The 2020 yearling sales season kicked off on a Sunny pre-autumn day Wednesday with the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase in Lexington, KY.
A filly by Quality Road topped the session when sold for $1,500,000 to Robbie Medina, agent for Joseph Allen. Offered as Hip 232 by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent, the filly is out of Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Marvelous (IRE). That daughter of Galileo, who has already produced a stakes winner in Fort Myers, is out of Group 2 winner You’resothrilling, a full sister to European Horse of the Year and successful sire Giant’s Causeway. Marvellous is a full sister to Group 1 winners Gleneagles (IRE) and Happily (IRE), as well as to group stakes winners Taj Mahal (IRE) and Coolmore (IRE). The session-topper was bred in Kentucky by Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt.
The session’s top colt was Hip 274, a son of 2019 Leading Sire Into Mischief, sire of this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic. Dr Dermot O’Byrne purchased the top colt for $700,000 from the consignment of Denali Stud, agent. The colt is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner Made You Look, out of a Unbridled’s Song daughter of champion Serena’s Song. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding.
Also sold at that price was a daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin. Donato Lanni, agent for Michael Lund Petersen, purchased the filly, offered as Hip 285, from the consignment of Blue Heaven Farm. The filly is out of graded stakes winner Our Khrysty, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Bullsbay from the immediate family of Grade 1 winning millionaire Grecian Flight. The filly was bred in Kentucky by the consignor.
The session opened with an offering of preferred New York-bred yearlings. Those Empire-state breds were topped by a son of Tiznow purchased for $300,000 by Jack Knowlton of Sackatoga Stable, who purchased this year’s Belmont S. (G1) winner Tiz the Law at the New York Bred Yearlings sale in 2018. Offered as Hip 135 by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, the Tiznow colt is a half-brother to three stakes horses, including Grade 2 winner Bye Bye Bernie. His dam, the stakes placed Gilded Time mare Eternal Grace, is a half-sister to the dam of New York-bred graded stakes winner Control Group. Hip 135 was bred in New York by Barry R. Ostrager.
The second highest price in the New York-bred section was Hip 71, a colt by Candy Ride (ARG) purchased for $295,000 by Dr Dermot O’Byrne from the consignment of Eaton Sales, agent. The colt is the second foal out of the unraced Any Given Saturday mare Sweet Love, a full sister to graded stakes winner Adventist and a half-sister to three other stakes winners. Hip 71 was bred in New York by Joe Fafone.
The first session grossed $27,166,000 from 172 yearlings sold. The average was $157,942 and the median was $100,000.
Session results are available online. The Selected Yearlings Showcase continues September 10 at 10 AM. You can view the sales live below:
Fasig-Tipton
Photo: Fasig-Tipton
