Harness: Southwind Bugz brings $335,000 at Lexington Selected Yearling Sale

HIP 368 Southwind Bugz, a colt by Muscle Hill, was Thursday's highest-priced seller at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, bringing $335,000 from Ken Jacobs. Southwind Bugz is also the second-highest purchase of the entire sale, vaulting over Rifleman ($330,000, night one) and Spectrum ($330,000, night two).

Southwind Bugz, sold from the Preferred Equine Marketing Inc. consignment and bred by Southwind Farms, is out of the Andover Hall mare Missymae Bluestone. This makes Southwind Bugz a full brother to Southwind Mozart, who was second in the 2015 Yonkers Trot before being exported to Europe where he was a multiple stakes winner, and a half-brother to Southwind Cocoa (Chocolatier, $277,097), a New Jersey Sire Stakes champion at two.

HIP 416 Ridin On Sunshine went to Gino Toscani for $185,000 after a spirited bidding battle. Ridin On Sunshine, consigned by agent Spring Haven Farm, is from the first crop of Sunshine Beach, a near-millionaire son of Somebeachsomewhere who beat Captaintreacherous in the 2013 Battle of the Brandywine at Pocono. The Ontario-eligible Ridin On Sunshine is out of Takealilridewithme (Jereme's Jet), a half-sister to the likes of Riding The Rapids (Red River Hanover, $113,020).

Rounding out the top three were a pair of trotters who brought $140,000. HIP 375 Lindy Express (Trixton-Nashville Lindy) went to Ake Svanstedt and HIP 398 One More Rosie (Muscle Mass-Rose De Vie Stena) was taken by Rene Allard. Lindy Express, a colt, is a half-brother to Shake It Off Lindy ($209,872, Crazed), while filly One More Rosie is a full sister to Riveting Rosie ($903,520).

There were five other yearlings to enter six figures during the evening, including HIP 336 Have A Habit (Conway Hall-Habit's Lady), who is a full brother to millionaire and multiple stakes winner Habitat. Have A Habit was purchased by agent Paul Kelley for exactly $100,000.

After Wednesday's session saw an 8.4% percent increase over 2016, Thursday was even stronger, improving on last year by 13.8%. In total 160 yearlings were sold on Thursday for a sum of $7,615,000 and an average of $47,593. Last year those numbers were 145 head through the ring for a total of $6,066,000 and an average of $41,834.

The sale is also basically flat through three days year-over-year, with an average of $79,603 in 2017 compared to $80,688 last year.

The 2017 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale will continue at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavillion on Friday with HIPS 429-558 on offer, and it will conclude on Saturday with HIPS 561-649 going through the sales ring. Both sessions will begin at 7 P.M.