Photo: Keeneland
The 2012 Keeneland September Yearling
Sales are upon us and millions of dollars are being spent on royally
bred babies. By the end of Session 3, 35 yearlngs have been sold for
$500,000 or more. Do these high priced babies live up to their
purchase price on the racetrack?
Lets take a look at some of the upper-tier yearlings from 2008 – 2011 and see how they've progressed in
their racing careers.
2009 Keenland September Yearlings:
36 yearlings sold for
$500,000 or more in 2009. They are now four-year-olds.
The most expensive
yearling sold at the 2009 September Keeneland Yearling sale went for
$2,050,000. Storm 'n Indian
(of Storm Cat - Fleet Indian, by Indian Charlie) a colt out of the
2006 Champion Older Mare, was bought by Darley Stable. He made two
starts for trainer Kiran McLaughlin, placing second once. Race
record: 2-0-1-0 ($8,940). Storm 'n Indian hasn't recorded any works
since his last start on January 8, 2011.
Onepointhreekarats
(Medaglia d'Oro - Beaties for Real, by Unreal
Zeal) a $1.3 million dollar filly owned by Live Oak Plantation. She
is a half sister to stakes winners Friel's For Real, Ryans For Real
and Little Thunder never started.
California
(A.P. Indy – Madcap Escapade, by Hennesy) sold for $1 million
dollars to Coolmore. The son of Ashland (G-1) stakes winner Madcap
Escapade raced twice, hitting the board both times for trainer Todd
Pletcher. Race record: 2-0-1-1 ($12,715). California was sent to stud
this year in Venezuela. (photo)
In Step
(Unbridled's Song - Strawberry Reason, by Strawberry Road (AUS)) was
a $1 million dollar purchase by Darley Stable. The filly half is a
half sister to Champion Juvenile Vindication, plus stakes horses
Scipion and Blackberry Road. In Step has won three times. She was
victorious in the Queen Tutta Stakes, a seven furlong turf sprint at
Belmont for Kiran McLaughlin. She also finished third last October in
the Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (G-3). Race record: 7-3-0-2
($123,110). In Step has no recent recorded works.
Most accomplished yearling
in the $500K + price range:
Stakes winners:
To Honor And Serve (G-1) In Step (listed).
The most accomplished
runner from this price group is To Honor And Serve (Bernardini – Pilfer, by
Deputy Minster). Purchaed by Live Oak Plantation for $575,000 and
trained by Bill Mott, the colt has won multiple stakes races,
including the Cigar Mile and Woodford Stakes, both Grade 1 events.
Race record: 15-8-1-3 ($1,778,840).
2010 Keenland September
Yearlings:
27
yearlings were sold for $500,000 or more in 2010. They
are now three-year-olds.
The sales topper for 2010 at $4.2
million, Mr. Besilu (A.P.
Indy – Balance, by Thunder Gulch) was procured by Besilu
Stables. The colt was the first foal produced by Balance, a multiple
Grade 1 winner and half sister to Champion Zenyatta. Racing fans
proclaimed the colt, named, their favorite for the 2012 Triple Crown
and eagerly awaited news of the start of Mr. Besilu's racing career.
The colt was sent to trainer Todd Pletcher and had a few breezes, the
last one on January 1, 2012. As of February 2012, Mr. Besilu was
sent to the farm.
Forward March (Distorted Humor -
Angel's Nest, by Storm Cat) was a $2,050,000 acquisition for Flag
Lake II Stable. The colt's dam is an unraced half sister to the great
sire Kingmambo and the French Group 1 winner East of the Moon. A half
sister to Forward March produced Rumpelstiltskin, the European
Champion Juvenile Filly. The second dam is the great Champion Turf
Mare Miesque. Forward March has won his maiden and an optional
claiming race for trainer Shug McGaughey. Race record: 5-2-0-2
($89,025). Forward March's most recent work was on September 7,
2012, 4F :49.53 (13/20) Saratoga turf training course.
Welter
Weight(Smart
Strike - Ask Me No Secrets, by Seattle Slew) was a $1 million dollar
purchase by George Bolton. The colt is out a an Oaklawn Breeders' Cup
(G-3) heroine and hails from the distaff family of multiple Grade 1
winning sire Albert The Great. Welter Weight has made two starts for
trainer Steve Asmussen. Race record: 2-0-2-0 ($22,400). His last
work was September 2, 2012, 5F 1:02.73 (17/21) at Saratoga.
Fed
Biz (Giant's Causeway - Spunoutacontrol, by Wild Again)
sold for $950,000 to Kaleem Shah. The colt is out of a stakes
winning half sister to Minardi, 2000 English Champion Juvenile and to
Myth, the dam of World Champion Juvenile and sire Johannesburg. Fed
Biz has won three of four starts, including the one mile El Cajon
Stakes for trainer Bob Baffert. The second place finisher in the
race, Jimmy Creed, was a $900,000 purchase from the same auction.
