Breeders Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding struck gold Sept. 16 during the third day of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, selling a Nyquist colt for $2.25 million out of a Bernardini mare Hertrich purchased seven years ago for $40,000. The bay, consigned as Hip 642 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, was the highest-priced hip of the third session of the ongoing sale through 6 p.m. ET.
Via agents John Kimmel and Nick Sallusto, Alex and JoAnn Lieblong purchased the bay, a son by champion Nyquist out of the placed Bernardini mare Hot Cha.
Lieblong accompanied the agents at the sale and expressed his excitement with the colt.
"He just stood out," he said. "He's in a different class. Obviously the price showed that—someone else agreed with that! So if we can just get the check to clear, we'll be in good shape."
Lieblong believes this is the most he's ever paid for a horse for his successful stable, but he didn't balk at outlasting other potential buyers in the bidding.
"Well, at (age) 75, you don't hesitate as much as you used to," he quipped.
The colt will go next to Florida to the equine training facility Thorostock, founded by Sallusto.
"Then we'll figure out where he fits," Lieblong said. "But he's gorgeous. So pretty!"
Duncan Taylor, senior Thoroughbred consultant for Taylor Made Sales, praised the sales prep performed by Watercress Farm on Hip 642 before he joined their consignment. He said Taylor Made regarded him as a million-dollar horse but that his $2.25 million sales price was unexpected.
"Alex Lieblong, we've done business with him; he got the horse and John Kimmel's been a longtime friend of the Taylor family," he said. "So it's just awesome that they got the horse, and I hope he performs like he looks like he (can). He's just very smart, great-looking, couldn't fault him, and just was really a nice horse."
Hot Cha is a half sibling to four stakes winners, two of them graded, including Hot And Sultry, who the Lieblongs campaigned to win the 2023 Chilukki Stakes (G3) with trainer Norm Casse.
Hot Cha has produced six foals, four of racing age. Two have started with Swelter (Tiznow) being her lone winner. He is 4-for-32 lifetime with earnings of $79,412.
Nyquist is the fourth-leading stallion in North America. He stood for $175,000 earlier this year at Darley near Lexington.
