FT OCT YEARLINGS: Hips to watch

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Fasig-Tipton October: Hips to watch
By Joe Nevills

Following are horses to watch at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale based on their pedigrees and past auction performance of notable family members. Conformation, physical conformation, veterinarian records, and late pedigree updates were not taken into consideration.

Hip No. 250, gr. or ro. f., Bodemeister—Greyciousness, by Miswaki, consigned by Baccari Bloodstock, agent.
A half sister to Grade 1 winner and popular young stallion The Factor, from the first crop of Bodemeister. She was a $160,000 weanling purchase at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale.

Hip No. 649, dk. b. or br. c., Tiznow—Miss Sea Oats, by Langfuhr, consigned by Belvedere Farm Inc., agent.
Miss Sea Oats is out of 2011 Broodmare of the Year Oatsee, making this colt a member of the same family as Grade 1 winners Shackleford and Lady Joanne, Grade 2 winner Afleeting Lady, Grade 3 winners Lady Joanne and Florida Won, and Grade 2-placed stakes winner Stephanoatsee.

Hip No. 673, b. c., Lemon Drop Kid—Motokiks, by Storm Cat, consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
Grade 2 winner Diversy Harbor and Grade 3 winners Keertana and Snow Top Mountain are half siblings to this colt, who was a $270,000 purchase as a short yearling at this year’s Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Hip No. 710, b. f., Bernardini—Nicole H, by Mr. Greeley, consigned by Gainesway, agent.
The first foal out of Grade 2 winner Nicole H, who brought $550,000 with this filly in utero at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. Grade 2 winner Something Extra and Grade 1-placed Miss Norman can be found further down the page.

Hip No. 1025, b. f., Medaglia d’Oro—Snow Top Mountain, by Najran, consigned by Brookdale Sales, agent for Audley Farm Equine.
The second foal out of Grade 3 winner Snow Top Mountain, who is a half sister to Grade 2 winner Diversy Harbor and Grade 3 winner Keertana. Extended family includes Italian Group 1 winner Knifebox and Grade 3 winner Parochial.

Hip No. 1167, b. c., Include—Thundercup, by Thunder Gulch, consigned by VanMeter-Gentry Sales, agent.
A half brother to 2015 Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria. His page also includes Grade 2 winner Rare Blend, Grade 3 winner Rare Gift, Norwegian champion Butterfly Rose, and Dominican champion Senor B.

Hip No. 1237, dk. b. or br. c., War Front—Viva La Flag, by Rahy, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Edward A. Cox, Jr.
This colt’s fourth dam is champion Personal Ensign, putting him in the same family tree as champion Storm Flag Flying, Grade 1 winners My Flag, Personal Flag, Miner’s Mark, Traditionally, and Mr. Speaker, Grade 2 winners Parading and Interactif, and Grade 3 winners Seeking the Title, Ocho Ocho Ocho, and Divine Oath.

Hip No. 1339, b. c., War Front—Along, by Smart Strike, consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent.
The first foal out of the unplaced Along, who is a sister of English and Irish classic-placed Wonder of Wonders and an extended family member of European champions and top international sires Galileo and Sea the Stars.

Hip No. 1350, Mercy Ann, ch. f., Distorted Humor—Amen Hallelujah, by Montbrook, consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
Multiple Grade 2 winner Amen Hallelujah sold for $950,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale carrying this filly, her second foal.

Hip No. 1363, gr. or ro. c., Tapit—Apple Charlotte, by Smart Strike, consigned by Brookdale Sales, agent for Jack Swain.
The sale’s lone offering by leading sire Tapit, out of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Apple Charlotte. Grade 1 Noble Bird is a member of the colt’s extended family, as is Grade 3 winner Mythical Gem.

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Tapit Colt Stars at Fasig-Tipton October
By Glenye Cain Oakford

Hip 1363 by Tapit was the session 4 topper.

Topped by a $410,000 Tapit colt that John Oxley bought Thursday Oct. 22, Fasig-Tipton's October yearling sale ended Thursday evening with a slightly lower average than last year but an 18.9% drop in median that many consignors took as evidence of broader yearling market polarization.

Fasig-Tipton added one day to the auction in 2015, expanding the sale from three to four days. The four-day edition sold 854 yearlings for a total of $29,369,300, down 2.1% from last year's $30,006,200 for 837. The cumulative average dipped 4.1%, from last year's $35,850 to $34,390. Median was $15,000, down from $18,500 a year ago. The overall buyback rate also increased, from 20.7% last year to 30.8%.

Overall at this year's auction, nine yearlings brought $250,000 or more. Ten sold at that level last season.

"All four days were fairly similar in terms of average price, median price, and so forth," said Fasig-Tipton chief executive Boyd Browning. "I think what we saw was an overall pretty consistent marketplace, not dramatically different than 2014 levels, and not significantly different than what we kind of expected and have seen throughout the yearling season this year. ...

"The market for a horse below $15,000, in terms of value, is extremely difficult. From $15,000 to $50,000 is sticky but still manageable, and once you get above $50,000 it was pretty daggone good."

The declines in average and median were "probably just a little bit of reflection of a little bit of softening of the marketplace below $25,000," said Browning.

The Oct. 22 closing session produced the sale-topper, a May 13 son of the graded-placed stakes winner Apple Charlotte, by Smart Strike . Brookdale Sales consigned the gray or roan Tapit colt, who had been a $340,000 buyback at the Keeneland September sale, on behalf of breeder Jack Swain.