Southwind Bugz steals the show for $335,000 at Lexington Selected Sale
October 6, 2017,by Kim French, USTA Internet News Editor
Columbus, OH — Although each session of every edition of any sale possesses its own unique characteristics, this year’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale features an attribute which sets it apart from its predecessors: expect the unexpected. Thursday evening’s (Oct. 5) action certainly demonstrated just that as Southwind Bugz was purchased for $335,000 to rank as the second highest-priced yearling of the event in its third session, which is obviously extremely unusual.
Randy Manges, however, might have provided a bit of foreshadowing for what the sale was capable of providing on Monday evening.
“I’m looking forward to the rest of the sale,” the co-sales manager said. “Our third, fourth and fifth sessions have very nice horses so our books have strength right through to the end of the sale.”
Despite his extensive experience and knowledge, even Manges himself was probably a bit surprised at how successful this year’s third installment was as Southwind Bugz was merely an indicator of a very powerful sale. Thursday witnessed 160 yearlings go through the ring for a gross sum of $7,615,000 with an average of $47,594. In last year’s record-breaking event, 145 horses were sold for $6,066,000 with an average of $41,834. Therefore, the sale saw a healthy increase of 13.8 percent from the 2016 numbers.
In addition, the highest-priced yearling from last year’s version on the third day was $175,000 and six horses sold for $100,000 or more. On this Thursday, nine yearlings sold with that price tag or higher.
USTA/Mark Hall photo
Southwind Bugz was purchased for $335,000 to rank as the second highest-priced yearling of the event in its third session.
Identified as Hip No. 368, Southwind Bugz, a son of Muscle Hill-Missymae Bluestone, is now owned by Kenneth Jacobs. Consigned by Preferred Equine Inc. and raised by Southwind Farms, the bay colt entered the arena with a regal air as the bidding ensued around him. The March 26 foal is a full-sibling to Yonkers Trot runner-up and Swedish Breeders Crown winner Southwind Mozart ($300,000-International) and a half-brother to New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Southwind Cocoa (Chocolatier, $277,097).
The colt’s granddam, Missy’s Goalfire, earned $329,939 on the racetrack and also produced Missy’s Doubt Fire (Cantab Hall, $177,924) as well as Me And Cinderella (Cantab Hall, $107,398). This family’s first three generations are also listed in the catalogue with an impressive amount of black type.
While fellow freshman stallions Captaintreacherous, Sweet Lou, Father Patrick and Trixton have been in the spotlight, Sunshine Beach tossed down his own challenge as his son Ridin On Sunshine, Hip No. 416, was selected for $185,000 by Gino Toscani.
Out of the Jereme’s Jet mare Takealilridewithme, the colt was consigned by Spring Haven Farm and reared by Rails Edge Farm. Ridin On Sunshine is his dam’s first foal, but she is a half-sister to Riding The Rapids (Red River Hanover, $113,020). The colt’s great-granddam, Motorist (French Chef) produced six winners from seven foals and his fourth dam, Road Runner (Albatross) is responsible for a number of stakes winners as well as stakes producers.
Two trotting yearlings, Lindy Express and One More Rosie, shared the third position as the evening’s most expensive purchases when they each fetched $140,000.
A son of Trixton-Nashville Lindy, Lindy Express, who will now reside in the barn of Åke Svanstedt, is a half-brother to 2017 Old Oaken Bucket victor Shake It Off Lindy (Crazed, $209,872). Catalogued as Hip No. 375, the colt has a pedigree that affords a glimpse of a promising future, as his second and third dams were prolific producers of stakes winners.
One More Rosie, Hip No. 398, was selected by Rene Allard. The daughter of Muscle Mass-Rose De Vie Stena is a full-sister to dual O’Brien Award winner Riveting Rosie ($903,520) and a half-sibling to Howd That Feel (Muscles Yankee, $187,272). The filly’s dam is a 100 percent producer and is a half-sister to Bertorico (Lindy Lane, $237,165), Baron Hall (Victory Dream, $194,818), and Bertolio (Lindy Lane, $204,400-International).
The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continues until Saturday (Oct. 7) with all sessions opening at 7 p.m.
To view the full results of the sale or the upcoming catalogue, please click here. The event is also being streamed live and can be seen on this link.
Complete recaps of the individual sessions will be available at www.ustrotting.com on the mornings following the evening sessions.
- Rifleman tops opening session of Lexington Selected Yearling Sale (Tuesday, October 03, 2017)
The 2017 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale began on Tuesday (Oct. 3) at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Lexington, Ky. The opening session sales topper was Hip No. 35, Rifleman, a trotting colt by Father Patrick-Designed To Be who sold for $330,000 to Courant Inc. Consigned by Kentuckiana Farms as agent, Rifleman is the first foal out of his dam who was a world champion and banked $656,166 in her career.
- Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continues through Saturday (Wednesday, October 04, 2017)
The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continues through Saturday (Oct. 7) with all sessions opening at 7 p.m.
- Beautiful Sin at $480,000 becomes new sales-topper at Lexington Selected Sale (Thursday, October 05, 2017)
As only 20 more of her colleagues prepared to enter the ring for the second session of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale on Wednesday (Oct. 4), the majority of the crowd had already availed themselves of the exit while firmly gripping their catalogues. Those that remained were obviously paying attention to the price Beautiful Sin was demanding, but all conversation ceased once the toteboard hit $300,000. From there on in, all the observers held their breath while waiting to discover the sum the daughter of Muscle Hill-Sina would command. The answer supplied was $480,000 and when the next hip number flashed on the screen, those in attendance collectively released their breath while clapping in honor of the new sales-topper.
- Mettle brings down the hammer for $180,000 at Lexington Selected Sale (Saturday, October 07, 2017)
On the very first evening of the 2017 Lexington Selected Sale, many of the media members and those in the audience were swift to commence comparisons between this year’s edition and the record-breaking version which occurred the previous year. Randy Manges, co-sales manager, quickly responded to these queries by stating the two were vastly different, as 2016 was in a class of its own, yet he felt the upcoming four sessions would demonstrate not only the demand for horses, but a very robust middle market. After Mettle and Tangent, however, sold for $180,000 and $100,000, respectively, on Friday (Oct. 6) in the sale’s fourth installment, the 2017 sale is poised to soar past its predecessor to annex the top spot in the history books.
- Roughcut sells for record $300,000 at historic Lexington Selected Sale (Sunday, October 08, 2017)
When Casie Coleman explained to him she might be a little nervous to pull the trigger when bidding on Roughcut at Saturday’s (Oct. 7) final session of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale if the price became what she considered to be too high, Ed James decided he needed to get himself to the Bluegrass State immediately. He simply couldn’t take the chance that Coleman might allow Hip No. 608 to slip through his grasp and it was quite fortuitous James arrived prior to the colt’s entry into the ring, as his presence ultimately procured the yearling for an unprecedented $300,000 on the last evening of the event.