Lexington, KY—After witnessing a world-record performance by 2-year-old Walner (Chapter Seven-Random Destiny) at The Red Mile, it took a bit of time to wend through rush hour traffic to reach the Fasiq-Tipton Sales Pavilion, yet the quest to discover a future harness racing world champion remained evident at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale on Thursday (Oct. 6) as six yearlings were purchased for $100,000 or more, led by the trotting filly Magic Carpet Glide at the event’s third session.
With last year’s third session only providing one $100,000 yearling, the sale continues to break new ground and illustrate the demand, as well as the desire, for elite Standardbreds.
“Although there is generally a decrease after the first two days of the sale, I feel our next two sessions were stocked with some very nice horses,” said co-sale manager Randy Manges. “I know some people were celebrating Rosh Hashanah and could not be here for our first night. Also, some people from the East Coast like Pennsylvania and Delaware also planned on being here for the weekend, because it is an additional expense to stay for the entire event in Lexington simply because of all the things going on in the area at the same time.”
The average price for all yearlings was up 26.8 percent over last year’s third day. In addition, the average price for all yearlings is up 22 percent over 2015. Even with 31 fewer yearlings walking through the ring this year, the gross sale amount is up $3,126,000.
The connections of Hip No. 315, Magic Carpet Glide, past, present and future, certainly did their part to contribute to the spectacular success of this year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Purchased for $175,000 by Robert Lindstrom as agent for Lennart Agren’s SRF Stable of Boden, Sweden, this is the team that signed the ticket for the session two sale-topper for $350,000. Preferred Equine offered the Kadabra-Cha Cha Glide filly for sale.
A daughter of Yankee Glide, Cha Cha Glide accumulated $14,266 in purse money and this is her first foal. She is, however, a half-sister to this year’s Peter Haughton Memorial winner What The Hill (Muscle Hill, $201,865).
Magic Carpet Glide’s third dam, Celtic Contessa, by King Conch, dropped eight foals with six of them winners, including world champion and 2006 O’Brien Horse of the Year Majestic Son (Angus Hall, $1,756,883) and her granddam K T Cha Cha, also by Angus Hall, who earned $109,515.
The filly’s fourth dam is Ramerizi (Face To Face, $433,344), the 1992 O’Brien Older Trotting Mare of the Year. She produced world champion Misterizi (Mr Lavec, $574,332), Lindsey-Fireyimage (Balanced Image, $203,363) and Rams Billy Brisco (Brisco Hanover, $165,677). In turn, Lindsey-Fireyimage was the dam of Striking Lindsey ($571,221), Action SJ ($197,048) and Action-Image-Hall ($105,895).
The second highest-priced individual of the evening was Hip No. 275 Night Rhythm, a Muscle Hill-Tail Of Night colt, who sold for $160,000 to Great Horse MA from the Kentuckiana consignment.
Night Rhythm is a half-brother to Machuca (Yankee Glide, $101,505) and his granddam, Day For Night (Donerail, $616,907) was the 2000 Dan Patch 3-year-old champion trotting filly.
Just moments before Night Rhythm stepped into the ring, Crawford Farms purchased Sevenmaidsadancing for $150,000. Offered by Spring Haven Farm, the Chapter Seven-Surrey With Fringe filly is a half sibling to the 2-year-old Cresurrey (Credit Winner, $18,750) and her granddam, B Cor Peatra (Balanced Image) is a full sister to B Cor Pete ($893,076), Yorktown Gunner ($500,800) and Clarice Marie ($201,230). That mare is the dam of Corky ($1,008,000).
B Cor Peata is also closely related to the dam of Wuthering Hanover ($494,440), Wide Angle Hanover ($445,708), B Cor Timgo ($641,641) and to the dam of Tom Cango ($515,930), Broadway Hall ($436,790), Looking Hanover ($1,125,136) and Banker Hall ($1,026,624).
Despite trotters appearing to dominate the sale, pacing yearlings have quietly sold extremely well and possess the highest average for all gaits and genders at a stout $83,907.
Complete results from the sale can be found at this link.
The fourth session of the sale will commence on Friday (Oct. 7) at 7:00 p.m. and will continue through Saturday (Oct. 9).
by Kimberly French, USTA Newsroom Editor