Vekoma Colt Sells for $600K at Fasig-Tipton July Sale

Midway through Fasig-Tipton's The July Sale of selected yearlings, Hip 135, a chestnut son of Vekoma, fetched $600,000 from Legion Bloodstock to become the top-priced yearling sold through 1:40 p.m. ET July 14. Legion Bloodstock's Kristian Villante signed for the purchase of the colt on behalf of a developing partnership. "The whole team really loved him, so we kind of came here hoping we'd have a chance to buy him," Villante said. "We stretched a little more than we were comfortable stretching, but we have to do that for those kinds of horses. The pedigree, the physical, it was all there." Villante said his team actively targets The July Sale, as it has had a lot of luck in the past with graduates of the sale, including the graded stakes-placed Hollygrove, who they also purchased from Shawhan Place for $65,000 in 2023. "I think he could've stood up in The Saratoga Sale, not just July," Villante said. "He was a big, forward-looking colt, but just had a really good presence about him. He handled himself really well all week. We love the sire, but he was a physical standout for us. "He had the physical and the pedigree. We love Uncle Mo as a broodmare sire, so it really made sense all around." Breeder Shawhan Place also consigned the colt, the second foal out of the winning Uncle Mo mare Passionate Dream. The dam of Hip 135 is a full sister to graded stakes winner Paradise Lake. United States Rep. Matt Koch, a Kentucky Republican of the 72nd District and co-owner of Shawhan Place, was elated with the result. Hip 135 is the most expensive horse Shawhan Place has ever sold. "It would be very foolish of me to say that you ever expect a horse to bring that much money," Koch said. "But, he's a homebred, and we purchased the mare a few years ago. Courtney (Schneider) did the mating. (My Brother) Gus (Koch) did the prepping, and everything goes to them. I have very smart people who are out there working and doing all this. "I can't tell you how special this is for the whole Shawhan Place." Koch said they have always done well at the July sale and credited the crew at Fasig-Tipton for being adamant about bringing the son of Vekoma to this sale. "We turned it over to Gus, and he prepped him. The rest is history," Koch said. When asked if there was any hesitation to send the high caliber colt to the Fasig-Tipton The Saratoga Sale, he responded, "We're Kentucky through and through." His brother Gus, echoed those sentiments. "Every year, I ask the Fasig crew, 'Which one do you all want?' And, historically, that's the one we do the best with. It makes it an easy decision when they say, 'That's the one we want for July,'" Gus Koch said. Shawhan Place has been a longtime supporter of 2024 leading freshman sire Vekoma. It sold the highest-priced filly at last year's July sale, when Hip 141, a daughter of Vekoma brought $345,000 from Kenny McPeek, agent. The ninth-leading sire in North America by progeny earnings and the first among third-crop sires, Vekoma stood this breeding season for $100,000 at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.