The two-horse offering from Stoneriggs Farm's consignment to The July Sale at Fasig-Tipton is “only the beginning” for the blossoming operation’s presence in future sales, according to farm manager Martin Keogh.
In April 2021, Florida businessman Robert Slack acquired the 417-acre property formerly known as Kilflynn Farm near Paris, Ky. Though Stoneriggs has offered their stock through other consignments in the past, the upcoming yearling auction July 12 marks the first time that the farm is consigning their own homebreds.
“Robert has put a really nice broodmare band together and every year our stock should be going from strength to strength,” Keogh said. “I tell him all the time that in a couple of years, Stoneriggs will be a force to be reckoned with in this industry. Robert is giving Stoneriggs all the tools to excel."
Although Stoneriggs only has a pair for The July Sale, the fledgling consignment will continue to grace the auction ring as the sales season gets underway, with 18 yearlings scheduled for the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, seven for The October Sale, Fasig-Tipton's fall yearling sale, and an undetermined number of weanlings to be showcased at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
"There seems to be a lot of demand for horses right now, especially because of the increasing race purses," Robert Slack said. "It seems as though everyone is in the market for a good horse, particularly one that can run Saturday afternoon.
"We're looking forward to seeing how we do in The July Sale. We have brought a couple of very nice horses in. We’re particularly high on the Audible colt (Hip 4). We thought he’d do well in this sale as he’s an early type. Audible is a stallion I've been very keen to breed to and think he’ll do very well."
The July Sale has been the early target for these two individuals throughout the year, and Stoneriggs is hopeful the ring results come Tuesday will set the stage for the rest of the sales season. Both of the yearlings are by attractive freshman sires, with the other being a filly by Vino Rosso .
The Audible colt has been a “star at the farm since Day One,” says Keogh.
Out of the Verrazano mare I'm Guilty, the colt hails from the family of graded stakes winners on both surfaces, including Ready to Please, Ready's Gal, Machen, and Nac Venus.
“(Hip 4 has) got a lot of quality and a lot of presence,” Keogh said. “He looks precocious and fast. Just a quality individual. And he has a good page as well.”
Last year Audible’s first crop of weanlings averaged $108,065 in the sales ring. Standing at Spendthrift Farm, the son of Into Mischief was a grade 1-winner who bankrolled over $2 million.
The Vino Rosso filly, consigned as Hip 53, is among the first crop of the 2019 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor. Like her sire, who hit his best stride at age 4 when named the champion older dirt male of 2019, Keogh feels the filly will improve with time.
“(Hip 53 is) a tall, leggy filly,” Keogh said. “She’s a good mover with a good mind. She probably is not as precocious looking as the colt and might need a little bit more time to mature physically but is still a nice, quality filly.”
Hip 53 is the second foal produced from the Hard Spun mare Twisted Adage, who is out of Louisiana-bred stakes winner Nana Knows.
“For myself personally, The July Sale has always been pretty good to me over the years,” Keogh said. “I feel like you’ve got to bring a specific type to this sale. Fasig does a nice job and they are great people to do business with.”
