Record Priced Arabian Lion Colt Tops Strong California Fall Yearlings Sale

Wednesday, September 30, 2026
hip 202
Hip 202 | Fasig-Tipton Photo

A colt from the first crop of Arabian Lion stole the spotlight at the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings sale in Pomona on Wednesday afternoon when sold for a sale record $525,000 (video).

The high-priced colt was purchased by MWG Enterprises LLC, Michael McCarthy, agent. Barton Thoroughbreds consigned the sale topper as hip 202. From the first crop of Woody Stephen S. (G1) winner Arabian Lion (Justify), the colt was bred in California by Richard Barton Enterprises. The chestnut yearling is a half-brother to five winners from as many to race out of the stakes placed Empire Maker Mare Imperial Pippin. Most prominent among those half-siblings is three-time stakes winner Pushiness (Kantharos). Hip 202 hails from the immediate family of California stalwart and Grade 1 winner Latent Heat.

The record for the California Fall Yearlings sale was previously $350,000 paid for an American Pharoah filly in 2021. The sale has been continuously held since 2019. While horses of racing age were supplemented in 2023 and 2024, the top-priced offerings each year have been yearlings.

The sale’s top offerings also included:

  • An Uncle Mo filly (hip 62) sold for $300,000 to Mike Repole, Michael McCarthy, agent, from the consignment of Havens Bloodstock Agency, agent for Fairview LLC. The bay filly from her sire’s last crop is out of the multiple stakes winning Distorted Humor mare, from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Fionn. Hip 62 was bred in California by Thomas W. Bachman.
  • A Hard Spun filly (hip 251) sold for $300,000 to IJJ Racing from the consignment of Havens Bloodstock Agency, agent. The dark bay or brown filly is out of Miss Segura, an unraced full sister to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Structor. Miss Segura is also a half-sister to the dam of this year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) victress Always a Runner. Hip 251 was bred in California by Lee Kleinmaier III.
  • A City of Light colt (hip 116) sold for $245,000 to JPM Bloodstock, agent for Blinkers On Racing Stable, from the consignment of Barton Thoroughbreds, agent. The bay colt is out of the winning Hard Spun mare Bonus Spin, whose four to race are all winners, including stakes winner Kangaroo Court (Dads Caps). Hip 116 was bred in Kentucky by Richard Barton Enterprises.

Overall, 137 yearlings sold for $4,863,7000, a 5% increase over last year when 143 sold for $4,617,900. The average was $35,501, second in this sale’s history only to the 2021 average ($39,173). The median held steady at $15,000, where it has been for each of the sale’s last four renewals.

Full results are available online.