Freshman Sire Showcase Returns to Fasig-Tipton July

The return of the Freshman Sire Showcase highlights the July 13 edition of The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's sale of selected yearlings in Kentucky, as North America's yearling season kicks off at the Newtown Paddocks near Lexington.

Last seen in 2010, the Showcase puts yearlings on display by popular young stallions, including progeny by Accelerate  , Always Dreaming  , Army Mule  , Awesome Slew  , Bee Jersey  , Bolt d'Oro  , Bucchero  , City of Light  , Cloud Computing  , Free Drop Billy  , Funtastic  , Girvin  , Good Magic  , Good Samaritan  , Justify  , McCraken  , Mendelssohn  , Mo Town  , Mor Spirit  , Ransom the Moon  , Sharp Azteca  , Tapwrit  , and West Coast  .

"I think it's a solid group, which was part of the impetus for bringing back the freshman sire showcase," said Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning Jr. "The market shifted back to where (freshman sires) came back en vogue. This is a really strong, deep group of sires. It is the perfect opportunity in 2021 to bring it back."

This is also the return of The July Sale to its usual spot on the calendar. Last year the sale was postponed and combined with The Saratoga Sale and the New York-bred Select Yearling Sale into the Selected Yearlings Showcase, held in Kentucky in September due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taylor Made Sales Agency brings 27 offerings, 10 of which are by first-year sires. Mark Taylor, vice president of sales and marketing for Taylor Made, said his team focused, as always, on selecting strong physicals for this sale.

"You have to focus on conformation," he said. "We have a nice uniform set of horses here. Fasig-Tipton, once again, it's their hallmark; getting a good, homogenous group of good physicals, no bad surprises. I think they have done that, and in this market where you have some polarization and selectivity from the buyers' side, that always helps because a good physical always sells." 

Taylor said he likes what he has seen from progeny of Good Magic and Bolt d'Oro so far. The former, a son of Curlin  , stands at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, while the latter, by Medaglia d'Oro  , stands at Spendthrift Farm.

"When you look at (Good Magic's yearlings), they are prettier than a lot of that sire line, Smart Strike and Curlin. These horses have a little more eye appeal, and they maybe look like they could be a little earlier to me," he said.

"Bolt d'Oro, I have seen a few, and they look racy. They have a look about them; being scopey and two-turn-looking horses. They look like they could have some speed."

"As we get through September, we are going to see a lot more of the quantity, and you really start to get a profile of what that horse is throwing, but early results I think Bolt d'Oro and Good Magic are two that I like."

Meg Levy of Bluewater Sales always has an eye on freshman sires, and has found a standout in a daughter of City of Light, a son of Quality Road   standing at Lane's End.

In her consignment of 14, a filly by City of Light out of Grand Sofia consigned as Hip 174 has been commanding attention from lookers and earned Levy's respect long before she arrived at the sales grounds.

"I love (Hip 174's) presence. She looks like a grade 1 filly coming into the paddock checking out the competition. She has her eyes on everything. 

"I call it a dragster look—the hip is so much higher, and all that power is there. The City of Lights take after Quality Road, maybe a tad more refined; they have that great walk, move back and forth like an accordion, and are slinky. I love the way their backs are made—long neck, beautiful head. 

"City of Light is probably one of my very top picks as a freshman sire; they are so consistent."

Levy also appreciates the entire package from progeny of American Freedom  , a son of Pulpit standing at Airdrie Stud whose first 2-year-olds hit the track this year.

"American Freedom has done so well; he has had several winners already, and the 2-year-old people have done very well with them," she said. "They are very stout, well-made, and balanced. A lot of bone; it's hard to find good bone on horses anymore because we have bred for speed for so long. So when you see one that has the body, the bone, presence, head, and eye, they stick out."

Being a physically mature individual with a standout pedigree is just the beginning for Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall. 

"We have 16 horses here, and the biggest thing I try to convey to people is you can't bring a horse that doesn't have a good mind, is not a good doer, is a stall walker, or is nervous," she said. "I think that is why there are so many good runners out of this sale; many of them we know from the farm and if they have the mentality to deal with it. They have to come in here in July of their yearling year and walk the walk. I can't bring any nervous or immature horse here. Ultimately, I think that shows in the race results of this sale." 

The atmosphere and grounds are buzzing with buyers looking for their next runner or pinhook prospect.

"I think we are going to have a very diverse buying group; we have seen lots of interest pre-sale from all segments of the buying bands," Browning said. "We are looking for mature, precocious individuals. I hope what we will have is deep support from professional buyers looking for athletic horses. I can look around the grounds already, and I see that there are some very savvy shoppers here, hard at work already.

"I think there is a sense of optimism surrounding the sales, and that's encouraging. The sense of optimism covers both buyers, sellers, sales companies. For all segments that are involved in the industry, there is a little bounce in their step. The interactions with people are generally positive, and there is some energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. It's a lot more fun to sell in that environment than the atmosphere we faced in 2020."

Levy agreed with Browning's assessment. 

"I feel like there is some excitement at the sale," she said. "I have noticed it in the market; people want to get out and travel. They want to do what they did before. I am hoping that comes to fruition here; with this being a pinhook mecca with the physicals already chosen for you, I think this makes it a fertile ground for them to come to and buy horses in their range."