$1.2 Million Pair Shine at The Gulfstream Sale

 

This year’s renewal of The Gulfstream Sale featured three seven-figure two-year-olds, including two which tied for the top spot when sold for $1,200,000 each. The auction also posted the second highest average and median in the sale’s history, and the highest in both categories since the move to Gulfstream Park four years ago.

Hip 9, a filly by Medaglia d’Oro, got the bidding started early when sold for $1,200,000 off a 10 flat work (video). By the sire of champion fillies Songbird and Rachel Alexandra, Hip 9 was purchased by Stonestreet Stables LLC from the consignment of Niall Brennan Stables, agent. The dark bay or brown filly is from the family of Grade 1 winning millionaire Dream Supreme and Grade 1 winning juvenile and proven sire Majestic Warrior.

Also dropping the hammer at $1,200,000 was Hip 77, a colt by popular juvenile sire Into Mischief. Hip 77, who also worked in 10 flat (video), was purchased by OXO Equine from the consignment of Eddie Woods, agent. The bay colt’s immediate family includes Grade 1 winners Irish Smoke and Book Review.

“It was an extremely strong marketplace at the upper end, said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “There were multiple bidders on the horses that performed well, vetted well, made good videos.”

Hip 31, a colt by the late Scat Daddy, came in a close third, selling for $1,000,000 to Todd Pletcher, agent for M V Magnier. Consigned by SGV Thoroughbreds, Hip 31 worked in 10 flat during Monday’s under tack show (video).

Another highlight of the sale was Hip 54, a filly from the second crop of Orb, who laid down a 21 flat quarter mile on the dirt during the under tack show (video), the fastest work at that distance since the sale relocated to Gulfstream Park in 2015. She was amply rewarded for that effort this evening when sold for $900,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for Baoma Corp. The speedster was consigned by Tom McCrocklin, agent.

 

Notably, 14 horses sold for $600,000 or more, up from eight in 2017. “[There was] great attendance and distribution of the buying population across the board,” Browning added. “All in all, I thought it was a strong horse sale… it bodes well for our next sale in Timonium in May.”

Overall, 59 two-year-olds sold for a total of $23,495,000, good for an average of $385,164, a 13.5% increase from $339,392 in 2017. The median was up 9.3% to $295,000 from $270,000 in 2017. Both the average and median were the second highest in this sale’s history, and the highest since the sale moved to Gulfstream Park in 2015. 

Full results are available online.