Strong Start to Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale Breeze Show

Fine weather and fast horses highlighted the June 24 opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale under tack show. 

"I wasn't pleased, I was thrilled," Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning Jr. said. "From start to finish, the track was very consistent and played very fair. We saw a lot of quality horses from start to finish. I couldn't have scripted a better start to the under tack show than what we had today." 

Four horses shared the fastest eighth-mile of :10. Among those was Hip 118, a Virginia-bred Uncle Mo  colt consigned by Pike Racing. 

"I was happy with him," said Al Pike of Pike Racing. "I think he could have done a little better. There was a photographer at the sixteenth pole and he kind of bounced off the rail a couple of times, but he's been a really special horse all winter, so we weren't surprised that he worked that well." 

Bred by the William M. Backer Revocable Trust, Hip 118 is the sixth foal out of the Mineshaft  mare Miss Ocean City, who has already produced graded stakes winner Azar. The colt's second dam is Madam Lagonza, the dam of multiple grade 3 winner Woodlander and stakes winner Admiral Alex.

Madam Lagonza also appears as granddam of Coal Front , a multiple graded stakes-winning son of Stay Thirsty who joined the Spendthrift Farm stallion roster in 2020. 

Pike said he was pleased with the state of the track considering the area had been pelted by heavy rain in the days leading up to the under tack show. 

"I thought Fasig-Tipton did a wonderful job," Pike said. "They've had big thunderstorms here all week, so they've done an amazing job on the track. It probably got a little hot later in the day, but there were still some nice times even then. Seems like there are a lot of players here. I think if you brought a good horse, then you can probably sell it." 

Also working an eighth-mile in :10 was Hip 51, a Speightster  colt consigned by L.G., agent, out of the Mizzen Mast mare Izzy Izzy. Bred in Kentucky by Pope McLean, Marc McLean, and Pope McLean Jr., the colt is a half brother to stakes winner En Hanse and is from the extended female family of grade 3 winner La Dolce Vita. 

Hip 106 worked in :10 for Wolf Creek Farms, agent. The Outwork  colt was bred in New York by Hidden Lake Farm, James Bernhard, and Donna Bernhard out of the Maria's Mon mare Marialua, a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Honolua Storm. 

The last of the day's workers to go in :10 was Hip 173, a filly by Upstart  from the consignment of Cary Frommer, agent. Bred in Maryland by Dark Hollow Farm, the filly was produced by the Pure Prize mare Plum, a half sister to stakes-placed Southside Warrior. 

Only one horse worked the fastest quarter-mile time of :20 4/5. The colt (Hip 151) by Liam's Map  is consigned by All Dreams Equine, agent, and was bred in Kentucky by Nancy Shuford out of the Big Brown  mare One Foxy Grey. The colt's second dam is Spinaway Stakes (G1) winner Irish Smoke. 

With two more days of works before the start of the auction June 29, hopes remain high that there will be more impressive performances. As buyers and agents continue to arrive, Browning said he's hopeful activity on the grounds will pick up. 

"There was a normal crowd here today, but we've had a lot of presale interest in this sale, and I'm very optimistic trending toward this weekend," Browning said. "Hopefully, we have two more good days of under tack. If we can do that, I think we will have a very good horse sale."