Uncle Mo Colt Takes the Lead During Third Session of Kentucky October Yearlings Sale
The third session of the Kentucky October Yearlings sale held Wednesday in Lexington, KY produced a new overall sale leader, as well as new high prices for first and second crop sires.
The session topper and current sale topper was Hip 1033, a colt by successful young sire Uncle Mo. The bay colt sold for $410,000 to Mike Ryan, agent from the consignment of Indian Creek, agent (video). Uncle Mo is already the sire of three champions and 25 graded stakes winners in his first four crops, including seven Grade 1 winners, led by dual Eclipse Champion Nyquist. This colt is the second foal out of a Stormy Atlantic half-sister to Grade 1 winners Lear's Princess and Pretty City Dancer. He was bred in Kentucky by Meg Dumaine.
"It's been three really good days so far," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "We've got one more day to go, but there's certainly no reason not to be optimistic that tomorrow will be a continuation of the strength we've seen these first three days. There were some beautiful horses offered here the first three days, and there are some damn fine ones that will walk through the ring tomorrow."
Speedway Stable went to $400,000 to secure a filly from the first crop of Eclipse Champion Sprinter Runhappy, offered as Hip 1090 by Woods Edge Farm, agent (video). The bay filly, also the most expensive sold by a first crop yearling sire at this sale through three sessions, is out of the stakes winning Forestry mare Queens Plaza. That mare has already produced five winners from as many to race, three of them stakes horses, including multiple stakes winner Queen Caroline. Hip 1090 hails from the family of Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Folklore and of this year's Ballerina S. (G1) winner Come Dancing. The filly was bred in Virginia by Megan's Ford Farm.
Current Leading Freshman Sire American Pharoah was responsible for the most expensive second crop yearling of the session and of the sale this far. Hip 1124, his colt out of the Malibu Moon mare Red Carpet Miss, sold for $385,000 to Team Casse, agent from the consignment of Paramount Sales, agent (video). The colt's immediate family includes several Group 1 winners, including dual One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner L'Attrayante (FR).
"There were still hundreds of people here for the last 15 horses to go through the ring [today]," added Browning. "There wasn't a buzz horse in there. There were good, bread-and-butter type October horses and there was still quite a crowd gathered up to make sure those horses brought fair prices."
When asked about the contingent of horses scratched from earlier sales to be offered in October, Browning said, "I think that sellers know that there's a legitimate marketplace here to bring a quality animal. If they have a situation where additional time or a change of circumstances [from earlier in the year] to the latter stages of October will improve the marketability of that horse, they’ve got the confidence to do that, whether it's a $20,000 horse or a $250,000 horse. There are all sorts of facts and circumstances that lead to horses moving from one sale to another sale and a lot of horses frankly just benefit from the additional time."
During today's session, 240 yearlings changed hands for $8,378,100, up 5% from the third session last year, when 244 yearlings sold for $7,990,900. The session average increased 7% to $34,909 from $32,750 in session three in 2018.
Through the first three sessions, 740 yearlings have sold for $27,577,200, up 12% from last year's three-session gross of $24,575,900 for 723 sold. The running average is $37,266, up 10% from $33,992 through three sessions last year.
Session results are available online. The Kentucky October Yearlings sale concludes tomorrow with a final session beginning at 10 AM.