Tapit, War Front strong in weanling market, too

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As the Keeneland November sale hit its halfway point, familiar names were atop the weanling sire leaderboard.

With the weanling market expected to be strong at this sale, perennial commercial leaders War Front and Tapit were each represented by a seven-figure weanling last week. War Front, who stands at Claiborne Farm, was led by a $1.45 million colt sold to Coolmore. Gainesway Farm’s Tapit is the sire of a half-brother to champion Honor Code, sold to Baccari Bloodstock for $1.05 million.

Fueled by those successes, War Front leads all weanling sires at Keeneland November by gross, with eight sold for a total of $5,135,000; meanwhile, Tapit leads by average, with five sold for an average of $692,000.

Behind those two, however, some new names are appearing in the ranks, led by champion Will Take Charge. The first-year weanling sire leads his category with 17 sold for $2,275,000 – good enough to rank him sixth for gross among all sires, behind War Front, Tapit, Uncle Mo, Scat Daddy, and Curlin.

Will Take Charge, who stands at Three Chimneys Farm, is led by a colt out of Grade 1 winner Summer Soiree, sold to Dennis O’Neill for $350,000. The young stallion also leads first-year weanling sires by average among those with three or more sold, with a figure of $133,824.

The only other first-year weanling sire in the top 10 by gross is Verrazano. The resident of Coolmore’s Ashford Stud recorded the second-highest price for a first-year sire, with a $300,000 colt sold to Fox Fire Purchases.