The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale opened with a 100% increase in its median price from a year ago and a 20.2% upswing in its average price. A Hard Spun colt topped the session, bringing $200,000 Oct. 4 in Timonium, Md.
Kentucky bloodstock agent Peter Bradley, in the name of Bradley Thoroughbreds, purchased the session-topper and plans to resell him next year.
“He has a combination of pedigree and conformation that should make him a headliner at any of the 2-year-old sales in March,” Bradley said. “I bought him for a pinhooking venture that I’ve had in some manner or another for the last 28 years and Eddie Woods will be consigning him. There are about a dozen people involved in the venture. We’ve had a core of participants now for 20-some-odd years and we have a few new people in it this year. We’ve done a pretty good job of making money over the years and having fun along the way, too.”
The dark bay or brown colt is a half brother to Lavender Lass (by Skip Trial), who captured the 2005 Correction Handicap at Aqueduct, and the winner Lavender’s Lad (by Gate Dancer), who was third in the 2003 Miami Mile Breeders’ Cup Handicap (gr. III). Their dam, Lucky Lavender Gal (by Carson City), won the Azalea Stakes at Calder Race Course (now Calder Casino & Race Course) and the Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct in 1995. She also scored in the 1996 Chris Evert Handicap at Hialeah Park.
Lucky Lavender Gal is a half sister to 1991 California Derby (gr. III) winner Green Alligator (by Gate Dancer) and a full sister to the grade III-placed winner La Ville Rouge (by Carson City), who produced 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented By Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Barbaro (by Dynaformer) and added-money winner Holy Ground (by Saint Ballado).
“He’s well-balanced and has a powerful hip on him,” said Bradley of the $200,000 yearling. “But he has enough length and scope to make you think he has the potential to be a two-turn horse. While speed is important at a 2-year-old sale, the length and reach of the horse and the fact that potential buyers think you may have a two-turn horse are what really make a horse sell well at those sales anymore. He’s that kind of package.”
The colt was attractive enough as a pinhooking prospect to make Bradley take a bigger risk than usual.
“We’ve been trying to buy horses more in the $50,000 to $125,000 range this year, so we did step outside our parameters,” Bradley said. “But we thought he was a pretty special colt. I could have seen him (bringing) anywhere from $175,000 to $250,000 between his conformation and his pedigree. We were essentially at the end of our rope. To be honest, a couple of buyers didn’t show up here who usually do and that may have helped us secure him.”
Paramount Sales, agent, consigned the yearling to the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale. Bred in Kentucky by Blue Mountain Breeders, the colt is a $150,000 graduate of the 2010 Keeneland November breeding stock auction, where Snow Ridge Farm purchased him from Lane’s End, agent. Earlier this year, he was a $220,000 buy-back at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select yearling sale when offered by Dromoland Farm, agent.
Three other yearlings commanded six-figure prices during the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic auction's first session. They were a $145,000 Grand Slam – Hey Darla colt, a $115,000 Fairbanks – Mary Anne’s Love colt, and a $110,000 Not For Love – Maryland Mist filly.
Al Gold bought the Grand Slam colt from Vinery Sales, agent. Ellen M. Charles acquired the Fairbanks colt, which is a member of his sire's first crop, from Bill Reightler, agent for Spring Meadow Farm. Charles also purchased the Not For Love filly from Reightler’s consignment.
The final results for the Midlantic sale’s first session included a gross of $3,194,500 for the 170 yearlings that were sold. The average was $18,791 and the median was $10,000. Compared to last year, the number sold fell 20.6%, but the gross declined only 4.5%.
The buy-back rate increased to 25.4% from 24.4% in 2010.
The sale's second and final session is scheduled for Oct. 5. It will begin at 10 a.m. (EDT).