by Jessica Martini & Dan Ross
A colt by two-time GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents topped Thursday's inaugural Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale in Pomona, bringing a final bid of $150,000 from Steve Gasparelli's Slugo Racing. The yearling was one of six to sell for six figures during the one-session auction. In all, 137 yearlings sold for $3,667,800. The sale average was $26,772 and the median was $13,000.
The Fall Yearling Sale was the second Fasig-Tipton auction of the year in California, following June's Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, as the sales company takes up the baton from the now-defunct Barretts.
“All in all, it was a successful effort and something to build upon,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said at the close of business Thursday. “I think what we saw today is that there is a viable marketplace and that there was significant interest in a large number of offerings. I think it should give breeders confidence that, if they have a quality yearling, there will be a legitimate marketplace for them.”
Of the 285 catalogued yearlings, 255 went through the ring with 118 failing to meet their reserves for a buy-back rate of 46.3%.
“I think we also saw that the market in California is somewhat similar to what it is in Kentucky, New York, Maryland, Ireland, England, and Australia,” Browning said. “There is some polarization and there is certainly more demand for what is perceived to be quality and the lower end of the market is generally difficult. That was no different here today than what we've seen in other marketplaces.”
Goldencents Colt to Slugo Racing
Steve Gasparelli's Slugo Racing struck early in Thursday's California Fall Yearlings Sale, going to $150,000 to acquire a colt by Goldencents. Gasparelli signed for the colt (hip 25) while sitting alongside trainer Mike Puype, who conditions the yearling's once-raced half-brother Audace (Ministers Wild Cat).
“He's a beautiful horse,” Puype said of the yearling. “He's very athletic. Audace ran fifth at Del Mar–I didn't have him quite ready for that race, but he's got a nice future ahead of him. He's still learning the game.”
The chestnut, bred by Thomas Bachman and consigned by his Fairview LLC, is out of Bold Roberta (Bold Badgett). He is a half to multiple stakes winner Bella Luma (Ministers Wild Cat).
Gasparelli campaigned Grade III winner Estrechada (Arg) (Offlee Wild) and enjoyed pinhooking success at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale earlier this year. He and partner Paymaster Racing sold a filly by Into Mischief for $1.5 million. The youngster had been a $450,000 Keeneland September yearling.
Gasparelli admitted hip 25's final price tag Thursday was less than he had expected.
“I actually thought it might go a bit more,” Gasparelli said. “He's a beautiful, athletic horse who vetted well. And we really like Goldencents.”
Gasparelli was back in action later in the sale, purchasing a filly by Grazen (hip 47) for $72,000.
Bachman acquired Bold Roberta, in foal to Fusaichi Pegasus, for $20,000 at the 2011 Barretts January sale. The sale-topping yearling is the mare's final foal.
“He's a wonderful colt,” Bachman said of the yearling. “I own the mare in a partnership, the same partnership that owns the half-sister Bella Luma, who we are going to keep as a broodmare. This is the mare's last foal and he's just a wonderful individual. He's very athletic. I think they are going to have fun with him.”
Bachman bred and consigned four of the auction's five six-figure offerings.
“People know I'm a market breeder and they know how I raise horses,” Bachman said. “I think they have confidence in what I raise. I am fairly reasonable about what I think they are worth and I try to get them sold. I try to go home with an empty truck.”
Hard Spun Colt to Bonde
Trainer Jeff Bonde made the second highest bid of the night at Fairplex Thursday, going to $135,000 to acquire a colt by Hard Spun from the Havens Bloodstock Agency consignment. The yearling (hip 173) is out of Pamona Ball (Pleasantly Perfect), a half-sister to Group 1 placed Snowy Winter (Elusive Quality) and multiple graded placed Pamina (Street Cry {Ire}).
“I just thought he was a great walker,” Bonde said of the colt he purchased on behalf of a partnership. “I buy athletes and he was an athlete.”
The youngster was bred by Premier Thoroughbreds, which purchased Pamona Ball with him in utero for $32,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale.
Eclipse Scores for the Home Team
Based in California, Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners admitted it was important for his group to support the inaugural Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale and he got into the fray Thursday, spending $115,000 to acquire a colt by Sky Mesa from Thomas Bachman's Fairview consignment.
“First and foremost, I thought it was really important to come out here and support this sale,” Wellman said after signing the ticket on hip 143 while standing alongside trainer Michael McCarthy. “I give Fasig-Tipton a lot of credit for jumping into the shoes of Barretts. Our state needs all the support we can get right now and it's a really good sign that Fasig has stepped into those shoes. Here in California, we couldn't have asked for anybody better than [Fasig-Tipton President] Boyd [Browning] and his whole team to come in here and do the job that needs to get done. They put on a good show here.”
