Blue-Blooded Prospects Take Center Stage at Gulfstream

Fasig-Tipton's catalog for The Gulfstream Sale might be select in numbers, but it is chock-full of blue-blooded 2-year-olds in training set to go through the ring March 30. Consignors Wavertree Stables and Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds are high on a quartet of well-regarded prospects that not only boast pedigrees that jump off the page but judging by their respective breezes during the under tack preview March 28, possess the type of quality that commands attention from the industry's top tier buyers in the public auction arena. Hip 96, a bay colt by Uncle Mo, sped the fastest eighth during the breeze show, stopping the clock in a sizzling :09 3/5, a record for this sale. Consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent, the colt likely comes about his ability naturally. He is produced from the winning Elusive Quality mare Brusquer, a half sister to Wood Memorial (G1) winner and Gainesway Farm leading sire stallion Tapit, one of the outstanding sires of the modern era. This is also the female family of champions Rubiano and classic winner Summer Bird, as well as multiple grade 2 winner Madefromlucky. Bred in Kentucky by Barouche Stud (Ireland), the colt was an RNA for $385,000 in the Paramount Sales consignment at last year's Keeneland September sale. "He is a stunning horse," Dunne said. "Physically, he is everything you want one to be. He's a beautiful horse with a fabulous pedigree. He's just not a big-walking horse. He gave us fits all winter even though he trained like a monster. At the end of the day, it's what they do on the racetrack, and what he did on the racetrack (in his breeze) is what he is. He is as nice a horse as you would ever want to be around." Hip 74, consigned by Wavertree Stables, is an Into Mischief filly who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the under tack preview. The bay filly is produced from the Distorted Humor mare Vaudevillian, a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner Life At Ten. The filly descends from a family replete with black type, including the likes of Tapit, Relaunch, Glitterman, Rubiano, Chimes Band, and Freefourinternet. Bred in Kentucky by PTK, the filly originally sold to Bullet Bloodstock for $345,000 out of the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment at last year's Fasig-Tipton July Sale. "I was a little disappointed (in the breeze). I might be the world's worst trainer of an Into Mischief," Dunne joked. "She is an absolutely stunning filly. Her action is what brought everyone back to the barn. I think we're going to be in good shape with her, but we were a hair disappointed. We thought she would go a tick faster." Wavertree Stables is also the consignor of Hip 84, a colt from the first crop of Triple Crown winner Justify. The bay colt breezed an eighth in a brisk :10 at the preview. Out of the grade 1 winner and grade 1 stakes producer Appealing Zophie (by Successful Appeal), the colt is a half brother to 2017 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) winner Tapwrit, multiple graded stakes winner Ride a Comet, and stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Inject. Barronstown Stud bred the colt in Kentucky. He was offered as a yearling at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling auction, where he was a $290,0000 RNA for Eaton Sales. "We were fortunate to get him," Dunne said. "He is a man of a horse. There is no bottom to him. He has trained really well all winter. We were excited to come here because we thought he would really handle this racetrack, which he did. He didn't handle the shadows great, but other than that, he had a great breeze, I thought. He has shown himself really well. We're excited about him." Randy Hartley and Dean de Renzo's Hartley/de Renzo Thoroughbreds, agent, will lead over Hip 88, a son of Medaglia d'Oro. The handsome dark bay or brown colt turned heads with an eighth in a fast :10 at the under tack preview. The royally bred colt is out of the group 1 placed and winning Distorted Humor mare Baffled, making him a half brother to WinStar Farm stallion Constitution, a grade 1 winner and successful sire, and graded and group stakes winners Boynton and Jacaranda. The colt is also closely related to grade 1 winner Emcee, grade 2 winner Surfer, and stakes winner Spring Party, all of whom appear under the colt's second dam. Bred in Kentucky by the Don Alberto Corporation, the colt, who is a May foal, was a $225,000 acquisition by Hoby and Layna Kight out of the Brookdale Sales consignment at last year's Keeneland September sale. "Hoby Kight is an unbelievable horse buyer," said Dean de Renzo. "He is an amazing horseman when it comes to picking out horses. He knows instantly, and it's really easy when we get together with him. We are together at most every sale. We go over notes together and look at every horse together. We weren't even sure we were going to be able to get him bought. They actually RNA'd him, and Hoby went back to the barn and got him bought. He looked like he should have been a $500,000 or $600,000 horse. "When it comes to May foals, we give them time," de Renzo added. "We don't train them hard. We let them grow into themselves. We put him in training in November, and he really got to growing. Every time we breezed the horse it was like another notch on the ladder; always another step up. Early on, I thought, 'Wow, this is a lot of horse here.'" de Renzo said the decision to target the Gulfstream Sale was an easy one. "His pedigree is impeccable," de Renzo explained. "And it's rare to have the whole package. He has the pedigree, the sire, the broodmare sire, and he has the ability. He moves like he is on roller skates. He's just a gentle, quiet horse. We thought if we could show him on the dirt that there would be no question that he is a good horse. The dirt track here separates the men from the boys. "He is a no-brainer horse today," he added. "When we got him, he was very immature. He just needed time. We've been lucky with May foals. We have four horses here at this sale and three of them are May foals. You can get better value with May foals (at the yearling sales) when they are standing up against January foals. It is always nice when they come together like this one. He is a real horse. He can be a topper here. You have to go through a lot of horses to get one like him."