Fed Biz's Race record: 4-3-0-0 ($131,100) His last work was August
25, before the August 31 El Cajon Stakes.
Most accomplished yearling
in the $500K + price range:
Stakes
winners: My
Miss Aurelia (G-1), Fed Biz (listed).
The
most accomplished runner from this price group is My Miss Aurelia
(Smart Strike – My Miss Storm Cat, by Storm Cat) a $550,00
aquirement by Gorge Bolton. My Miss Aurelia is undefeated in five
starts, including vicories in the Frizette (G-1) and Breeders' Cup
Juvenile Fillies. She was named the 2011 Eclipse
Champion Two Year Old Filly. Race record: 5-5-0-0 ($1,440,000). My
Miss Aurelia last breezed on September 9, 2012, 5F 1:01.41 (1/7) over
Saratoga's training track.
2010
Keenland September Yearlings:
40
yearlings were sold for $500,000 or more in 2010. They
are currently two-year-olds. Many of them are still developing and
may not have recorded a workout.
The highest price
yearling at the Keeneland Sale in 2011 was Powerful
(A.P. Indy – Malka, by Deputy Minister). The colt sold for $1.4
million dollars to John and Jerry Amerman and Robert Evans. Powerful
is a ¾ brother by blood to the Grade 1 winnig miler Girolamo,
multiple graded stakes winner Daydreaming and the Grade 1 placed
Accelerator. Additionally, he's a ¾ brother by blood to the dams of
Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and the Grade 1 winner and sire
Bluegrass Cat, who placed in the Derby. Powerful is trained by Neil
Drysdale, but has yet to record a workout.
Resurgence
(Awesome Again – Legs Lawlor) was aquired by Adena Springs for
$1,350,000. The colt's dam is a half sister to 1997 Horse of the Year
and Champion Juvenile Favorite Trick. Resurgence hasn't record a
workout.
Ultimate Reward
(Unbridled's Song - Lady of Choice, by Storm Bird) was
purchased by Besilu Stables for $1.3 million dollars. The filly is a
half sister to the Grade 3 winning stakes veteran Multiple Choice. A
stakes placed half sister produced three stakes winners (two by
Unbridled's Song). Ultimate Reward breezed on
September 7, 2012, 3F :38.68 (4/8) over Saratoga's dirt training
track.
Secret Jewel
(Bernardini - Silk n' Sapphire, by Smart
Strike) was also bought by Besilu Stables. The filly cost $1.2
million dollars. She's a half sister to Breeders' Cup Filly &
Mare Turf heroine Shared Account, Grade 3 stakes winner Colonial Flag
and stakes placed Mark of Success. Secret Jewel hasn't recored a
breeze.
Sonoma County
(Street Cry - Forest Music, by Unbridled's
Song) is a $1.2 million dollar purchase by Gorge Bolton. The colt is
a half brother to the winner Maclean's Music (by Distorted Humor)
colt and out of a Grade Two winner. He's currently breezing at
Vinery Stable.
Silvery Starlet
(Unbridled's Song - Silvery Swan, by Silver Deputy) is a $1 million
dollar aquisition by Whiper Hill Farm. The filly is a half sister to
Haskel Invitational (G-1) hero Roman Ruler, Cigar Mile winner El
Corredor, Grade 3 winner Silver Tornado and stakes placed Maimonides.
Silvery Starlet hasn't recorded a breeze.
Most accomplished yearling
in the $500K + price range:
None
of the two year olds have run in a stakes race, yet, but it is still
early in their careers. Many of them are two-turn routers who need
time to mature.
The
only horse in this price range to have won is Violence (Medaglia d'Oro - Violent Beauty, by Gone
West) bought by Black Rock Stables, LLC for $600,000. The colt won
his debut at Saratoga by a neck for trainer Todd Pletcher. Race
record: 1-1-0-0 ($48,000) His last breeze was September 10 4F :48.60
(4/48) dirt training.
How they fared overall:
Reviewing the 63 yearlings that sold
at the September Yearling Sales for $500,000 or higher in 2009 and
2010, 14 never raced, 13 made one or two starts, 13 made three or
four starts, and 23 made five or more starts. Four runners won a
stakes race. Only two earned back their purchase price. Horses in
the US and Europe were researched. This doesn't take into account
horses that may have raced in Japan or South America.
Records show that the typical stakes
winner sells in the price range of $50,000 - $400,000. Two of the
last three Kentucky Derby heroes passed through the Keeneland sales
ring as yearlings. Animal Kingdom cost $100,000, while I'll Have
Another sold for a paltry $11,000. There is less likelihood of
earning back the purchase price or obtaining a stakes winner from the
top echelon of the September yearling sales.
Armed with this information, horse
players can use sales price to their advantage when handicapping an
elite field of maidens. More expensive doesn't necessarily mean
better.