Out of Mary Coughlan (Gulch), hip 143 is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner Outside Nashville (Broken Vow) and stakes-placed Bluegrass Derby (Bluegrass Cat). He was bred by Bachman, who purchased the mare with this foal in utero for $90,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale.
“This was a Grade I physical,” Wellman said of the yearling. “He's by a Kentucky sire and he's a Cal-bred. As far as what we were looking to accomplish, trying to buy something out of this sale, he fit the bill and he's the complete package. He's a beautiful colt by a proven sire. I haven't seen too many Sky Mesa Cal-breds around here. Hopefully he will tower above his competition, but, as always, time will tell.”
The colt will be trained by McCarthy.
“This is a boutique sale, so you hone in on your really top prospects and this horse was a standout physically and a standout on paper for us,” McCarthy said. “Hopefully around this time next year, we'll be getting interviewed for the right reasons.”
Pinhookers Active at Fairplex
Pinhookers, busy shopping at the Fairplex barns over the last two days, were also active on the results sheets Thursday. Leading the way was Ciaran Dunne, who purchased a colt by Into Mischief for $110,000 in the name of Scioto Bloodstock.
“He's by a top sire and from a great family,” Dunne said. “We'll roll the dice and see what happens next year.”
Out of North Freeway (Jump Start), the bay is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner and Grade I placed Take the One O One (Acclamation). His juvenile half-brother Square Deal (Square Eddie) is a two-time stakes winner for Arnold Zetcher and Qatar Racing and trainer Simon Callaghan.
“We had his half-brother Square Deal last year,” Dunne said. “He was a very honest, straightforward horse. So we know the family.”
Asked if the colt might be targeted at the Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale next spring, Dunne said, “Given he's not a Cal-bred, we will probably keep him in Florida. But never say never.”
Dunne also signed for a filly by Majesticperfection (hip 269) for $70,000; and a filly by Square Eddie (hip 172) for $17,000.
Ocala-based Eddie Woods signed for three yearlings in the name of his Quarter Pole Enterprises, LLC, going to $85,000 for a son of Fast Anna (hip 100); $65,000 for a colt by Competitive Edge (hip 85); and $35,000 for a colt by Liam's Map (hip 245).
Hip 100 is out of Insolvent (Big Brown), a half-sister to Girlfrienontheside (Indian Charlie).
“He's a good-moving, strong colt by a horse who looks like he's going to be a proper stallion,” Woods said of the yearling. “He vetted well and he's a nice, correct horse. He acted with a lot of class here.”
Woods was one of many Florida pinhookers to skip the inaugural Santa Anita sale this past June and, while these two yearlings are destined for resale next spring, the horseman said it was unlikely to be in Arcadia.
“The date for [Santa Anita sale] was a little tricky for me in June,” Woods explained. “The only thing we've ever been able to sell at California that sold really well is good-proportioned horses who look quick and work well. And you can't sit on them until June, because if you do, if something goes wrong, it's all over for you, you're dead. You've got the horse all summer. If they are going to have a sale out here and make it work, it needs to be earlier.”
Woods added the California buyers are active at the Ocala auctions in his own backyard.
“We have as many California guys who show up in Ocala at the April or March sale as show up at Santa Anita for the Santa Anita sale,” he said. “All of the top guys, none of them miss them.”
Woods will take a wait-and-see approach as to what sale these yearlings will target next year.
“I have no idea where they'll go,” he said. “We'll see later. It's like a woman. You don't marry her when you first meet her. You marry her when you have to.”
Other names on the results sheets who are traditionally active in the yearling-to-juvenile pinhooking arena included Steve Venosa's SGV Thoroughbreds, Bruno De Berdt and David Scanlon, John Brocklebank, and Tom McCrocklin.
Miller First to Six Figures
Trainer Peter Miller was the first to make a six-figure bid at Thursday's California Fall Yearlings Sale, going to $100,000 to acquire a colt by Square Eddie. Hip 19 is the second foal out of Bas (Flower Alley), a half-sister to stakes winner and graded placed Bold Decision (Precise End).
The yearling is from the family of multiple graded winner Parisian Flight. He was bred by Reddam Racing, which purchased Bas for $43,000 at the 2012 OBS April sale.
“He looked very athletic, fast and correct,” Miller said of the yearling's appeal. “He looks like a really nice colt.”
Asked on whose behalf he had purchased the yearling, Miller said, “I don't know yet–one of my clients. We will sort it out as we go.”
Miller was back in action later in the evening, going to $72,000 to acquire a filly by Smiling Tiger (hip 114) and to $9,000 for a colt by Surf Cat (hip 93).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
