Vekoma Colts Ignite Excitement Prior to F-T July Sale

As the current leader on the leading freshman sires list by progeny earnings and by winners, Vekoma is off to a prosperous start at stud. A grade 1 winner, by a grade 1 winner, and out of a grade 1 winner; Vekoma boasts all the qualities of a top-class stallion. He has 10 winners from 16 starters this year with Fortuna Mia among his best performers. She was most recently third in the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs for trainer/owner Rey Hernandez. When Fasig-Tipton's The July Sale takes place July 9, the Spendthrift Farm stallion figures to be in demand as Vekoma is represented by just two colts. Hip 234 is out of the stakes producing Scat Daddy mare, Scamper. The chestnut colt is consigned by Lane's End. The other Vekoma offering, Hip 243, is the first foal out of Siamese (by Kitten's Joy), consigned by Alfred H. Nuckols Jr.'s Hurstland Farm. "I think that's feeding everything because he's had all these current 2-year-old winners, and they've all come in a big bunch," said Nuckols, commenting on the spiked interest in Vekoma. "The stallion getting off to the start that he has only electrifies things like this, so it's exciting to have one here for sure," added Allaire Ryan of Lane's End. Vekoma was a precocious 2-year-old, winning the 2018 Nashua Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. He has passed on his brilliant speed with five :9 4/5 breezes from his first 2-year-olds, and a :9 3/5 bullet at the Ocala Breeders' Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in April. His first yearlings in 2023 averaged $98,432, including a $775,000 colt at Keeneland September. He has kept up the momentum through the 2-year-old sales with an $800,000 2-year-old who sold at OBS April to Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing Stable. Nuckols' unwavering faith in Vekoma as a stallion influenced his decision to nominate the chestnut yearling he has brought to the Fasig-Tipton July Sale. "He's been a nice physical since he was a foal, and I wanted to bring him to a sale where I'd have a chance at presenting him properly, and have more people look at him. That's why I chose this sale," said Nuckols. "I wasn't sure coming up here, how well he'd be received because I thought his pedigree might be a little light. The physical on him has overcome everything. He's a beautiful physical, he's a nice mover, and he's got a lot of character," he continued. "We've had a lot of pinhookers look at him, but I'm getting some nice second looks from some end-users that I'm really encouraged by." Of Hip 234, Ryan emphasized the right placement of a precocious colt like this, "He's been physically forward all along; this sale was kind of earmarked early on in the calendar year for him." "Out here on the show ring, he's one of those yearlings that is kind of classic, two-turn looking; really fills your eye. He's got a great range of motion. When he moves, he uses himself really well," she said. With only two offspring in the sale, competition to get a yearling by Vekoma will be fierce, making them standout even more. "The truth is that at the time we did entries, nobody knew (how successful Vekoma would be)," Ryan said. "You just like the individual for who he was and with a little bit of luck, here we are."