Shanghai Bobby Colt Tops Texas Yearling Sale

A Shanghai Bobby colt was purchased by Summer Grove Farm for $115,000 to top the Aug. 26 Texas Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale at Lone Star Park near Grand Prairie.

The colt, bred in Louisiana by buyer Summer Grove Farm and Terry Gabriel, was consigned as Hip 61 by Clear Creek Stud, agent. Produced from the winning Cobra King mare Viva Vega, the dark bay or brown yearling is a half brother to Southern Dude, a stakes-winning earner of $320,842, and to Viva Vegas, a stakes winner who has won more than $240,000 and has placed in three grade 3 stakes.

The Texas Thoroughbred Association, which conducted the auction jointly with Lone Star, reported 42 yearlings were sold for gross receipts of $506,000 at an average of $12,048 and median price of $5,000. The 23 horses that went unsold represented an RNA rate of 35.4%.

At last year's yearling sale, 44 horses grossed $414,300 for an average of $9,416 and $7,750 median. The RNA rate was 46.3%.

Sales director Tim Boyce said the positive numbers could reflect legislation approved this year to enhance Texas racing.

"Even with a smaller catalog this year it's encouraging that we were able to increase the gross sales along with a big surge in the average," Boyce said. "With as much as $25 million annually expected to be added to the Texas racing program thanks to the bill that was passed, that can only do good things for this sale and for the entire Southwest region in the coming years." 

The day's second-highest price of $60,000 was fetched by Hip 42, a gray or roan son of Too Much Bling  bought by Anton Kubacak from Benchmark Training Center, agent. Bred in Texas by Douglas Scharbauer, the colt is out of the unraced Devil His Due mare Red Thread, dam of stakes winners Kat's Infatuation and Shocktime and three other stakes-placed runners. Shocktime is the dam of Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) winner He's Comin In Hot and stakes winners Gold Shock and Swift Shock.

Hip 73, a daughter of Too Much Bling also consigned by Benchmark, was the top-priced filly of the day, bringing $37,000 from Lone Star Raicng Club. Out of the winning Hadif mare Coryphee, the filly is a half sister to stakes winners Triumph and Song and Bravura. She was bred in Texas by Ronald Ellerbee and Margaret Ellerbee.

Benchmark also sent out the topper during the mixed portion of the sale, with CJ Thoroughbred purchasing Show Me the Bling (Hip 110), an 11-year-old daughter of Too Much Bling believed to be in foal to Alternation , for $14,000. The mare is from the extended female family of French group 1 winner Always Earnest and grade 2 winner Nettie Cometti.

TTA reported 13 horses grossed $33,100 during that part of the auction.