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Tapit colt sets record at Midlantic sale

Posted: Monday, May 18, 2009 12:40 PM

SALE RECORD PRICE: HIP 24, TAPIT COLT

Lydia Williams photo

by Pete Denk

Highlighted by a pair of big-ticket colts, the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic two-year-olds in training sale opened Monday with a 4% increase in average price on year-to-year comparisons.

Good economic news like that has been rare in 2009, and paired with a buy-back rate of 27.1%—compared with 34.7% at the same session a year ago—the opening session at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium felt spirited coming off the depressed market of the past nine months.

The day was topped by a Tapit colt from the Hobeau Farm dispersal who sold for a sale-record $850,000.

“It felt good today. I thought it was a good horse sale all the way through,” Fasig-Tipton Chairman Walt Robertson said. “The buy-back rate was 27.1%, which is pretty terrific for a two-year-old sale in 2009. I was glad to see that there was a great level of activity today. There were probably 50 trainers walking around here.”

Bloodstock agent Steven W. Young signed the ticket for the session topper on behalf of an undisclosed New York buyer. The colt is out of the Private Account mare Shopping and is a half brother to Grade 1 winner Miss Shop. He worked one furlong in :10.20 at the May 13 under-tack show, tied for the fastest at the distance.

“He is a super nice horse,” said Young, who added that Kiaran McLaughlin will train the colt. “[Tapit] is one of the hottest sires going, and he’s out of a mare that has thrown good horses from a number of different stallions. On the female side, he was the best-bred horse in the sale, and he trained tremendously.”

Cary Frommer, agent, consigned the colt on behalf of the Hobeau dispersal. Hobeau founder Jack Dreyfus died on March 27 at age 95.

Dreyfus bred and owned horses since the early 1960s and had a longtime relationship with Racing Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens. Some of the most famous Hobeau homebreds include Beau Purple, winner of the 1962 Man o' War Stakes, and Onion, who defeated two-time Horse of the Year Secretariat in the '73 Whitney Stakes (G2).

The previous record for the Midlantic sale was $625,000 for Zounds in 2006.

the second-highest price Monday was $485,000 for a half brother to Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Mine That Bird.

Dogwood Stable President Cot Campbell submitted the winning bid on the phone from his Aiken, South Carolina office. The Yonaguska colt is the second foal out of the eight-year-old Smart Strike mare Mining My Own.

Mine That Bird, a three-year-old gelding by Birdstone, finished a fast-closing second behind Rachel Alexandra in Saturday’s BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (G1).

“I’m glad to get this colt. I thought he looked terrific under tack galloping at the sale,” Campbell said. “[Mine That Bird] proved his mettle on Saturday afternoon, and that made me a little higher on this colt.”

Campbell said the colt will be offered as a partnership and sent to trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Based on how he moves and looks, and considering who his half brother is, I have a lot of confidence sending him to the races, and you have to think he’ll have some sire potential,” Campbell said.

Frommer also consigned the Yonaguska colt on behalf of Paul Saylor, who bought him for $100,000 at the 2009 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of selected two-year-olds in training. The colt’s value increased significantly when Mine That Bird won the Kentucky Derby, and Saylor decided to offer him at the Midlantic sale.

Fasig-Tipton reported a total of 155 horses offered on Monday with 113 reported as sold for $5,364,900. Total sales dropped 25.6% compared with last year’s opening day, but Monday’s session saw 87 fewer horses offered. The median price dropped 18.5% to $22,000.

The sale resumes Tuesday at 10 a.m. EDT

Pete Denk is sales editor of Thoroughbred Times