Hips to Watch: Day 1 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale

A Smart Strike filly who was one of the fastest workers during the under tack show is among the horses to watch during the May 22 first session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training.

The auction at the Maryland State Fairgrounds will be held May 22-23, with sessions beginning at 11 a.m. EDT daily.

Named Smart Response, the filly who breezed an eighth-mile in :10 is consigned by Hartley/De Renzo Thorougbreds as Hip 79. Bred in Kentucky by Craig Singer, the filly is out of the stakes-winning Cozzene mare Salty Response, a half sister to grade 3 winner Salty Strike. Smart Response was also a pricey yearling when she was purchased for $275,000 from the Lane's End offerings at last year's Fasig-Tipton August selected yearling sale at Saratoga.

"She's the fastest horse I think we've had in a long time," Randy Hartley said. "She looks like a sprinter, but she's stretchy and muscled and her pedigree says she can go long. She cost a lot of money as a yearling but with fillies like that, I don't mind paying that."

Hartley and his partner Dean De Renzo also have another Day 1 filly to watch in Hip 136, a Medaglia d'Oro   filly who last went through the sale ring at this year's Fasig-Tipton Florida sale of 2-year-olds in training at Gulfstream Park. Reported sold to Breeze Easy for $450,000, the filly was bred in Kentucky by Diamond A Racing and was initially bought by Hartley/De Renzo for $310,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency at last year's Keeneland September yearling sale.

Another quick filly on offer Monday is Hip 264, a filly from the first crop of Flat Out   that also breezed an eighth-mile in :10 during the under tack show. The Kentucky-bred filly produced from the multiple stakes-winning Beau Genius mare Beau Watch is consigned by Paul Sharp, who purchased her for $60,000 from Romans Racing and Sales at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale.

Hip 54, a bay colt by Bodemeister  , is a half brother to 2011 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) winner Lilacs and Lace. Consigned by Cary Frommer, the March 17, 2015 foal was produced from the Seattle Slew mare Refinement and was bred in Kentucky by Judy Hicks and Kathryn Nikkel. The colt, whose second dam is four-time grade 1 winner Stella Madrid, was a $50,000 purchase by Robert Anderson from St George Sales at last year's Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale.

Niall Brennan's consignment includes Hip 237, a filly by The Factor out of stakes winner Alex's Allure, a Sky Classic half sister to grade 1 winners Justin Phillip   and Greenpointcrusader, grade 2 winner Keyed Entry, grade 3 winner and sire Algorithms  , and grade 3 winner Successful Mission. The filly was bred in Kentucky by Mike Harris and Westwind Farms.