by Sarah Mace
Monday’s opening session of Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale produced some heady results for the New York-bred contingent, led by a Pioneerof the Nile colt purchased by trainer Linda Rice on behalf of Sheila Rosenblum’s Lady Sheila Stable Two syndicate for $840,000, the second-top price of the day. New York-based sire Dublin also enjoyed a notable progeny sale when a colt from his first crop realized $350,000.
Bred by All Gold Racing LLC and foaled at Four Seasons Farm in Bullville, Hip 165 certainly benefitted from the timing of the Triple Crown bid by Pioneerof the Nile’s most famous offspring American Pharoah, but is a standout individual in his own right. The colt generated considerable pre-sale buzz after working an eye-catching quarter in :21 2/5 in last week’s under tack show and is flattered by his pedigree page.
Out of Lantern Glow, an unraced daughter of Mineshaft, he is a half-brother to last year’s Grade 2 Remsen S. winner Leave the Light On (Horse Greeley) and to stakes winner Harlan’s Pure (Harlan’s Holiday). Appearing under the third dam are Group 1 Epsom Oaks winner and European champion Balanchine and an array of other graded and group winners.
Prior to the sale consignor Nick de Meric said, “It’s a great time to have a Pioneerof the Nile. Especially one with a pedigree like his that worked like he did.” De Meric purchased the colt for $150,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale; as a weanling the youngster brought $135,000 at Keeneland’s November sale.
It turns out that Rosenblum, whose partnership also includes Rice and Iris Smith, was the driving force behind landing the colt. Said Rice, “Sheila really wanted this one. Every time I went to stop, Sheila said to keep going. When I shook my head no, she said one more bid.”
“Let’s pray that little bit more pays off one day, hopefully,” Rosenblum said. Rice added, “Pioneerof the Nile has been a great stallion so far. The mare has thrown some nice horses as well. He had a brilliant breeze on the racetrack; he’s got great conformation at the barn.”
After the sale Tristan de Meric said, “He’s a beautiful horse. He has been straightforward all year long. We couldn’t be happier with the result, and it looks like he has a great new home. We wish them the best of luck with him. The timing couldn’t have been better with Pioneerof the Nile. Timing is everything in this business.”
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The connections of first crop sire Dublin also had reason to celebrate Monday after Charles Cella paid $350,000 for Hip 223, a bay colt by the Grade 1 Hopeful winner out of Muffy (Tomorrow’s Cat), who was foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson on April 26, 2013.
Bred by Margaret N. Carrothers, the colt has had his fair share of auction experience, originally purchased by Jumping Jack Racing as a weanling for $56,000 at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York fall mixed and horses of racing age sale. An $110,000 buyback at the Fasig-Tipton preferred New York-bred yearling sale last summer, he went to W.D. North Thoroughbreds for $70,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. Eddie Woods was his consignor in Timonium.
The colt’s dam Muffy, also bred in New York-bred by Carrothers, is a winner of nearly $100,000 and comes from the female family of New York-bred stakes winner Baxter. Dublin stands for Spendthrift at Keane Stud in Amenia for a 2015 fee of $6,500.
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In all 32 of the 44 New York-bred juveniles offered sold in the first session of this year’s Midlantic sale for a 22% buyback rate. The New York-bred average was $95,671 and median was $38,500. For the general population of the sale the buyback was comparable (23%). The $102,732 average for the session overall was up dramatically from last year (49%), as was the median of $45,000 (30%).
Eight New York-breds realized six figures during the session, including two more individuals who hit the $200,000 mark: Hip 17 and Hip 90.
Hip 17, a Sydney’s Candy filly out of stakes placed Charleston Springs, was bred by Robert Hahn and purchased by D.M.I. Hip 90, also purchased by Rice, is a Dunkirk filly bred by Cheryl Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan out of the winning Mazel Trick mare Exclusive Print.
The second and concluding session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile sale will take place Tuesday, at the auction company’s Midlantic sales pavilion in Timonium, Md., beginning at 10 a.m.
