Stormy Lucy, Donegal Moon's RNA Top F-T Sale

There was an element of intrigue late during the Fasig-Tipton July selected horses of racing age sale July 11 in Lexington when it appeared that 3-year-old colt Donegal Moon had been sold for $1.6 million.

But the excitement in the sales pavilion was short-lived when Donegal Racing’s Jerry Crawford said moments later the final bid fell short of the seller’s expectations.

Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the son of Malibu Moon   had been a supplemental entry into the sale after winning the Betfair.com Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) at Monmouth Park. The Pegasus, a prep for Monmouth Park’s $1 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) July 31, improved Donegal Moon’s record to 3-1-1 in 11 starts and earnings of $199,252 for trainer Todd Pletcher.

“There weren’t enough of those types of buyers here,” said Taylor Made’s Duncan Taylor. “He’s a good horse and I think he’s worth that.”

Crawford did not rule out the possibility the colt would be still be sold in a private transaction.

“If we don’t sell him, we’re going to have the 5-2 favorite in the West Virginia Derby (gr. II) and say ‘Come and catch us.’ There are worst things than that,” Crawford said.

Crawford and Donegal Racing bought Donegal Moon for $220,000 from the Gainesway consignment to the Keeneland September yearling sale. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Patchen Wilkes Farm.

With competitive bidding during the sale that was held on its own day for the first time, Fasig-Tipton reported 72 horses sold for $5,048,500, with 19 horses not sold. The average price was $70,118 and median was $42,000.

Last year, 65 head averaged $61,477 on a gross of $3,996,000, with a median price of $48,000. There were 31 RNA’s a year ago.

“It was a pretty similar marketplace to what we have seen in recent years,” said Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning. “I thought it was pretty competitive bidding on most of the lots. There was plenty of activity and interest for the most part on the vast majority of racehorses.”

With Donegal Moon not selling, top price during the sale that precedes the Fasig-Tipton July sale of selected yearlings July 12 was the $575,000 paid by SF Bloodstock for grade I winner Stormy Lucy in a private transaction after she departed the sales ring unsold at $650,000.

Taylor Made’s Leif Aaron said once the 7-year-old daughter of Stormy Atlantic   owned by Ed Moger Jr. left the ring unsold, the consignor was contacted by several interests that resulted in the sale to SF Bloodstock, represented by Tom Ryan.

Stormy Lucy has won three graded stakes, including the 2015 Matriarch (gr. IT), and placed second or third in nine other graded stakes.

One of the highlights of the sale was the dispersal of horses owned by Elisabeth “Betty” Alexander’s Eutrophia Farm, which grossed $1,673,000 and was topped by the Storm Cat mare Kitness.

Purchased by I Green, Kitness is a winning daughter of the Devil’s Bag mare Firmness, a half sister to graded stakes winners Della Francesca and Caress, the dam of grade I winner and sire Sky Mesa. Also selling with Kitness was her March 13 colt by Candy Ride  .

Offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency, as agent, the 22 horses from the dispersal included mares and foals, yearlings, 2-year-olds, and horses of racing age.

“They sold very good and it is a credit to Mrs. Alexander’s breeding decisions over the years,” Taylor Made’s Mark Taylor said.