diligently traversed the barn area of Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Fla., in recent days ahead of Fasig-Tipton's Florida sale to be held on Monday, March 25, at noon. The Florida sale owns a reputation of producing graduates that win at the industry's highest levels, and this year's select catalog features 136 prospects.
Following are some of the 2-year-olds that consignors are hoping generate headlines of their own both in the auction ring and on the racetrack.
Hip No. 10, a filly by Medaglia d'Oro —Maizelle, by Seeking the Gold. Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.
"She's done everything right," said Woods of the $100,000 Keeneland September graduate who breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 at the under tack preview. "She is by a proper sire out of a stakes-winning mare."
Hip No. 16, a filly by Malibu Moon —Miz United States, by Valid Appeal. Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent.
"This filly has had a completely uneventful path into the sale," said Nick de Meric of the $160,000 Keeneland September graduate who worked a co-bullet eighth in :10 at the breeze show. "She stacks up with the best fillies I've ever had if she's not the best of them. She has a good mind, good body, and the right attitude. She's simply the whole package. I'm blessed to be around her.
"I've been a fan of her sire, Malibu Moon, long before the world loved him," de Meric added. "And I sold a real nice filly (grade I stakes winner) Ask the Moon who was also by Malibu Moon out of a Valid Appeal mare."
Hip No. 34, a filly named Premura by Bernardini —Preach It, by Saint Ballado. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent.
"She's a big filly with great scope," said Niall Brennan. "With a stamina-oriented pedigree, she's going to be an excellent two-turn filly."
Hip No. 36, a filly by Pioneerof the Nile —Princess Two, by Two Punch. Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.
"She's a lovely filly to be around," said Woods of the filly who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the under tack preview. "She jumped to her left lead late in her breeze. I think she got spooked by a car or something. It was a great work but it would have been a phenomenal work if she had stayed on her right lead. And she is by a stallion who could turn out to be a real nice one."
Hip No. 43, a colt by Malibu Moon —Right Place, by Petionville . Consigned by Classic Bloodstock (Danzel Brendemuehl), agent.
"He's doing awesome," said Brendemuehl of the colt who breezed a co-bullet eighth. "I loved the way he breezed and galloped out. And when he breezed he was running into a 9 or 10 mph headwind. From what I heard from the grandstand, he had one of the three best gallop outs of the preview. He gets over the ground very well. He doesn't look like he's moving that fast, but there's just no stopping him. I expect great things from him."
Hip No. 60, a colt by Pulpit—Spritely, by Touch Gold. Consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent.
"This colt is by a top sire and is the first foal out of multiple stakes winner Spritely, who was trained by Todd Pletcher," said Brennan of the colt who breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 at the under tack preview. "The colt has been very popular and he should be."
Hip No. 70, a colt by Unbridled's Song—Tale of a Lady, by Tale of the Cat . Consigned by Stephens Thoroughbreds LLC, agent.
"He's a top colt," said John Stephens. "He is from a great family. I expect him to do very well in the ring."
Stephens Thoroughbreds sold one of the three seven-figure juveniles at last year's sale, a colt by Tapit , and also sold 2012 Gazelle Stakes (gr. I) winner Dance Card, a daughter of Tapit, at the Florida Sale in 2011. Stephens is back with another Tapit, Hip No. 22, a gray/roan filly out of Nomistakeboutit, by Affirmed who he also has high hopes for.
"She's a very nice filly," he said. "She gets over the ground smoothly. She's a superb runner and looks to be a top horse. I'm excited about this group. The Fasig-Tipton sale has been good to us."
Hip No. 77, a colt by Indian Charlie—Trusty Lady, by Deputy Minister. Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.
"He's as good as they get," said Woods. The colt sold to Next Turn Stables for $130,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale and worked a co-bullet furlong in :10 at the breeze show.
Hip No. 86, a colt by Unbridled's Song—Winning Bet, by Dixie Union. Consigned by de Meric Sales, agent.
"He is a big, scopey colt from a terrific family," said de Meric, who went to $250,000 to sign for the colt at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton August Sale. "He has all the looks associated with that sire line."
Hip No. 87, a colt by Tapit —Winter Garden, by Roy. Consigned by Hoby and Layna Kight, agent.
"He had a great-looking work and galloped out really well," said Hoby Kight of the $110,000 Keeneland September graduate who worked an eighth in :10 3/5 at the breeze show. "Plus, he's the only Tapit colt in the sale. Everyone seems to like him and that's always encouraging."
Hip No. 89, a colt by War Front —With Golden Wings, by Seeking the Gold. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent.
"I'm very excited about him," said Dunne of the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton July sale graduate who breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 at the breeze show. "He's a special colt."
Hip No. 95, a colt by Old Fashioned—Azucar, by Storm Boot. Consigned by Classic Bloodstock (Danzel Brendemuehl), agent.
"He had to wait in the gap for an extremely long time after the horse that pulled up delayed the breeze show," said Brendemuehl. "He handled everything just great and still went out and breezed in :10 3/5."
Hip No. 96, a colt by Tiznow —Bayou Breeze, by A.P. Indy. Consigned by Niall Brennan, agent.
"He's bred to be a Derby horse," said Brennan of the colt who is out of stakes winner Bayou Breeze and from the family of champion Halfbridled and millionaire Lu Ravi. "He's big and powerful, but he's light on his feet. He's a horse that serious buyers should look at. He's been popular."
Hip No. 102, a colt by Exchange Rate—Bubbly Baily, by Dixie Union. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent.
"We have always thought highly of him," said Dunne of the $125,000 yearling acquisition who was among the co-bullet workers at the breeze show. "He is a really exciting colt. Ten flat is tough but we weren't surprised."
Hip No. 103, a colt by Lemon Drop Kid —Burnish, by Menifee. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent.
The colt, a $100,000 yearling purchase, breezed an eighth in the co-bullet time of :10.
"He's a beautiful horse," said Dunne. "The colt is another top prospect in our consignment. We knew he was quick, but we weren't expecting :10 flat."
Hip No. 117, a filly by Empire Maker —Dowell House, by Danzig. Consigned by Classic Bloodstock (Danzel Brendemuehl), agent.
"She's not a big filly, but she trains like one," said Brendemuehl of the $165,000 yearling. "I liked her breeze into a head wind (:10 2/5) and she galloped out strong. She moves like a good horse."
Hip No. 120, a colt named Cab Ride by Roman Ruler—Fancy Deed, by Alydeed. Consigned by SGV Thoroughbreds (Steven Venosa), agent.
"He covers so much ground, he's such an athletic individual," said Steven Venosa of the colt who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the breeze show and was bought by Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock for $150,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. "I wish I had a barn full of horses like him. He has a great mind and an excellent disposition. He acts like he has done this his whole life. Traffic has been very steady for him. He's being well received from everyone who has looked at him. He's an amazing horse."
Hip No. 124, a filly by A.P. Indy—Foxy Danseur, by Mr. Greeley. Consigned by Stephens Thoroughbreds LLC, agent.
"She's been great since day one," said Stephens of the $300,000 Keeneland September graduate who drilled a co-bullet eighth in :10 at the breeze show. "She's trained super here at Palm Meadows. She has a lot of class about her. She's also a fantastic physical. She looks like a colt."
Hip No. 130, a colt by Bernardini —Heart of Grace, by Exploit. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent.
"This colt is an outstanding physical," said Dunne. "He breezed in :10 3/5 and looks the part."
The colt was a $525,000 buy-back in the Gainesway Farm consignment at last year's Fasig-Tipton August sale.
View live streaming of the sale at http://www.bloodhorse.com/fasigtipton.