Yearlings by 2022 Horse of the Year and prominent first-crop yearling sire Flightline were in high demand at the Sept. 8 opening session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale as the sire had two of the top five yearlings, and three of the top 10 sold.
Owner Naohiro Sakaguchi from Japan took the highest-priced Flightline yearling of the day after going to $1.7 million for a colt (Hip 45) out of multiple stakes producer Mira Alta (Curlin ). Sakaguchi signed the ticket on the colt, who was bred in Kentucky by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds and consigned by Warrendale Sales. The colt will be exported to Japan where Makoto Saito will train the colt.
Mira Alta is the dam of grade 3 winner Promise Keeper, graded-placed stakes winner Wicked Awesome, and graded-placed winner War Stopper.
"As a total, he looks like he will fit in Japan," Saito said. "We feel like Flightline has good potential. We wanted to bet on him. He is a favorite in Japan.
"We can pick up the best horses among the best horses, which is a great reason to come over here (to America), especially Keeneland."
Saito is an accomplished trainer in Japan, and has also had success in the United States, winning the 2016 Red Carpet Handicap (G3T) with Nuovo Record, who ran in that year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T).
Flightline's first yearlings sold at the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Yearling Sale in Japan in July, where the undefeated 2022 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner's top-priced lot, a colt, sold for ¥190,000,000 (US$1,419,848) to Susumu Fujita, owner of Saudi Cup (G1) winner Forever Young. The colt is the second foal out of 2019 Miss Grillo Stakes (G2T) winner Selflessly, who was trained by Chad Brown for Klaravich Stables. Flightline's yearlings were popular among buyers and returned an average of ¥158,333,333 (US$1,183,206) from three offerings.
Flightline sired the first seven-figure horse during opening day at the Keeneland September sale when Hip 10 sold for $1.5 million.
READ: Flightline Colt Brings $1.5M at Keeneland September
"This is the only one (Flightline) we're selling at this sale," said Hunter Simms of Warrendale Sales. "We didn't have anything in Saratoga either. His mind, he was just so relaxed back there. He showed over 220 times over the last three days. He just handled everything with class, and was such a great individual to be around.
"He was bred by Rock Ridge Thoroughbreds on the old Classic Star Farm, across from Pin Oak, and they raise a really good horse. We had good sales for them in the past, and this is just kind of the icing on the cake for everything that they put into it over the last few years—investing in a lot of mares and stud fees, and everything else. I'm glad it paid off for them."
Later in the session, Sakaguchi also signed the ticket on a daughter of Flightline for $1.5 million. The filly, consigned as Hip 168 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, was the co-second-highest-priced filly of the sale. Hip 115, a Tapit filly, sold to Whisper Hill Farm for $1.5 million.
Hip 168 was bred in Kentucky by Albaugh Family Stables and hails from the immediate family of top 20 stallions Not This Time and Liam's Map . She is the seventh foal produced from the stakes-winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Taylor S.
