First-Crop Offspring May Find Appeal with Pinhookers

The opening of Book 5 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Sept. 20 features several options that may excite pinhookers for their potential.

Among them is Hip 2889, an Improbable   filly. The chestnut is among her sire's first crop, but they have been drawing attention throughout the sale. Through the first seven sessions, 35 of Improbable's yearlings have sold for a gross of $2,578,000—an average of $73,657.

"The ones that I have have been fairly correct horses and they're just attractive horses," said consignor Scott Mallory. "They're the kind you just see out there, you're like, 'Wow, who's that?' So, some sires are going to get that, and some just have brown paper bags. They're just everyday, run-of-the-mill horses. But the Improbables, they kind of stand out a little bit."

Mallory said Improbable's first crop have a lot in common—a good hip and a good shoulder.

"She's got a big walk on her and she presents herself very well. I know this is about racehorses, but at the end of the day, it's still a horse show, right? So they have to be attractive, and the Improbables have been attractive horses. So I think that's why people are drawn to them."

Another sire whose first crop is hitting the yearling sales ring is Game Winner  . Gainesway consigns a colt by the sire as Hip 3003. 

"They all move really well. And you know they typically have a good frame," said Gainesway's Lakota Gibson. "This colt is good-sized and balanced and moves well, and his pedigree is pretty good. The mare (Le Mi Geaux) is a grade 3 winner, so I think he's going to be attractive in this book for us."

Game Winner's crop of yearlings have also been in high demand. Forty-three have sold at Keeneland September for a gross of $5,510,000, which averages at $128,140 per head. One of Hip 3003's half sisters (Hip 376) sold for $600,000 to Greg Tramontin during the second session.

Gibson said in the short time that Gainesway has been showing the colt, he's been on the majority of the shortlists they've seen. Being from the sire's first crop of foals makes the colt more attractive to potential buyers.

"This is his first group and I feel like buyers are always searching for those," Gibson said. "Especially when they're good-looking horses, which he is, ours is in particular, with the pedigree to back it up."

Another sire whose yearlings are worth watching Wednesday is Catholic Boy  . 

His progeny walking through the sales ring in Lexington are not from his first crop, but his second. However, the sire who stands at Claiborne Farm has a trio that are catching eyes. 

Hip 2830 is a bay filly out of the Smart Strike mare Bel Air Beauty; Hip 3048 is a bay filly out of the Strong Hope mare Need; and Hip 3196, a dark bay or brown filly out of the Catienus mare Unfold the Rose.