Hard Spun colt's $600K price tops FT New York-bred preferred yearling sale's opening session

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Led by a $600,000 Hard Spun colt, the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale got off to a solid start on Sunday evening in Saratoga, posting an improved average compared to last year.

Fasig-Tipton reported 64 yearlings sold Sunday evening following the day's racing down the block at Saratoga Race Course, amassing gross receipts of $6,900,000, for an average price of $107,813. More than twice as many yearlings will be offered in Monday's second and final session, which begins at noon and runs through the afternoon of the dark day.

In the opening session of the 2021 sale, 62 yearlings were sold for a gross of $6,497,500 and an average of $104,798. This year's opening-session average thus represented a 3 percent gain.

Sunday's median was $77,000, dipping 4 percent from $80,000 in the comparable session last year. The buyback rate was steady, finishing at 24 percent.

"The place was full of people, full of energy again, just like it was for the select sale," Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning Jr. said. "Broad participation across the board. Very, very, very good trade, enthusiastic bidding. It's a tribute to the quality of the [New York-bred] program, which continues to be unquestionably the best statebred program in the world."

Joe Hardoon, racing manager for Al Gold's Gold Square LLC, signed for the session-leading Hard Spun colt, who tied for the highest-priced colt ever sold at this sale, matching a $600,000 Pioneerof the Nile colt sold in 2019. They jointly hold the second-highest price all-time, behind a $775,000 Malibu Moon filly sold in 2019.

"He's a big, beautiful chestnut colt," Hardoon said. "A lot of size, a lot of leg to him. For how big he is, he's very light on his feet, a beautiful mover. He looks like he'll be a nice two-turn horse. Really, just everything we look for - and he's a New York-bred, on top of it."

Gold is campaigning his first Grade 1 winner this year in Cyberknife, winner of the Arkansas Derby and Haskell Invitational and a contender for the Travers Stakes in less than two weeks in Saratoga.

"Al's put so much into this game, and he's waited so long for a horse like Cyberknife," Hardoon said. "We'd like to try to find the next one, and not make him wait as long!"

The colt was consigned by Perrone Sales, on behalf of the Apache Farm of William and Jane Moriarty, who co-bred this colt with Godolphin, which stands Hard Spun in Kentucky.

"They are unbelievable horsepeople," Jim Perrone said. "Camden, South Carolina, a little farm, they bred and raised [this colt's half-sister] Wonder Gal. They are unbelievable people.

"This colt has done everything right from day one," Perrone continued. 'They nicknamed him - his name in the barn is 140, because he was 140 pounds when he was born. I mean, he was a monster, this guy."

The colt is out of the unraced Dixie Union mare Passe, dam of two starters from as many winners. Those are led by Wonder Gal, whose multiple stakes victories included the Ladies Handicap against open company and the Empire Distaff in a state showcase program. She was also multiple Grade 1-placed, finishing second in the Frizette; third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, beaten just a length; third in the Acorn, beaten less than a length; and second in the Mother Goose. As a broodmare, Wonder Gal continued to update this catalog page, producing Wonder Wheel, winner of the Debutante Stakes last month at Churchill Downs.

Passe is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Social Queen, dam of Grade 1 winner Force the Pass. Grade 1 winner Perfect Drift, who earned more than $4.7 million, also appears on this catalog page.

Rounding out the evening's top three prices were a $370,000 filly by Good Magic, purchased by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing; and a $355,000 Bolt d'Oro colt purchased by bloodstock agent Greg Martin. Both Good Magic, sire of yesterday's Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes winner Vegas Magic, and Bolt d'Oro are current freshman sires.

For hip-by-hip results, click here: https://www.fasigtipton.com/2022/New-York-Bred-Yearlings