Rockingham Ranch buys Newgrange for $325,000 at Fasig-Tipton July sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Multiple graded stakes winner Newgrange is headed back to California, but for a different set of connections, after being sold Monday evening at Fasig-Tipton in Kentucky.

Newgrange was one of the most accomplished young runners in the catalog for the Fasig-Tipton July selected horses of all ages sale, a single-session auction Monday at the company's Newtown Paddocks base. The 3-year-old son of Violence was purchased for $325,000 by California-based Rockingham Ranch from the consignment of Elite Sales, as agent, ranking as the sixth-highest price of the sale. The Sweetwater Trading of Kim Lloyd, a former executive with the Barretts sale company in California, handled the purchase, as agent.

Lloyd said a trainer has not been selected for Newgrange, but that the Rockingham operation is keen to try the colt on turf, citing the versatility of sire Violence.

"We really liked the colt," Lloyd said. "Big, good-looking colt. . . . He's been a good, sound horse, so we're looking forward to having some fun at Del Mar."

Newgrange has won 3 of 4 starts to date while formerly trained by Bob Baffert for the sprawling partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable, and Siena Farm. After winning his debut in November at Del Mar, the colt won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on New Year's Day at Santa Anita, then took the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes on Jan. 29 at Oaklawn Park. However, he finished sixth in the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 26 at Oaklawn and has not raced since.

Newgrange has breezed 14 times in California since the Rebel. With Baffert serving a suspension, he was entered for trainer Tim Yakteen in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes on June 11, but was scratched from that race. Four of his official works have come since that scratch.