Pin Oak Stud, Abercrombie’s Legacy Takes Center Stage at Fasig-Tipton 

Nearly 70 years of careful breeding and racing success – a lifelong passion of Pin Oak Stud’s Ms. Josephine Abercrombie – were on display Sunday evening at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, KY. A selection of Pin Oak’s remaining broodmares, weanlings, and race fillies were offered without reserve by Denali Stud as agent. 

The sale topper came in the form of Don’t Leave Me (Hip 18), a nine-year-old graded stakes winning daughter of Lemon Drop Kid. Woodford Thoroughbreds purchased the mare, who was offered in foal to Horse of the Year Authentic, for $650,000 (video). Don’t Leave Me is out of Grade 1 winner See How She Runs, and has produced two foals to date, including I’m So Sorry (Uncle Mo), who is placed in one start this year at two, and a weanling filly by Medaglia d’Oro (Hip 19). The latter preceded her dam into the ring, and was purchased by Rigney Racing for $370,000, the top price paid for a weanling during the sale (video). 

“We started showing Saturday morning,” said Denali Stud’s Craig Bandoroff. “They were here at quarter to eight, and her 23 horses showed 1,056 times... [w]e were hoping that the community would appreciate the quality of the offerings and the quality of Ms. Abercrombie and Clifford’s lifetime work, and they did. It was gratifying.” 

Point System (Hip 5), a seven-year-old stakes winner by Pin Oak’s own Broken Vow, sold for $420,000 to Shepherd Equine Advisors, agent from Larry Hirsch (video). The second highest price of the evening, Point System was offered in foal to Eclipse Champion Improbable. To date, Point System is represented by a yearling colt by Candy Ride (ARG). 

Late in the session, Eaton Sales took home multiple Grade 1 placed stakes winner Gold Medal Dancer (Hip 23) for $400,000 (video). The 11-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is represented by Dance Recital, a winner this year at 4, as well as an unstarted two-year-old in Dance Routine, and a weanling colt by Candy Ride (ARG). 

“This has been her baby for 60+ years,” added longtime Pin Oak Stud farm manager Clifford Barry of Abercrombie. “It’s kind of nice to coming in tonight and showcase... [T]here are mares here today she’s got three, four generations of. Very, very proud of her.” 

Of three racing and/or broodmare prospects on offer, Fascination (Hip 20) took the top spot, selling for $185,000 to Harbut Bloodstock. A daughter of two-time and current Leading Sire Into Mischief, Fascination placed third in her debut this year at three. Her dam, Whimiscality (Hip 10), in foal to Collected, sold earlier in the session to BBA Ireland for $200,000. 

All told, 23 horses sold for $3,999,000, good for an average of $173,870 and a median of $130,000. 

Full results are available online.