Ellen M. Charles purchased a Malibu Moon filly for the top price of $300,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's Eastern Fall Yearlings Sale, conducted in Timonium, Maryland, on Monday. Cataloged as Hip No. 81, the Virginia-bred was consigned by Charlton (Mr. and Mrs. Rick Abbott), agent for Audley Farm Equine.
The January 28-foaled gray is out of the multiple stakes-placed Holy Bull mare Never Fail. The dam is herself a half-sister to Grade 2 queen How About Now (Pentelicus), who has produced last year's Grade 2 Go for Wand Handicap victress Lovely Lil (Tiznow) as well as multiple stakes winner Sweet Sweet (Honour and Glory) and multiple stakes-placed War Paint (Devil's Bag).
Never Fail and How About Now are also half-sisters to the winning Kris's Intention (Kris S.), the dam of Grade 2 victor Abraaj (Carson City), Grade 3-winning sire Leelanau (Carson City) and stakes scorer All Trumps (Grand Slam). Further back in the female line, one finds champion sprinter Not Surprising (Medieval Man).
A Street Sense half-brother to Grade 3 winner Richwoman (Successful Appeal) sold to Irish Acres/Jim Moloney for $210,000. Offered by Paramount Sales, agent, as Hip 125, the April 4 colt sported Hip 125.
The Kentucky-bred dark bay is already a sales veteran, having made two prior appearances in the auction ring. A $250,000 Keeneland November weanling, he RNA'd for $345,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Sale in August.
The yearling is a full brother to current sophomore Street Thug, a maiden winner who was an early nominee to the 2012 Triple Crown. Their half-sister, Richwoman, scored in the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes and Cinderella Stakes in 2006. They were all produced by the multiple stakes-winning Richbabe (Richman), who comes from the family of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Videogenic (Caucasus).
Monday's gross eclipsed last year's figure, despite the fact that the catalog had been downsized from 535 horses to 375 this year, and the sale was compressed from two days into a single session.
Upon the conclusion of Monday's trade, Fasig-Tipton reported that 276 yearlings grossed $6,166,100, bettering last year's total of $6,149,600 realized by 332 horses over two days. The $22,341 average represented a 20.6 percent increase from last year's cumulative average of $18,523, and the $12,000 median jumped 29.7 percent from the $9,250 cumulative median of a year ago.
For complete results, log on to fasigtipton.com.