Speightstown colt leads solid opening session at Fasig-Tipton February mixed sale

A yearling colt by Speightstown sold for $165,000 as the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale opened with solid figures, including an improved average and improved buyback rate, on Monday in Lexington, Ky.

The opening session of the two-day sale, the final auction of the breeding stock sale season and the final chance for pinhookers to acquire short yearlings at public auction for later turnaround, finished with 207 horses sold for gross receipts of $3,956,300. The comparable opening session in 2020, which was held prior to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic upending the market, finished with 180 sold for $3,369,200.

The opening session's average price was $19,133, an uptick of 2 percent from $18,718 in the comparable 2020 session. The median was steady at $8,000. The buyback rate improved to 22 percent, compared to 29 percent.

The solid opening session to set the table was an encouraging development, as Tuesday's second and final session is widely considered a stronger session, due to a number of supplemental entries that have added luster to the catalog. Among those final offerings tomorrow evening will be the 3-year-old colt Hello Hot Rod, winner of the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes in January; and Shieldmaiden, the dam of Grade 1 winner Fair Maiden.

The session-leading Speightstown colt was purchased by Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm, from the consignment of bloodstock agent Stuart Morris. The yearling was foaled in April 2020.

The colt is out of the Distorted Humor mare Royal Ancestry, the dam of three winners from as many starters, led by stakes-placed More Royalty. Royal Ancestry is a full sister to Grade 1 winner Awesome Humor, the dam of stakes winner Thetrashmanscoming and stakes-placed Keep Me Informed. Royal Ancestry and Awesome Humor are also half-sisters to Surf Club, dam of Grade 1 winner Emcee, stakes winners Surfer and Spring Party, and Group 3-placed Baffled. The latter, in turn, is the dam of Grade 1 winner and young classic sire Constitution.

The session's most expensive broodmare prospect was stakes winner Shippy, purchased for $130,000 by St. Elias Stables. The 4-year-old Midshipman filly was consigned by Taylor Made Sales, as agent.

Shippy won twice from seven career starts, highlighted by a score in the Blue Sparkler Stakes in July 2020 at Monmouth. She was also third in the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga as a juvenile, beaten less than a length; and third in the Coronation Cup last July on the Saratoga turf.

Shippy is the lone starter out of the winning Speightstown mare Lead Me Not, a half-sister to stakes-placed Touch of Splendor, and to the winner Touch of Fire, dam of multiple stakes winner Hunka Burning Love. Grade/Group 1 winners Wild Rush, Shalaa, and Hayil appear on the catalog page.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.