Two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome has five of his first-crop yearlings in the 364-strong catalog for Tuesday’s Fasig-Tipton July Sale. The single-session auction gets under way at 10 a.m. (EDT) at the firm’s Newtown Paddocks near Lexington, Kentucky, and you can watch live at fasigtipton.com.
California Chrome’s offerings begin with Hip No. 62, a half-brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Pretty N Cool, who was runner-up in the 2015 Del Mar Debutante (G1). Consigned by Denali Stud, agent, the February 3-foaled gray is out of the stakes-placed Rockport Harbor mare Stayclassysandiego, herself a half to Grade 1 victor Sean Avery.
The Taylor Made stallion’s next two yearlings are presented under the banner of Taylor Made Sales Agency, as agent. Hip 109, a chestnut filly born April 2, is the third registered foal from Grade 3 heroine Wildcat Lily, by D’Wildcat. Her dam came close to Grade 1 scores in the 2013 Prioress (G1) and Test (G1), and she hails from the extended family of Canadian champion Sky Promise and Hall of Famer Housebuster.
Hip 141, consigned by Taylor Made as agent for Town & Country Horse Farms, is a half-brother to 2013 Schuylerville (G3) dead-heater Brazen Persuasion. The March 4 chestnut colt is out of the winning Cat Thief mare Beholden, who is also responsible for stakes victor Behold de Buy.
Valkyre Stud, agent, sends a bay filly cataloged as Hip 205. Produced by the stakes-winning Speightstown mare Exchange Funds, the April 5 foal initially toured the ring as a weanling at Keeneland November, where she RNA’d for $120,000. This is the further family of Group/Grade 1-placed stakes scorers Jet West and Jetin Excess as well as 2017 Spinaway (G1) vixen Lady Ivanka.
Near the end of the sale comes Hip 350, a Maryland-bred half-brother to Grade 3 hero Javerre. Offered by Joe Dodgen, agent, the January 24-born bay is out of multiple stakes winner Our Fantene, by Touch Gold. The yearling’s third dam, Grade 2 queen Avie’s Fancy, herself produced Grade 2-winning sire St Averil and also counts as a descendant Grade 1-placed State of Honor.
Other freshmen with July yearlings include champion Nyquist, who turned the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1)/Kentucky Derby (G1) double in 2015-16; champion sprinter Runhappy; Exaggerator, the 2016 Preakness (G1) and Haskell (G1) winner; 2015 European champion juvenile Air Force Blue; Anchor Down; Brody’s Cause; Cinco Charlie; Firing Line, runner-up to American Pharoah in the 2015 Derby, and multiple Grade 1 star Frosted, who chased him home in the Belmont (G1); Hit It a Bomb; Jess’s Dream, the son of Curlin and Rachel Alexandra; Mshawish; Not This Time; Outwork; Speightster; Tamarkuz; Texas Red; Tourist; Upstart; and Vancouver (first Northern Hemisphere foals).
American Pharoah, already with four winners from his first runners to hit the track, has a couple from his second crop in the sale. Hip 76, a chestnut filly from Paramount Sales, agent, is the first foal from the unraced Tigress Tale. The unraced Tale of the Cat mare is a half to Grade 3 winner and multiple Grade 1- placed Stays in Vegas, and a descendant of Hall of Famer Heavenly Prize. The other Pharoah is a bay filly consigned as Hip 110 by Summerfield (Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck), agent. Out of Winnie Dixie by Dixie Union, she comes from the extended family of two-time champion Tepin.
Before the yearlings take center stage Tuesday, Fasig-Tipton conducts the July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale Monday at 4 p.m. (EDT). The catalog (Hips 401-604) features a mix of veterans like Vettori Kin (Hip 406), Markitoff (Hip 506), and Siem Riep (Hip 543); lightly raced Grade 3-placers Copper Town (Hip 446) and Jalen Journey (Hip 494); such sophomore stakes performers as Clint Maroon (Hip 440), Five Star General (Hip 471), Itsmyluckycharm (Hip 492), Proverb (Hip 528), Splashy Kisses (Hip 548), and Federal Case (Hip 594); More Roses (Hip 569), two-for-two so far; and a number of promising juveniles led by Belmont debut romper Fierce Lady (Hip 589).
