Shanghai Bobby's First Crop Rich in Athletes

Among the first-crop yearling sires with the most representation at the Keeneland September sale is Shanghai Bobby  , who at 52 has the fifth-highest number cataloged for his sire class.

The first foals by the multiple grade I-winning son of Harlan's Holiday and 2012 champion 2-year-old colt were well received early, with 21 weanlings bringing a median of $62,000 in 2015. Appreciation grew as they matured, as indicated by the 15 yearlings sold prior to Keeneland September that produced a $105,000 median, and that momentum keeps rolling.

Two Shanghai Bobby yearlings offered during the Sept. 13 second day of the Keeneland September sale sold for $575,000 (Hip 265 to Mayberry Farm) and $250,000 (Hip 299 to Lothenbach Stables).

Padraig Campion with Blandford Stud bred and sold Hip 265, a colt out of the stakes-winning Forest Wildcat mare Coolwind. Prior to the colt selling, Campion had the highest of expectations for the long-bodied, smooth-walking dark bay or brown yearling.

"This one is a good advertisement for his sire," Campion said. "He's got the balance and the class. He's been shown 90 times a day for four days and he's still willing, walking on without any urging."

Campion said he doesn't breed to a lot of young sires, but was keen to include Shanghai Bobby in his matings when the colt out of Steelin' (by Orientate) retired to Ashford Stud.

"Shanghai Bobby really impressed me with his heart," he said. "In the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, he kept grinding it out."

The colt went undefeated in five starts his juvenile season, winning the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (gr. II) and the Foxwoods Champagne Stakes (gr. I) prior to the Breeders' Cup. Shanghai Bobby was raced by Starlight Racing (which raced Harlan's Holiday) with Susan Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor. He retired with six wins in eight starts and earnings of $1,857,000.

Campion has seen several Shanghai Bobby yearlings and sees a similarity in their type.

"Athleticism and heart, that wins races," he said.

Carrie Brogden, who bred Hip 299 out of the Unbridled's Song daughter Disturbingly Hot, was also an early believer in Shanghai Bobby. She bred 25 mares to the young stallion his first year at stud because she was already a big fan of Harlan's Holiday.

"We sent mares with bone and with stretch and size," she said. "That is what Harlan's Holiday needed. This one is a good representative of his sire; he's got the walk and the size."

Shanghai Bobby, who stood for $15,000 this year, has 117 foals in his first crop. He has eight yearlings cataloged in Book 2 and his greatest representation in Book 3 (19) and Book 4 (14).