Two New Yorkers sell for $200K at Fasig-Tipton

A pair of yearlings at $200,000 topped the contingent of New York-breds at last week's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling sale.

Twelve of the 15 offered were sold, and they averaged $98,667, a bit below the overall sale average of $102,941.

Mike Ryan as agent purchased Hip No. 516, a filly by Mr. Greeley, for $200,000 from the consignment of Peacock Ridge, agent. Out of the Devil's Bag mare Black Foot Beauty, she is a half-sister to stakes-placed runners Hotspur and Mystical Beauty.

Black Foot Beauty is a half-sister to Amarillo, winner of the Grade 3 Delaware Handicap, and to Government Corner, winner of the Grade 3 President's Cup.

The other top-priced New York-bred was a colt purchased by Gainesway Bloodstock as Hip No. 577 from the consignment of Hidden Brook, agent. By Malibu Moon, he is the first foal out of Interborough Handicap winner Fit Performer, a daughter of Fit to Fight.

Fit Performer is out of a half-sister to Icona, a Group 1 winner in South Africa whose family includes the classy New York-bred graded stakes winner Oprah Winney.

Peacock Ridge also sold a statebred More Than Ready colt as Hip No. 373 to Barry Berkelhammer, agent, for $190,000. Out of the Silver Deputy mare Love Destiny, he is a half-brother to New York Stallion Stakes winner Accurate.

At $120,000 was a colt by Aptitude from the consignment of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds LLC, agent, purchased by Goldmart Farm as Hip No. 438. He is out of Quietly Elegant, a daughter of Quiet American who is a half-sister to stakes winner Wind Flow. The family includes the good stakes winner Fast Account, who placed in the Santa Anita Derby and finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

New York sire Read the Footnotes had two New York-bred colts in the sale at $62,000 and $75,000, while state sire Ten Most Wanted's single offering, a filly, sold for $60,000.

Chief's Lake two-thirds of the way to bonus

With his victory in the New York Derby last weekend at Finger Lakes, which came via the disqualification of Berry Bound for interference in the stretch, Chief's Lake has won the first two legs of the Big Apple Triple.

The Big Apple Triple consists of the Mike Lee Stakes, won by Chief's Lake on June 24, the New York Derby, and the Albany Handicap at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 22.

A bonus of $250,000 awaits the winner of all three. It has not been claimed in its nine years of existence.

Chief's Lake sent his earnings to $284,830 with a record of 5-1-1 in 8 starts. Bred by Eaton and Thorne and owned by Vinery Stables, he was purchased for $60,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale in 2005.

A son of Yonaguska, he is out of Lake Princess, a daughter of Salt Lake whose dam, Eloquent, won the Grade 3 Railbird Stakes and placed in the Acorn and Mother Goose stakes.

The Niagara Stakes was part of the New York Derby program, and Cool Paradigm captured the event for 3-year-old fillies. Bred by Sez Who Thoroughbreds and owned by Lewis and Isabelle Gammon, Cool Paradigm, a daughter of Outofthebox, sent her career earnings to $82,772 with a record of 2-3-0 in 6 starts.

Purchased at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring 2-year-olds in training sale for $55,000, Cool Paradigm is out of the Silver Deputy mare Silver Arctic. Her grandmother, Arctic Actress, by Nearctic, won the Natalma Stakes at Woodbine and is the dam of stakes winners Perfect Player and Artania.

Retired champ posted top earnings

Funny Cide, who ended his career with a victory in the Wadsworth Memorial at Finger Lakes on July 4, will long be remembered as one of the greatest horses bred in New York. With earnings of $3,529,412, he is the leading money earner among New York-breds.

The Eclipse Award winner as champion 3-year-old male of 2003, he won graded stakes in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Excelsior Handicap, Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Dominion Day Handicap.

His scores in New York-bred events were the Bertram F. Bongard, Sleepy Hollow, Kings Point Handicap, and Wadsworth Memorial.